How far is Sacramento, CA from Rancho Mirage, CA?

The driving distance from Sacramento, CA to Rancho Mirage, CA is about 501.4 miles (807 km), with a travel time of about 09h 18m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 438.3 miles (705.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 18h 36m 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
501.45 mi
09h 18m
Flight
438.32 mi
705.41 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Sacramento.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
438.32 mi
Kilometers
705.41 km
Flight Time
00h 52m

Driving Distance

Road route
501.45 mi
Kilometers
807.01 km
Drive Time
09h 18m

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 09h 18m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Rancho Mirage
Sun, Apr 19, 7:46 AM PDT
Return by in Sacramento
Sun, Apr 19, 5:05 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Sacramento
2026-04-18T22:28
Arrive Rancho Mirage
Sun, Apr 19, 7:46 AM PDT
Route Timing
09h 18m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
3:18 PM to 4:48 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
5:24 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Sacramento
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
Buttonwillow
CA

Place in Kern County California

From Sacramento
250.8 mi
04h 39m
To Rancho Mirage
250.7 mi
04h 39m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 mph SSW
Destination
80°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph NE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Sacramento and Rancho Mirage.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento and Rancho Mirage.

  1. 1

    Start on 9th Street

    2904 ft · 2 min · 9th Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto P Street

    2746 ft · 1 min · P Street

  3. 3

    Take the ramp straight toward US 50, I 5 South: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Los Angeles

    1146 ft · 17 sec

  4. 4

    Keep slight right to continue on I 5 South: Los Angeles

    2877 ft · 38 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    59.4 mi · 1 hr 6 min · Westside Freeway

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

    1.2 km · 49 sec · Westside Freeway

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

    236.6 mi · 4 hr 14 min · Westside Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight right

    58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    2 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena

    1347 ft · 18 sec

  11. 11

    Continue on Foothill Freeway

    24.4 mi · 28 min · Foothill Freeway

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

    19.1 mi · 22 min · Foothill Freeway

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

    2476 ft · 33 sec · Foothill Freeway

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 57 South: Santa Ana

    1.4 km · 2 min

  15. 15

    Continue on Orange Freeway

    3.4 mi · 4 min · Orange Freeway

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward I 10 East, I 10 West: San Bernardino, Los Angeles

    928 ft · 23 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San Bernardino

    1.1 km · 1 min

  18. 18

    Merge slight left onto San Bernardino Freeway

    1.9 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  19. 19

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    4 mi · 5 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on I-10 Metro ExpressLanes

    9 mi · 10 min · I-10 Metro ExpressLanes

  21. 21

    Merge slight right onto San Bernardino Freeway

    14.3 mi · 16 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  22. 22

    Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

    40.3 mi · 44 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

  23. 23

    Keep slight left to continue on Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway

    17.6 mi · 19 min · Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward Bob Hope Drive

    1732 ft · 46 sec

  25. 25

    Turn right onto Bob Hope Drive

    4.7 mi · 7 min · Bob Hope Drive

  26. 26

    Continue on Country Club Drive

    2712 ft · 51 sec · Country Club Drive

  27. 27

    Continue on Bob Hope Drive

    1093 ft · 25 sec · Bob Hope Drive

  28. 28

    Turn right onto Rancho Las Palmas Drive

    1415 ft · 52 sec · Rancho Las Palmas Drive

  29. 29

    Turn left onto East Palm Canyon Drive

    109 m · 15 sec · East Palm Canyon Drive

  30. 30

    Turn right onto Rancho Mirage Lane

    127 m · 18 sec · Rancho Mirage Lane

  31. 31

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Rancho Mirage Lane

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Sacramento and Rancho Mirage.

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
31 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
3 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
6.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
355 mi · 71%
Foothill Freeway
44 mi · 9%
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
40.3 mi · 8%
San Bernardino Freeway
20.1 mi · 4%
Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
17.6 mi · 4%
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
9.02 mi · 2%
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
09h 18m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
18h 36m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+63.1 mi
438.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Buttonwillow
04h 39m from Sacramento
Leave By
5:24 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Sacramento and Sunny near Rancho Mirage.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Sacramento to Rancho Mirage?

The road trip is about 501.4 miles (807 km) and usually takes 09h 18m 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?

Buttonwillow is a useful midpoint, sitting about 250.8 miles from Sacramento and 250.7 miles from Rancho Mirage.

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

The direct path is about 438.3 miles (705.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 63.1 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 $102.05 one way or $204.11 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 157.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Sacramento and Sunny near Rancho Mirage.

Stop Ideas Near Buttonwillow

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

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

RAIL

Wasco station

25 mi away
700 G Street
RAIL

Bakersfield

41 mi away
601 Truxtun Ave
RAIL

Corcoran station

78 mi away
1099 Otis Ave.
BUS

Kettleman City, California

79 mi away
3300 Hubert Way

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Sacramento and Rancho Mirage. Straight-line distance: 438.32 mi (705.41 km).

Sacramento

#1 Sacramento

The sixth most populous city in California and the center of the Sacramento metropolitan area.

Population512,838
Coordinates38.5815700, -121.4944000
Altitude9
CountryUnited States
Rancho Mirage

#2 Rancho Mirage

City in Riverside County, California

Population18,954
Coordinates33.7397400, -116.4127900
Altitude83
CountryUnited States
Start: Sacramento (-121.4944, 38.58157)
End: Rancho Mirage (-116.41279, 33.73974)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 807 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)16h 42m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)12h 32m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)10h 01m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 21m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)07h 09m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 15m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
17.69 gal
66.98 L · about $102.05
Round trip
$204.11
35.38 gal · 133.96 L
Estimated CO2
157.2 kg one way
Round trip: 314.4 kg / 693 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $102.05 $204.11
Mid-grade $6.07 $107.31 $214.62
Premium $6.24 $110.44 $220.88
Diesel $7.57 $133.86 $267.72

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Sacramento and Rancho Mirage. The current time is 22:28:22.

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.