How far is Scotts Valley, CA from Los Angeles, CA?

The driving distance from Scotts Valley, CA to Los Angeles, CA is about 346 miles (556.9 km), with a travel time of about 05h 36m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 296.4 miles (477 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 11h 13m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
346.05 mi
05h 36m
Flight
296.37 mi
476.96 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Scotts Valley.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
296.37 mi
Kilometers
476.96 km
Flight Time
00h 35m

Driving Distance

Road route
346.05 mi
Kilometers
556.92 km
Drive Time
05h 36m

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 05h 36m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Los Angeles
Thu, Apr 23, 1:45 AM PDT
Return by in Scotts Valley
Thu, Apr 23, 7:21 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Scotts Valley
2026-04-22T20:08
Arrive Los Angeles
Thu, Apr 23, 1:45 AM PDT
Route Timing
05h 36m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:37 AM to 1:37 PM PDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
5:46 AM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Scotts Valley
9:00 PM PDT
Early departure recommended

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
Kettleman City
CA

Census-designated place in Kings County, California

From Scotts Valley
173.6 mi
02h 48m
To Los Angeles
172.4 mi
02h 48m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
61°F
Wednesday

Slight Chance Light Rain

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
6 to 13 mph WSW
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 Scotts Valley and Los Angeles.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Scotts Valley and Los Angeles.

  1. 1

    Start on Scotts Valley Drive

    78 m · 10 sec · Scotts Valley Drive

  2. 2

    Turn left

    47 m · 14 sec

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Macleod Way

    20 m · 4 sec · Macleod Way

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Scotts Valley Drive

    1.4 km · 2 min · Scotts Valley Drive

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Mount Hermon Road

    2525 ft · 1 min · Mount Hermon Road

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight right

    1612 ft · 21 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Santa Cruz Highway

    2.9 mi · 3 min · Santa Cruz Highway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward Watsonville, Monterey

    1724 ft · 22 sec

  9. 9

    Continue on Cabrillo Highway

    2243 ft · 55 sec · Cabrillo Highway

  10. 10

    Merge slight right onto Cabrillo Highway

    13.6 mi · 16 min · Cabrillo Highway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 152: Watsonville, Gilroy

    1 km · 1 min

  12. 12

    Continue on Main Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Main Street

  13. 13

    Continue on Main Street

    2286 ft · 52 sec · Main Street

  14. 14

    Turn left onto East Beach Street

    2840 ft · 1 min · East Beach Street

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Blackburn Street

    1572 ft · 52 sec · Blackburn Street

  16. 16

    Turn left onto East Riverside Drive

    68 m · 8 sec · East Riverside Drive

  17. 17

    Continue on Riverside Road

    1.3 km · 1 min · Riverside Road

  18. 18

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Riverside Road

    28 m · 1 sec · Riverside Road

  19. 19

    Exit the roundabout onto Riverside Road

    8.6 mi · 12 min · Riverside Road

  20. 20

    Continue on Chittenden Road

    2.6 mi · 4 min · Chittenden Road

  21. 21

    Take the exit slight right

    2444 ft · 31 sec

  22. 22

    Merge slight left onto El Camino Real

    2.4 mi · 3 min · El Camino Real

  23. 23

    Continue on South Valley Freeway

    3.1 mi · 4 min · South Valley Freeway

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 25 East

    1235 ft · 31 sec

  25. 25

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Bloomfield Avenue

    1.1 km · 58 sec · Bloomfield Avenue

  26. 26

    Continue on Bloomfield Avenue

    3.2 mi · 5 min · Bloomfield Avenue

  27. 27

    Turn right onto Pacheco Pass Highway

    35.8 mi · 43 min · Pacheco Pass Highway

  28. 28

    Take the exit slight right toward I 5: Los Angeles

    3148 ft · 1 min

  29. 29

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    181.1 mi · 3 hr 14 min · Westside Freeway

  30. 30

    Keep slight right

    58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min

  31. 31

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway

  32. 32

    Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South

    1354 ft · 18 sec

  33. 33

    Keep slight left

    5.3 mi · 6 min

  34. 34

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 170 South: Hollywood

    2508 ft · 33 sec

  35. 35

    Continue on Hollywood Freeway

    16.2 mi · 21 min · Hollywood Freeway

  36. 36

    Take the exit slight right toward Broadway

    636 ft · 17 sec

  37. 37

    Continue on West Aliso Street

    125 m · 18 sec · West Aliso Street

  38. 38

    Turn right onto North Spring Street

    1455 ft · 36 sec · North Spring Street

  39. 39

    Turn left onto West 1st Street

    108 m · 12 sec · West 1st Street

  40. 40

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Scotts Valley 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
40 steps
13 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
14
4 merges, 10 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
11.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
239 mi · 69%
Pacheco Pass Highway
35.8 mi · 10%
Hollywood Freeway
16.2 mi · 5%
Cabrillo Highway
14 mi · 4%
Riverside Road
9.47 mi · 3%
I 405 South
5.56 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

181 mi · 03h 14m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
05h 36m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
11h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+49.6 mi
296.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Kettleman City
02h 48m from Scotts Valley
Leave By
5:46 AM PDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Light Rain leaving Scotts Valley 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 Scotts Valley to Los Angeles?

The road trip is about 346 miles (556.9 km) and usually takes 05h 36m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Kettleman City is a useful midpoint, sitting about 173.6 miles from Scotts Valley and 172.4 miles from Los Angeles.

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

The direct path is about 296.4 miles (477 km), while the road route adds roughly 49.6 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 8:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 5:46 AM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $70.44 one way or $140.88 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 108.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Light Rain around Scotts Valley and Mostly Sunny near Los Angeles.

Stop Ideas Near Kettleman City

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

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

BUS

Kettleman City, California

3 mi away
3300 Hubert Way
BUS

Lemoore, California

34 mi away
300 E Street
RAIL

Corcoran station

38 mi away
1099 Otis Ave.
BUS

Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California

41 mi away
25th Ave and Highway 198

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Scotts Valley and Los Angeles. Straight-line distance: 296.37 mi (476.96 km).

Scotts Valley

#1 Scotts Valley

City in Santa Cruz County, California, United States

Population11,995
Coordinates37.0510600, -122.0146800
Altitude171
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: Carbonero Way (-122.014681, 37.051044)
End: West 1st Street (-118.243569, 34.052341)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 557 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 31m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 39m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 55m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 46m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 56m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 19m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
12.21 gal
46.22 L · about $70.44
Round trip
$140.88
24.42 gal · 92.44 L
Estimated CO2
108.5 kg one way
Round trip: 217 kg / 478 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $70.44 $140.88
Mid-grade $6.07 $74.07 $148.13
Premium $6.24 $76.23 $152.45
Diesel $7.57 $92.39 $184.79

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 Scotts Valley and Los Angeles. The current time is 20:08:05.

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.