Best Time to Drive from Lake Forest to Los Angeles

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 62 minutes via I-5 North, usually 52 at this time.

Only 8% 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.

On weekdays the 47-mile drive from Lake Forest to Los Angeles (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 42 minutes and up to 66 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 52 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (56 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Los Angeles to Lake Forest

Freeway, about 44 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 3 miles: 4 to 6 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Lake Forest to Downtown LA (City Hall) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Lake Forest to Los Angeles 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	43	51	55	58	53	50	50	50	51	53	57	58	59	54	46	44	42
Tue	43	52	59	61	56	52	51	50	51	53	58	62	63	57	48	44	42
Wed	43	53	59	62	57	53	52	51	52	54	61	64	66	59	50	46	43
Thu	43	52	59	60	56	53	52	51	52	54	58	63	63	56	49	45	42
Fri	43	49	52	53	51	52	52	54	56	59	64	65	65	58	49	46	43
Sat	42	43	44	45	47	50	52	53	54	54	55	56	55	52	49	46	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	45	48	50	51	52	52	52	51	51	50	50	49	43

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 Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 42 minutes then, versus up to 66 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Lake Forest to Los Angeles?

The 47-mile drive usually takes 42 to 66 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 52 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Lake Forest to Los Angeles?

Leaving around 5 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 66 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (32 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (11 miles)

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

More drives

Los Angeles to Lake Forest (return trip)

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	51	55	58	53	50	50	50	51	53	57	58	59	54	46	44	42
Tue	43	52	59	61	56	52	51	50	51	53	58	62	63	57	48	44	42
Wed	43	53	59	62	57	53	52	51	52	54	61	64	66	59	50	46	43
Thu	43	52	59	60	56	53	52	51	52	54	58	63	63	56	49	45	42
Fri	43	49	52	53	51	52	52	54	56	59	64	65	65	58	49	46	43
Sat	42	43	44	45	47	50	52	53	54	54	55	56	55	52	49	46	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	45	48	50	51	52	52	52	51	51	50	50	49	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	51	55	58	53	50	50	50	51	53	57	58	59	54	46	44	42
Tue	43	52	59	61	56	52	51	50	51	53	58	62	63	57	48	44	42
Wed	43	53	59	62	57	53	52	51	52	54	61	64	66	59	50	46	43
Thu	43	52	59	60	56	53	52	51	52	54	58	63	63	56	49	45	42
Fri	43	49	52	53	51	52	52	54	56	59	64	65	65	58	49	46	43
Sat	42	43	44	45	47	50	52	53	54	54	55	56	55	52	49	46	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	45	48	50	51	52	52	52	51	51	50	50	49	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	51	55	58	53	50	50	50	51	53	57	58	59	54	46	44	42
Tue	43	52	59	61	56	52	51	50	51	53	58	62	63	57	48	44	42
Wed	43	53	59	62	57	53	52	51	52	54	61	64	66	59	50	46	43
Thu	43	52	59	60	56	53	52	51	52	54	58	63	63	56	49	45	42
Fri	43	49	52	53	51	52	52	54	56	59	64	65	65	58	49	46	43
Sat	42	43	44	45	47	50	52	53	54	54	55	56	55	52	49	46	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	45	48	50	51	52	52	52	51	51	50	50	49	43