How far is Santa Ana, CA from Fortuna, CA?

The driving distance from Santa Ana, CA to Fortuna, CA is about 658.4 miles (1059.6 km), with a travel time of about 12h 38m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 586.2 miles (943.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 25h 17m 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
658.42 mi
12h 38m
Flight
586.21 mi
943.41 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Santa Ana.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
586.21 mi
Kilometers
943.41 km
Flight Time
01h 10m

Driving Distance

Road route
658.42 mi
Kilometers
1059.62 km
Drive Time
12h 38m

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 38m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Fortuna
Thu, May 14, 8:36 AM PDT
Return by in Santa Ana
Thu, May 14, 9:15 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Santa Ana
2026-05-13T19:58
Arrive Fortuna
Thu, May 14, 8:36 AM PDT
Route Timing
12h 38m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
6:39 PM to 8:09 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
10:42 AM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Santa Ana
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
Patterson
CA

City in Stanislaus County, California, United States

From Santa Ana
329.3 mi
06h 19m
To Fortuna
329.1 mi
06h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
73°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, May 13 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph SW
Destination
61°F
Wednesday

Chance Light Rain then Partly Sunny

Starts
Wed, May 13 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 12 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Santa Ana and Fortuna.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Santa Ana and Fortuna.

  1. 1

    Start on West 1st Street

    576 ft · 16 sec · West 1st Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto North Broadway

    1.5 mi · 3 min · North Broadway

  3. 3

    Turn right onto West Santa Clara Avenue

    615 ft · 14 sec · West Santa Clara Avenue

  4. 4

    Continue on I 5 North: Los Angeles

    1787 ft · 27 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    8.9 mi · 10 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  6. 6

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    18 mi · 21 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on Golden State Freeway

    25.5 mi · 30 min · Golden State Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    2.2 mi · 3 min · Golden State Freeway

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

    1.5 mi · 2 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight left

    36.1 mi · 42 min

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    22.3 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

    225.6 mi · 4 hr 2 min · Westside Freeway

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    15.9 mi · 17 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  15. 15

    Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

    18 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

  16. 16

    Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward I 680 South, I 680 North: San Jose, Sacramento, Concord, Walnut Creek

    857 ft · 16 sec

  18. 18

    Keep slight right to continue on I 680 North: Walnut Creek, Concord, Sacramento

    1614 ft · 30 sec

  19. 19

    Merge slight left onto Donald D Doyle Highway

    15.2 mi · 18 min · Donald D Doyle Highway

  20. 20

    Continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

    5 mi · 6 min · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

  21. 21

    Keep slight left to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

    6 mi · 7 min · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

  22. 22

    Keep slight left to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

    74 m · 3 sec · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

  23. 23

    Keep slight right to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

    1.8 mi · 2 min · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

  24. 24

    Keep slight left to continue on I 780: Benicia

    6.7 mi · 8 min

  25. 25

    Take the exit slight right toward I 80 East: Sacramento

    1379 ft · 34 sec

  26. 26

    Keep slight left to continue on I 80 East: Sacramento

    137 m · 11 sec

  27. 27

    Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    2.7 mi · 3 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  28. 28

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 37: Napa, Novato, Auto Mall, Columbus Parkway

    752 ft · 18 sec

  29. 29

    Keep slight left to continue on CA 37: Napa

    2517 ft · 1 min

  30. 30

    Continue on CA 37

    1.5 mi · 2 min

  31. 31

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 29: Napa, Sonoma Boulevard

    1912 ft · 51 sec

  32. 32

    Turn right onto Sonoma Boulevard

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Sonoma Boulevard

  33. 33

    Continue on Broadway Street

    4 mi · 5 min · Broadway Street

  34. 34

    Continue on Napa–Vallejo Highway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Napa–Vallejo Highway

