Best Time to Drive from Lake Forest to El Monte

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 51 minutes via I-5 North and I-605 North, usually 55 at this time.

Only 9% 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 Lake Forest to El Monte 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	41	44	49	53	52	50	52	53	56	59	65	66	67	62	51	44	42
Tue	42	45	50	54	53	52	53	54	56	60	65	68	72	66	56	46	42
Wed	42	45	49	54	53	52	52	53	54	57	64	68	71	66	55	47	42
Thu	42	45	49	54	53	52	54	55	58	60	64	68	70	62	55	47	43
Fri	42	45	48	51	51	53	55	56	59	62	67	67	67	63	55	50	43
Sat	42	43	43	44	45	49	51	52	52	52	54	55	54	52	51	48	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	45	48	48	50	50	51	50	50	51	50	47	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 47-mile drive from Lake Forest to El Monte (via I-5 North and I-605 North) usually takes as little as 41 minutes and up to 72 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 56 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (55 minutes).

About 43 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 6 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Lake Forest to central El Monte 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 Lake Forest to El Monte?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 41 minutes then, versus up to 72 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 47-mile drive usually takes 41 to 72 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 56 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Lake Forest to El Monte?

Leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 72 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (31 miles) · I-605 North in Los Angeles (10 miles) · I-10 West in Los Angeles (1.6 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

El Monte to Lake Forest (return trip) · Lake Forest to Los Angeles · Lake Forest to Moreno Valley · Lake Forest to Long Beach · Lake Forest to Anaheim · Lake Forest to Riverside · Lake Forest to Santa Ana · Lake Forest to Irvine · Lake Forest to San Bernardino · Lake Forest to Fontana · Lake Forest to Huntington Beach · Lake Forest to Glendale

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	44	49	53	52	50	52	53	56	59	65	66	67	62	51	44	42
Tue	42	45	50	54	53	52	53	54	56	60	65	68	72	66	56	46	42
Wed	42	45	49	54	53	52	52	53	54	57	64	68	71	66	55	47	42
Thu	42	45	49	54	53	52	54	55	58	60	64	68	70	62	55	47	43
Fri	42	45	48	51	51	53	55	56	59	62	67	67	67	63	55	50	43
Sat	42	43	43	44	45	49	51	52	52	52	54	55	54	52	51	48	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	45	48	48	50	50	51	50	50	51	50	47	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	44	49	53	52	50	52	53	56	59	65	66	67	62	51	44	42
Tue	42	45	50	54	53	52	53	54	56	60	65	68	72	66	56	46	42
Wed	42	45	49	54	53	52	52	53	54	57	64	68	71	66	55	47	42
Thu	42	45	49	54	53	52	54	55	58	60	64	68	70	62	55	47	43
Fri	42	45	48	51	51	53	55	56	59	62	67	67	67	63	55	50	43
Sat	42	43	43	44	45	49	51	52	52	52	54	55	54	52	51	48	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	45	48	48	50	50	51	50	50	51	50	47	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	44	49	53	52	50	52	53	56	59	65	66	67	62	51	44	42
Tue	42	45	50	54	53	52	53	54	56	60	65	68	72	66	56	46	42
Wed	42	45	49	54	53	52	52	53	54	57	64	68	71	66	55	47	42
Thu	42	45	49	54	53	52	54	55	58	60	64	68	70	62	55	47	43
Fri	42	45	48	51	51	53	55	56	59	62	67	67	67	63	55	50	43
Sat	42	43	43	44	45	49	51	52	52	52	54	55	54	52	51	48	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	45	48	48	50	50	51	50	50	51	50	47	42