Best Time to Drive from El Monte to Big Bear Lake

Right now (9:04 pm PDT): about 97 minutes via I-10 East, usually 93 at this time.

Only 33% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from El Monte to Big Bear Lake by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	92	95	97	104	101	103	103	103	105	108	124	131	126	116	105	99	93
Tue	92	96	99	105	103	103	102	104	105	111	132	137	132	116	107	98	93
Wed	92	94	98	104	102	102	102	103	104	111	128	136	127	111	108	99	93
Thu	92	94	98	103	101	101	102	102	104	116	131	139	130	113	104	98	92
Fri	92	94	97	102	102	103	103	106	112	128	152	149	127	117	109	100	94
Sat	93	93	95	96	96	98	98	100	101	103	104	105	105	101	96	95	93
Sun	93	93	93	93	93	94	95	97	96	98	96	94	94	95	95	96	92

About this drive

On weekdays the 85-mile drive from El Monte to Big Bear Lake (via I-10 East) usually takes as little as 92 minutes and up to 152 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 106 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (105 minutes).

About 54 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 32 miles surface streets (45 to 62 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central El Monte to central Big Bear Lake along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from El Monte to Big Bear Lake?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 92 minutes then, versus up to 152 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from El Monte to Big Bear Lake?

The 85-mile drive usually takes 92 to 152 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 106 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from El Monte to Big Bear Lake?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 152 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-10 East in Inland Empire (29 miles) · I-10 East in Los Angeles (19 miles) · I-210 West in Inland Empire (5 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow

More drives

El Monte to Los Angeles · El Monte to Santa Monica · El Monte to Pasadena · El Monte to Long Beach · El Monte to West Covina · El Monte to Burbank · El Monte to Glendale · El Monte to Santa Clarita · El Monte to Van Nuys · El Monte to Torrance · El Monte to LAX · El Monte to Hollywood

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	92	95	97	104	101	103	103	103	105	108	124	131	126	116	105	99	93
Tue	92	96	99	105	103	103	102	104	105	111	132	137	132	116	107	98	93
Wed	92	94	98	104	102	102	102	103	104	111	128	136	127	111	108	99	93
Thu	92	94	98	103	101	101	102	102	104	116	131	139	130	113	104	98	92
Fri	92	94	97	102	102	103	103	106	112	128	152	149	127	117	109	100	94
Sat	93	93	95	96	96	98	98	100	101	103	104	105	105	101	96	95	93
Sun	93	93	93	93	93	94	95	97	96	98	96	94	94	95	95	96	92

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	92	95	97	104	101	103	103	103	105	108	124	131	126	116	105	99	93
Tue	92	96	99	105	103	103	102	104	105	111	132	137	132	116	107	98	93
Wed	92	94	98	104	102	102	102	103	104	111	128	136	127	111	108	99	93
Thu	92	94	98	103	101	101	102	102	104	116	131	139	130	113	104	98	92
Fri	92	94	97	102	102	103	103	106	112	128	152	149	127	117	109	100	94
Sat	93	93	95	96	96	98	98	100	101	103	104	105	105	101	96	95	93
Sun	93	93	93	93	93	94	95	97	96	98	96	94	94	95	95	96	92

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	92	95	97	104	101	103	103	103	105	108	124	131	126	116	105	99	93
Tue	92	96	99	105	103	103	102	104	105	111	132	137	132	116	107	98	93
Wed	92	94	98	104	102	102	102	103	104	111	128	136	127	111	108	99	93
Thu	92	94	98	103	101	101	102	102	104	116	131	139	130	113	104	98	92
Fri	92	94	97	102	102	103	103	106	112	128	152	149	127	117	109	100	94
Sat	93	93	95	96	96	98	98	100	101	103	104	105	105	101	96	95	93
Sun	93	93	93	93	93	94	95	97	96	98	96	94	94	95	95	96	92