How far is Penn Valley, CA from Los Angeles, CA?
The driving distance from Penn Valley, CA to Los Angeles, CA is about 448.2 miles (721.3 km), with a travel time of about 07h 25m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 391.1 miles (629.4 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 14h 51m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT.
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.
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
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 07h 25m.
Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
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.
City in Illinois, United States
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Penn Valley and Los Angeles.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Penn Valley and Los Angeles.
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1
Start on Willow Lane
121 m · 23 sec · Willow Lane
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2
Turn left onto Lasso Loop
817 ft · 39 sec · Lasso Loop
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3
Turn right onto Horton Street
1647 ft · 1 min · Horton Street
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4
At the end of the road, turn right onto Penn Valley Drive
1.3 km · 1 min · Penn Valley Drive
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5
At the end of the road, turn left onto Penn Valley Drive
2973 ft · 60 sec · Penn Valley Drive
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6
Turn right onto Eric Rood Memorial Expressway
5.6 mi · 7 min · Eric Rood Memorial Expressway
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7
Take the exit slight right
1166 ft · 17 sec
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8
Merge slight left onto Golden Center Freeway
14.3 mi · 19 min · Golden Center Freeway
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9
Continue on Grass Valley Highway
1.1 mi · 1 min · Grass Valley Highway
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10
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grass Valley Highway
33 m · 3 sec · Grass Valley Highway
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11
Exit the roundabout onto Grass Valley Highway
1.3 mi · 2 min · Grass Valley Highway
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12
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grass Valley Highway
32 m · 3 sec · Grass Valley Highway
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13
Exit the roundabout onto Grass Valley Highway
5.6 mi · 9 min · Grass Valley Highway
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14
Take the ramp slight right toward I 80 West: Sacramento
1346 ft · 33 sec
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15
Merge slight left onto Alan S. Hart Freeway
16.8 mi · 19 min · Alan S. Hart Freeway
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16
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
7.1 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
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17
Keep slight right to continue on Capital City Freeway
4.9 mi · 5 min · Capital City Freeway
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18
Keep slight left to continue on Elvas Freeway
1.5 mi · 2 min · Elvas Freeway
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19
Continue on Capital City Freeway
2.3 mi · 2 min · Capital City Freeway
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20
Keep slight right to continue on US 50 East, I 80 West: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco
1.9 mi · 2 min
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21
Take the exit slight right toward I 5: Los Angeles, Redding
803 ft · 15 sec
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22
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South: Los Angeles
1.3 km · 2 min
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23
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
59 mi · 1 hr 5 min · Westside Freeway
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24
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
1.2 km · 49 sec · Westside Freeway
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25
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
236.6 mi · 4 hr 14 min · Westside Freeway
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26
Keep slight right
58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min
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27
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway
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28
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
1354 ft · 18 sec
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29
Keep slight left
5.3 mi · 6 min
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30
Take the exit slight right toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
2508 ft · 33 sec
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31
Continue on Hollywood Freeway
16.2 mi · 21 min · Hollywood Freeway
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32
Take the exit slight right toward Broadway
636 ft · 17 sec
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33
Continue on West Aliso Street
125 m · 18 sec · West Aliso Street
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34
Turn right onto North Spring Street
1455 ft · 36 sec · North Spring Street
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35
Turn left onto West 1st Street
108 m · 14 sec · West 1st Street
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36
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Penn Valley and Los Angeles.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
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.
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.
Sunny leaving Penn Valley and Patchy Fog then 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 Penn Valley to Los Angeles?
The road trip is about 448.2 miles (721.3 km) and usually takes 07h 25m 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?
Mendota is a useful midpoint, sitting about 223.8 miles from Penn Valley and 224.5 miles from Los Angeles.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 391.1 miles (629.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 57.1 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 $91.27 one way or $182.53 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 140.6 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Sunny around Penn Valley and Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny near Los Angeles.
Stop Ideas Near Mendota
Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.
Transit and Meeting Points
Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Mendota.
Madera
Fresno station
Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California
Merced station
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Penn Valley and Los Angeles. Straight-line distance: 391.12 mi (629.44 km).
#1 Penn Valley
Census-designated place in Nevada County, California
| Population | 1,621 |
| Coordinates | 39.1960000, -121.1910700 |
| Altitude | 427 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Los Angeles
The second most populous city in the United States and the center of the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
| Population | 3,970,219 |
| Coordinates | 34.0522300, -118.2436800 |
| Altitude | 89 |
| Country | United States |
End: West 1st Street (-118.24357, 34.05234)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 721 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 14h 56m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 11h 12m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 08h 57m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 07h 28m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 06h 24m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 05h 35m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $91.27 | $182.53 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $95.96 | $191.93 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $98.76 | $197.53 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $119.71 | $239.42 |
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 · May 25, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.