How far is Scotts Valley, CA from Riverside, CA?

The driving distance from Scotts Valley, CA to Riverside, CA is about 399.9 miles (643.5 km), with a travel time of about 06h 31m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 336.5 miles (541.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 02m 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
399.87 mi
06h 31m
Flight
336.52 mi
541.57 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
336.52 mi
Kilometers
541.57 km
Flight Time
00h 40m

Driving Distance

Road route
399.87 mi
Kilometers
643.53 km
Drive Time
06h 31m

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 06h 31m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Riverside
Thu, Apr 16, 1:08 PM PDT
Return by in Scotts Valley
Thu, Apr 16, 7:39 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Scotts Valley
2026-04-16T06:36
Arrive Riverside
Thu, Apr 16, 1:08 PM PDT
Route Timing
06h 31m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:31 PM to 2:01 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
10:58 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Scotts Valley
8:00 PM PDT
Overnight-style route

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Lost Hills
CA

Census-designated place in Kern County, California

From Scotts Valley
199.3 mi
03h 15m
To Riverside
200.6 mi
03h 15m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
64°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
8 to 17 mph NNW
Destination
75°F
Thursday

Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 15 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Scotts Valley and Riverside.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Scotts Valley and Riverside.

  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

    2 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

  32. 32

    Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena

    1347 ft · 18 sec

  33. 33

    Continue on Foothill Freeway

    24.4 mi · 28 min · Foothill Freeway

  34. 34

    Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

    19.1 mi · 22 min · Foothill Freeway

  35. 35

    Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

    2476 ft · 33 sec · Foothill Freeway

  36. 36

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

    1.4 km · 2 min

  37. 37

    Continue on Orange Freeway

    3.2 mi · 4 min · Orange Freeway

  38. 38

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 71: Corona

    1.1 mi · 2 min

  39. 39

    Continue on Chino Valley Freeway

    3.1 mi · 4 min · Chino Valley Freeway

  40. 40

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 60 East: Riverside

    1.4 mi · 3 min

  41. 41

    Merge slight left onto Pomona Freeway

    12 mi · 14 min · Pomona Freeway

  42. 42

    Take the exit slight right toward Van Buren Boulevard, Etiwanda Avenue

    2448 ft · 1 min

  43. 43

    Turn straight onto Mission Boulevard

    852 ft · 15 sec · Mission Boulevard

  44. 44

    Continue on Van Buren Boulevard

    6.1 mi · 9 min · Van Buren Boulevard

  45. 45

    Turn left onto Central Avenue

    3.6 mi · 6 min · Central Avenue

  46. 46

    Turn sharp right

    52 m · 13 sec

  47. 47

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Scotts Valley and Riverside.

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
47 steps
14 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
18
5 merges, 13 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
11.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
239 mi · 60%
Foothill Freeway
44 mi · 11%
Pacheco Pass Highway
35.8 mi · 9%
Cabrillo Highway
14 mi · 4%
Pomona Freeway
12 mi · 3%
Riverside Road
9.47 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

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
06h 31m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
13h 02m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+63.4 mi
336.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lost Hills
03h 15m from Scotts Valley
Leave By
10:58 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Scotts Valley and Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny near Riverside.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Scotts Valley to Riverside?

The road trip is about 399.9 miles (643.5 km) and usually takes 06h 31m 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?

Lost Hills is a useful midpoint, sitting about 199.3 miles from Scotts Valley and 200.6 miles from Riverside.

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

The direct path is about 336.5 miles (541.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 63.4 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 $81.40 one way or $162.80 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 125.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Scotts Valley and Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny near Riverside.

Stop Ideas Near Lost Hills

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

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

RAIL

Wasco station

33 mi away
700 G Street
BUS

Kettleman City, California

47 mi away
3300 Hubert Way
RAIL

Corcoran station

55 mi away
1099 Otis Ave.
RAIL

Bakersfield

67 mi away
601 Truxtun Ave

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Scotts Valley and Riverside. Straight-line distance: 336.52 mi (541.57 km).

Scotts Valley

#1 Scotts Valley

City in Santa Cruz County, California, United States

Population11,995
Coordinates37.0510600, -122.0146800
Altitude171
CountryUnited States
Riverside

#2 Riverside

The most populous city in Riverside County, California and the center of the Riverside metropolitan area.

Population330,786
Coordinates33.9533500, -117.3961600
Altitude252
CountryUnited States
Start: Carbonero Way (-122.014681, 37.051044)
End: (-117.396162, 33.953244)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 644 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)13h 19m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 59m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 59m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 39m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 42m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 59m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
14.11 gal
53.41 L · about $81.40
Round trip
$162.80
28.22 gal · 106.82 L
Estimated CO2
125.4 kg one way
Round trip: 250.8 kg / 553 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $81.40 $162.80
Mid-grade $6.07 $85.59 $171.18
Premium $6.24 $88.09 $176.18
Diesel $7.57 $106.77 $213.54

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 16, 2026

There is no time difference between Scotts Valley and Riverside. The current time is 06:36:50.

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.