  35. 35

    Continue on Saint Helena Highway

    21.7 mi · 26 min · Saint Helena Highway

  36. 36

    Continue on Main Street

    2.4 mi · 3 min · Main Street

  37. 37

    Continue on Saint Helena Highway

    6.8 mi · 8 min · Saint Helena Highway

  38. 38

    Continue on Foothill Boulevard

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Foothill Boulevard

  39. 39

    Continue on Saint Helena Highway

    16.1 mi · 18 min · Saint Helena Highway

  40. 40

    Continue on Saint Helena Highway

    6.6 mi · 8 min · Saint Helena Highway

  41. 41

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Geyserville Avenue

    1.5 km · 1 min · Geyserville Avenue

  42. 42

    Turn left onto Canyon Road

    110 m · 7 sec · Canyon Road

  43. 43

    Take the exit right

    1615 ft · 39 sec

  44. 44

    Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway

    55.3 mi · 1 hr 7 min · Redwood Highway

  45. 45

    Continue on Willits Bypass

    4.5 mi · 5 min · Willits Bypass

  46. 46

    Take the exit slight right

    1.1 km · 48 sec

  47. 47

    Merge slight left onto Willits Bypass

    1236 ft · 16 sec · Willits Bypass

  48. 48

    Continue on Redwood Highway

    114.1 mi · 2 hr 21 min · Redwood Highway

  49. 49

    Take the exit slight right toward 12th Street

    975 ft · 24 sec

  50. 50

    Continue on 12th Street

    1.1 km · 2 min · 12th Street

  51. 51

    Turn left onto Main Street

    859 ft · 34 sec · Main Street

  52. 52

    Turn right onto 9th Street

    45 m · 9 sec · 9th Street

  53. 53

    Turn right

    24 m · 6 sec

  54. 54

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Santa Ana and Fortuna.

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
54 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
13
6 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
226 mi · 34%
Redwood Highway
169 mi · 26%
Saint Helena Highway
51.2 mi · 8%
Golden State Freeway
50 mi · 8%
I 5 Truck North
37.7 mi · 6%
Santa Ana Freeway
26.9 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

226 mi · 04h 02m

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
12h 38m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
25h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+72.2 mi
586.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Patterson
06h 19m from Santa Ana
Leave By
10:42 AM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Santa Ana and Chance Light Rain then Partly Sunny near Fortuna.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Ana to Fortuna?

The road trip is about 658.4 miles (1059.6 km) and usually takes 12h 38m 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?

Patterson is a useful midpoint, sitting about 329.3 miles from Santa Ana and 329.1 miles from Fortuna.

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

The direct path is about 586.2 miles (943.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 72.2 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 $134.01 one way or $268.03 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 206.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Santa Ana and Chance Light Rain then Partly Sunny near Fortuna.

Stop Ideas Near Patterson

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

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

RAIL

Modesto station

29 mi away
1700 Held Drive
RAIL

Denair station

30 mi away
3800 Santa Fe Avenue
RAIL

Tracy, CA

37 mi away
4800 Tracy Boulevard
RAIL

Manteca, CA

38 mi away
17800 Shideler Parkway

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Santa Ana and Fortuna. Straight-line distance: 586.21 mi (943.41 km).

Santa Ana

#1 Santa Ana

The most populous city in Orange County, California and the center of the Santa Ana metropolitan area.

Population331,301
Coordinates33.7455700, -117.8678300
Altitude35
CountryUnited States
Fortuna

#2 Fortuna

City in the United States of America

Population12,107
Coordinates40.5981900, -124.1572800
Altitude20
CountryUnited States
Start: Santa Ana (-117.86783, 33.74557)
End: Fortuna (-124.15728, 40.59819)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 1060 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)21h 56m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)16h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)13h 10m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)10h 58m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)09h 24m
80 mph (129 km/h)08h 12m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
23.23 gal
87.95 L · about $134.01
Round trip
$268.03
46.46 gal · 175.9 L
Estimated CO2
206.4 kg one way
Round trip: 412.9 kg / 910 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $134.01 $268.03
Mid-grade $6.07 $140.91 $281.83
Premium $6.24 $145.02 $290.05
Diesel $7.57 $175.78 $351.56

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 14, 2026

There is no time difference between Santa Ana and Fortuna. The current time is 19:58:10.

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.