How far is San Diego, CA from Portola, CA?
The driving distance from San Diego, CA to Portola, CA is about 604.2 miles (972.4 km), with a travel time of about 12h 10m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 523.5 miles (842.5 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 24h 20m 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 12h 10m.
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.
Census-designated place in Inyo County, California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Mostly Sunny
Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between San Diego and Portola.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Diego and Portola.
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1
Start on Front Street
8 m · 6 sec · Front Street
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2
Turn left onto West Broadway
3088 ft · 1 min · West Broadway
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3
Turn left onto 11th Avenue
1146 ft · 25 sec · 11th Avenue
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4
Continue on Cabrillo Parkway
2.4 mi · 3 min · Cabrillo Parkway
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5
Continue on Cabrillo Freeway
8.3 mi · 10 min · Cabrillo Freeway
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6
Keep slight left
2688 ft · 35 sec
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7
Continue on Semper Fi Highway
1.8 mi · 2 min · Semper Fi Highway
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8
Continue on Escondido Freeway
3.1 mi · 4 min · Escondido Freeway
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9
Continue on Tony Gwynn Memorial Freeway
4.6 mi · 5 min · Tony Gwynn Memorial Freeway
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10
Continue on Escondido Freeway
5.9 mi · 7 min · Escondido Freeway
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11
Keep slight left to continue on Escondido Freeway
6.9 mi · 8 min · Escondido Freeway
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12
Continue on Avocado Highway
21.9 mi · 23 min · Avocado Highway
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13
Continue on Escondido Freeway
6.3 mi · 7 min · Escondido Freeway
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14
Take the exit slight right toward I 215
1510 ft · 18 sec
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15
Continue on Escondido Freeway
34.5 mi · 40 min · Escondido Freeway
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16
Keep slight right to continue on I 215 North: San Bernardino, Barstow
2413 ft · 51 sec
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17
Merge slight left onto Riverside Freeway
5.4 mi · 6 min · Riverside Freeway
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18
Continue on San Bernardino Freeway
5.5 mi · 6 min · San Bernardino Freeway
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19
Continue on Barstow Freeway
8.9 mi · 10 min · Barstow Freeway
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20
Keep slight left
1141 ft · 14 sec
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21
Continue on Barstow and Mojave Freeway
6.8 mi · 7 min · Barstow and Mojave Freeway
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22
Continue on CHP Officer Larry L. Wetterling and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Lieutenant Alfred E. Stewart Memorial Highway
5.4 mi · 6 min · CHP Officer Larry L. Wetterling and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Lieutenant Alfred E. Stewart Memorial Highway
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23
Continue on Barstow and Mojave Freeway
2.8 mi · 3 min · Barstow and Mojave Freeway
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24
Take the exit right toward US 395 North: Adelanto, Bishop
1549 ft · 38 sec
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25
Continue on US 395 North: Adelanto, Bishop
1.4 km · 2 min
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26
Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway
66.7 mi · 1 hr 21 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway
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27
Continue on Red Mountain Road
1.5 km · 2 min · Red Mountain Road
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28
Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway
36.7 mi · 43 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway
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29
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
56.1 mi · 1 hr 5 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway
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30
Continue on South Main Street
2.2 mi · 5 min · South Main Street
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31
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
15 mi · 18 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway
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32
Continue on South Edwards Street
1.1 km · 2 min · South Edwards Street
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33
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
26.1 mi · 31 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway
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34
Continue on North Main Street
1317 ft · 32 sec · North Main Street
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35
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
7.4 mi · 9 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway
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36
Continue on El Camino Sierra
5 mi · 6 min · El Camino Sierra
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37
Continue on South Main Street
2.4 mi · 4 min · South Main Street
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38
Turn left onto West Line Street
1.5 mi · 3 min · West Line Street
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39
Turn right onto North Barlow Lane
1 mi · 2 min · North Barlow Lane
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40
Turn left onto North Sierra Highway
87.4 mi · 1 hr 44 min · North Sierra Highway
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41
Turn right onto Sinclair Street
549 ft · 13 sec · Sinclair Street
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42
Turn left onto Emigrant Street
2635 ft · 41 sec · Emigrant Street
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43
Continue on Route 395
43.3 mi · 56 min · Route 395
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44
Continue on Main Street
19.3 mi · 27 min · Main Street
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45
Continue straight
2.9 mi · 7 min
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46
Turn left onto County Road
1.1 mi · 2 min · County Road
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47
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Woodfords Road
1 m · 1 sec · Woodfords Road
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48
Exit the roundabout onto Woodfords Road
1884 ft · 48 sec · Woodfords Road
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49
Turn left
10.9 mi · 14 min
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50
Take the exit slight right toward I 580 North, US 395 North, US 50 East: Reno, Dayton, Fallon
1.4 km · 1 min
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51
Merge slight left onto Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway
13.2 mi · 15 min · Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway
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52
Continue straight
44.4 mi · 50 min
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53
Take the exit slight right toward CA 70 West: Portola, Quincy
1373 ft · 29 sec
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54
Turn left
23.8 mi · 29 min
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55
Turn left
21 m · 5 sec
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56
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Diego and Portola.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
North Sierra Highway
Turn left onto North Sierra Highway
87.4 mi · 01h 44m
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.
Mostly Sunny leaving San Diego and Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers near Portola.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from San Diego to Portola?
The road trip is about 604.2 miles (972.4 km) and usually takes 12h 10m 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?
Lone Pine is a useful midpoint, sitting about 302.4 miles from San Diego and 301.8 miles from Portola.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 523.5 miles (842.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 80.7 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 $123.00 one way or $245.99 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 189.5 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around San Diego and Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers near Portola.
Stop Ideas Near Lone Pine
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 Lone Pine.
Visalia, California
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between San Diego and Portola. Straight-line distance: 523.52 mi (842.52 km).
#1 San Diego
The eighth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Diego metropolitan area.
| Population | 1,422,420 |
| Coordinates | 32.7157100, -117.1647200 |
| Altitude | 20 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Portola
City in Plumas County, California, United States
| Population | 1,913 |
| Coordinates | 39.8104600, -120.4691000 |
| Altitude | 1480 |
| Country | United States |
End: Portola (-120.4691, 39.81046)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 972 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 20h 07m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 15h 06m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 12h 05m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 10h 04m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 08h 37m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 07h 32m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $123.00 | $245.99 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $129.33 | $258.65 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $133.10 | $266.20 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $161.33 | $322.66 |
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
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.