How far is Greenwood, CA from South Lake Tahoe, CA?

The driving distance from Greenwood, CA to South Lake Tahoe, CA is about 77.5 miles (124.8 km), with a travel time of about 01h 48m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 50 miles (80.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 36m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
77.58 mi
01h 48m
Flight
49.97 mi
80.42 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Greenwood.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
49.97 mi
Kilometers
80.42 km
Flight Time
00h 06m

Driving Distance

Road route
77.58 mi
Kilometers
124.85 km
Drive Time
01h 48m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 01h 48m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in South Lake Tahoe
Fri, Apr 17, 12:27 AM PDT
Return by in Greenwood
Fri, Apr 17, 2:15 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Greenwood
2026-04-16T22:38
Arrive South Lake Tahoe
Fri, Apr 17, 12:27 AM PDT
Route Timing
01h 48m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:48 AM to 11:48 AM PDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
2:54 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Greenwood
9:30 PM PDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Pollock Pines
CA

Census designated place

From Greenwood
38.7 mi
00h 54m
To South Lake Tahoe
38.8 mi
00h 54m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
61°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 8 mph W
Destination
44°F
Thursday

Chance Snow Showers then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Greenwood and South Lake Tahoe.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Greenwood and South Lake Tahoe.

  1. 1

    Start on Main Street

    22 m · 2 sec · Main Street

  2. 2

    Continue on Greenwood Road

    4.8 mi · 12 min · Greenwood Road

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Marshall Road

    1838 ft · 51 sec · Marshall Road

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Garden Valley Road

    3.5 mi · 9 min · Garden Valley Road

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Georgetown Road

    4.5 mi · 8 min · Georgetown Road

  6. 6

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Georgetown Road

    3.1 mi · 6 min · Georgetown Road

  7. 7

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Coloma Road

    1 km · 2 min · Coloma Road

  8. 8

    Turn right onto Spring Street

    868 ft · 32 sec · Spring Street

  9. 9

    Turn left

    19.4 mi · 25 min

  10. 10

    Continue straight

    32.7 mi · 45 min

  11. 11

    Continue straight

    1795 ft · 34 sec

  12. 12

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

    37 m · 5 sec

  13. 13

    Exit the roundabout

    1.4 km · 2 min

  14. 14

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

    21 m · 1 sec

  15. 15

    Exit the roundabout

    3.9 mi · 6 min

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right

    2.4 mi · 5 min

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Los Angeles Avenue

    1185 ft · 38 sec · Los Angeles Avenue

  18. 18

    Turn left onto Oakland Avenue

    1994 ft · 56 sec · Oakland Avenue

  19. 19

    Turn right onto El Dorado Avenue

    688 ft · 19 sec · El Dorado Avenue

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · El Dorado Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Greenwood and South Lake Tahoe.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Interchange-aware route

The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.

Directions
20 steps
14 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
0 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
25.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Spring Street
40.5 mi · 52%
Georgetown Road
7.64 mi · 10%
Greenwood Road
4.79 mi · 6%
Garden Valley Road
3.55 mi · 5%
Coloma Road
0.63 mi · 1%
Oakland Avenue
0.38 mi
Longest Stretch

Spring Street

Continue straight

32.7 mi · 00h 45m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 48m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 36m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+27.5 mi
50 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Pollock Pines
00h 54m from Greenwood
Leave By
2:54 PM PDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Greenwood and Chance Snow Showers then Mostly Sunny near South Lake Tahoe.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Greenwood to South Lake Tahoe?

The road trip is about 77.5 miles (124.8 km) and usually takes 01h 48m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Pollock Pines is a useful midpoint, sitting about 38.7 miles from Greenwood and 38.8 miles from South Lake Tahoe.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 50 miles (80.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 27.5 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 2:54 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $15.81 one way or $31.61 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 24.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Greenwood and Chance Snow Showers then Mostly Sunny near South Lake Tahoe.

Stop Ideas Near Pollock Pines

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Pollock Pines, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Pollock Pines.

BUS

Placerville, California

19 mi away
Mosquito Rd. and Clay St.
RAIL

Auburn

46 mi away
277 Nevada St. at Fulweiler St.
RAIL

Colfax

49 mi away
99 Railroad St. at Church St.
BUS

South Lake Tahoe, California

53 mi away
1000 Emerald Bay Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Greenwood and South Lake Tahoe. Straight-line distance: 49.97 mi (80.42 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Greenwood

Greenwood is a place in California, United States.

Population0
Coordinates38.8965700, -120.9127200
Altitude490
CountryUnited States
South Lake Tahoe

#2 South Lake Tahoe

City in California

Population22,847
Coordinates38.9332400, -119.9843500
Altitude1901
CountryUnited States
Start: Main Street (-120.912775, 38.896544)
End: El Dorado Avenue (-119.983318, 38.934154)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 125 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)02h 35m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 56m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 33m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 17m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 06m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 58m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
2.74 gal
10.36 L · about $15.81
Round trip
$31.61
5.48 gal · 20.72 L
Estimated CO2
24.4 kg one way
Round trip: 48.7 kg / 107 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $15.81 $31.61
Mid-grade $6.07 $16.62 $33.24
Premium $6.24 $17.11 $34.21
Diesel $7.57 $20.73 $41.47

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in California · Apr 17, 2026

There is no time difference between Greenwood and South Lake Tahoe. The current time is 22:38:56.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.