How far is Palo Cedro, CA from Los Angeles, CA?

The driving distance from Palo Cedro, CA to Los Angeles, CA is about 544.2 miles (875.8 km), with a travel time of about 08h 52m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 500.5 miles (805.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 17h 45m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
544.2 mi
08h 52m
Flight
500.47 mi
805.43 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Palo Cedro.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
500.47 mi
Kilometers
805.43 km
Flight Time
01h 00m

Driving Distance

Road route
544.2 mi
Kilometers
875.8 km
Drive Time
08h 52m

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 08h 52m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Los Angeles
Thu, Apr 23, 6:42 AM PDT
Return by in Palo Cedro
Thu, Apr 23, 3:34 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Palo Cedro
2026-04-22T21:49
Arrive Los Angeles
Thu, Apr 23, 6:42 AM PDT
Route Timing
08h 52m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:53 PM to 4:23 PM PDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
6:14 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Palo Cedro
8:00 PM PDT
Overnight-style route

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
Los Banos
CA

The county seat of Merced County, California.

From Palo Cedro
271 mi
04h 26m
To Los Angeles
273.2 mi
04h 26m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
63°F
Wednesday

Chance Light Rain

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
3 to 8 mph S
Destination
70°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 15 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Palo Cedro and Los Angeles.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Palo Cedro and Los Angeles.

  1. 1

    Start on Old 44 Drive

    19 m · 6 sec · Old 44 Drive

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Deschutes Road

    10.2 mi · 18 min · Deschutes Road

  3. 3

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Deschutes Road

    29 m · 4 sec · Deschutes Road

  4. 4

    Exit the roundabout onto Deschutes Road

    1115 ft · 26 sec · Deschutes Road

  5. 5

    At the end of the road, turn left

    1.3 km · 1 min

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Cascade Wonderland Highway

    20.2 mi · 22 min · Cascade Wonderland Highway

  7. 7

    Continue on Westside Freeway

    93 mi · 1 hr 40 min · Westside Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

    15.7 mi · 17 min · Westside Freeway

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

    78.8 mi · 1 hr 28 min · Westside Freeway

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

    1.2 km · 49 sec · Westside Freeway

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

    236.6 mi · 4 hr 14 min · Westside Freeway

  12. 12

    Keep slight right

    58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South

    1354 ft · 18 sec

  15. 15

    Keep slight left

    5.3 mi · 6 min

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 170 South: Hollywood

    2508 ft · 33 sec

  17. 17

    Continue on Hollywood Freeway

    16.2 mi · 21 min · Hollywood Freeway

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward Broadway

    636 ft · 17 sec

  19. 19

    Continue on West Aliso Street

    125 m · 18 sec · West Aliso Street

  20. 20

    Turn right onto North Spring Street

    1455 ft · 36 sec · North Spring Street

  21. 21

    Turn left onto West 1st Street

    108 m · 12 sec · West 1st Street

  22. 22

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Palo Cedro and Los Angeles.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
22 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
483 mi · 89%
Cascade Wonderland Highway
20.2 mi · 4%
Hollywood Freeway
16.2 mi · 3%
Deschutes Road
10.4 mi · 2%
I 405 South
5.56 mi · 1%
Golden State Freeway
4.07 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

237 mi · 04h 14m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
08h 52m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
17h 46m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+43.7 mi
500.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Los Banos
04h 26m from Palo Cedro
Leave By
6:14 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Chance Light Rain leaving Palo Cedro and Mostly Sunny near Los Angeles.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Palo Cedro to Los Angeles?

The road trip is about 544.2 miles (875.8 km) and usually takes 08h 52m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Los Banos is a useful midpoint, sitting about 271 miles from Palo Cedro and 273.2 miles from Los Angeles.

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

The direct path is about 500.5 miles (805.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 43.7 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 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $110.76 one way or $221.53 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 170.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Light Rain around Palo Cedro and Mostly Sunny near Los Angeles.

Stop Ideas Near Los Banos

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Los Banos, 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 Los Banos.

RAIL

Merced station

43 mi away
324 West 24th St
RAIL

Denair station

53 mi away
3800 Santa Fe Avenue
BUS

Gilroy, California

64 mi away
7250 Monterey Street
RAIL

Modesto station

68 mi away
1700 Held Drive

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Palo Cedro and Los Angeles. Straight-line distance: 500.47 mi (805.43 km).

Palo Cedro

#1 Palo Cedro

Census-designated place in Shasta County, California

Population1,269
Coordinates40.5637600, -122.2388900
Altitude143
CountryUnited States
Los Angeles

#2 Los Angeles

The second most populous city in the United States and the center of the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

Population3,970,219
Coordinates34.0522300, -118.2436800
Altitude89
CountryUnited States
Start: Old 44 Drive (-122.23889, 40.563785)
End: West 1st Street (-118.24357, 34.05234)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 876 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)18h 07m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)13h 36m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)10h 53m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)09h 04m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)07h 46m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 47m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
19.2 gal
72.69 L · about $110.76
Round trip
$221.53
38.4 gal · 145.38 L
Estimated CO2
170.6 kg one way
Round trip: 341.3 kg / 752 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $110.76 $221.53
Mid-grade $6.07 $116.47 $232.93
Premium $6.24 $119.87 $239.73
Diesel $7.57 $145.29 $290.57

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Palo Cedro and Los Angeles. The current time is 21:49:32.

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.