Best Time to Drive from Lake Forest to Sylmar

Right now (5:49 pm PDT): about 86 minutes via I-5 North and I-210 West, usually 81 at this time.

Only 38% 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 Sylmar 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	66	78	83	89	87	82	81	82	85	85	89	92	88	83	74	68	65
Tue	66	79	86	92	91	86	83	81	83	85	92	99	94	87	78	69	66
Wed	66	76	83	87	88	84	83	81	82	83	95	101	98	91	79	72	67
Thu	66	77	83	89	88	83	84	83	83	85	95	105	96	87	81	72	67
Fri	66	77	79	83	83	83	83	85	86	90	99	96	94	91	82	75	66
Sat	66	67	69	70	75	81	83	82	84	82	84	84	82	81	82	74	67
Sun	66	66	66	67	69	72	78	79	81	82	84	81	82	83	83	74	67

About this drive

On weekdays the 74-mile drive from Lake Forest to Sylmar (via I-5 North and I-210 West) usually takes as little as 65 minutes and up to 105 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 84 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Sundays (84 minutes).

About 70 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 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 Sylmar 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 Sylmar?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 65 minutes then, versus up to 105 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Lake Forest to Sylmar?

The 74-mile drive usually takes 65 to 105 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 84 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Lake Forest to Sylmar?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 105 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (32 miles) · I-210 West in Los Angeles (15 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (15 miles) · SR-2 East in Los Angeles (9 miles)

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

More drives

Sylmar 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	66	78	83	89	87	82	81	82	85	85	89	92	88	83	74	68	65
Tue	66	79	86	92	91	86	83	81	83	85	92	99	94	87	78	69	66
Wed	66	76	83	87	88	84	83	81	82	83	95	101	98	91	79	72	67
Thu	66	77	83	89	88	83	84	83	83	85	95	105	96	87	81	72	67
Fri	66	77	79	83	83	83	83	85	86	90	99	96	94	91	82	75	66
Sat	66	67	69	70	75	81	83	82	84	82	84	84	82	81	82	74	67
Sun	66	66	66	67	69	72	78	79	81	82	84	81	82	83	83	74	67

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	66	78	83	89	87	82	81	82	85	85	89	92	88	83	74	68	65
Tue	66	79	86	92	91	86	83	81	83	85	92	99	94	87	78	69	66
Wed	66	76	83	87	88	84	83	81	82	83	95	101	98	91	79	72	67
Thu	66	77	83	89	88	83	84	83	83	85	95	105	96	87	81	72	67
Fri	66	77	79	83	83	83	83	85	86	90	99	96	94	91	82	75	66
Sat	66	67	69	70	75	81	83	82	84	82	84	84	82	81	82	74	67
Sun	66	66	66	67	69	72	78	79	81	82	84	81	82	83	83	74	67

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	66	78	83	89	87	82	81	82	85	85	89	92	88	83	74	68	65
Tue	66	79	86	92	91	86	83	81	83	85	92	99	94	87	78	69	66
Wed	66	76	83	87	88	84	83	81	82	83	95	101	98	91	79	72	67
Thu	66	77	83	89	88	83	84	83	83	85	95	105	96	87	81	72	67
Fri	66	77	79	83	83	83	83	85	86	90	99	96	94	91	82	75	66
Sat	66	67	69	70	75	81	83	82	84	82	84	84	82	81	82	74	67
Sun	66	66	66	67	69	72	78	79	81	82	84	81	82	83	83	74	67