Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Lake Forest

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 61 minutes via I-5 South, usually 59 at this time.

Only 2% 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 Los Angeles to Lake Forest (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 42 minutes and up to 76 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 54 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (58 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Lake Forest to Los Angeles

Freeway, about 41 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 5 miles: 7 to 8 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 Downtown LA (City Hall) to central Lake Forest 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 Los Angeles to Lake Forest 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	42	49	62	64	54	49	50	51	53	55	62	68	71	61	51	45	43
Tue	42	52	69	70	57	51	51	52	52	56	64	72	74	64	54	46	43
Wed	42	52	67	69	59	52	52	52	54	58	65	71	75	64	54	47	44
Thu	42	51	67	68	58	53	54	54	56	58	67	73	76	67	56	48	44
Fri	43	50	59	59	54	52	53	54	57	64	70	74	73	68	56	50	45
Sat	43	44	45	47	49	50	52	53	55	57	58	57	57	54	49	47	45
Sun	43	43	43	44	45	47	49	50	52	53	55	53	52	50	49	49	45

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 Los Angeles to Lake Forest?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 42 minutes then, versus up to 76 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 47-mile drive usually takes 42 to 76 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 54 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Lake Forest?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 76 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (24 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (13 miles) · US-101 South in Los Angeles (3 miles) · SR-133 North in Orange County (1.5 miles)

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

More drives

Lake Forest to Los Angeles (return trip) · Los Angeles to Santa Monica · Los Angeles to Long Beach · Los Angeles to West Covina · Los Angeles to Burbank · Los Angeles to Glendale · Los Angeles to Santa Clarita · Los Angeles to Van Nuys · Los Angeles to Torrance · Los Angeles to Hollywood · Los Angeles to Culver City · Los Angeles to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	49	62	64	54	49	50	51	53	55	62	68	71	61	51	45	43
Tue	42	52	69	70	57	51	51	52	52	56	64	72	74	64	54	46	43
Wed	42	52	67	69	59	52	52	52	54	58	65	71	75	64	54	47	44
Thu	42	51	67	68	58	53	54	54	56	58	67	73	76	67	56	48	44
Fri	43	50	59	59	54	52	53	54	57	64	70	74	73	68	56	50	45
Sat	43	44	45	47	49	50	52	53	55	57	58	57	57	54	49	47	45
Sun	43	43	43	44	45	47	49	50	52	53	55	53	52	50	49	49	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	49	62	64	54	49	50	51	53	55	62	68	71	61	51	45	43
Tue	42	52	69	70	57	51	51	52	52	56	64	72	74	64	54	46	43
Wed	42	52	67	69	59	52	52	52	54	58	65	71	75	64	54	47	44
Thu	42	51	67	68	58	53	54	54	56	58	67	73	76	67	56	48	44
Fri	43	50	59	59	54	52	53	54	57	64	70	74	73	68	56	50	45
Sat	43	44	45	47	49	50	52	53	55	57	58	57	57	54	49	47	45
Sun	43	43	43	44	45	47	49	50	52	53	55	53	52	50	49	49	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	49	62	64	54	49	50	51	53	55	62	68	71	61	51	45	43
Tue	42	52	69	70	57	51	51	52	52	56	64	72	74	64	54	46	43
Wed	42	52	67	69	59	52	52	52	54	58	65	71	75	64	54	47	44
Thu	42	51	67	68	58	53	54	54	56	58	67	73	76	67	56	48	44
Fri	43	50	59	59	54	52	53	54	57	64	70	74	73	68	56	50	45
Sat	43	44	45	47	49	50	52	53	55	57	58	57	57	54	49	47	45
Sun	43	43	43	44	45	47	49	50	52	53	55	53	52	50	49	49	45