Best Time to Drive from Riverside to Lake Forest

Right now (8:20 pm PST): about 39 minutes via SR-91 West and SR-241 South, usually 40 at this time.

Only 47% 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 Riverside 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	41	52	60	59	54	45	44	42	42	43	44	44	43	42	40	40	39
Tue	41	55	65	62	56	47	43	42	42	43	43	46	44	44	40	39	38
Wed	41	53	60	62	57	47	43	42	42	43	44	45	44	44	41	39	38
Thu	40	51	58	55	50	46	43	43	43	44	43	44	44	44	41	39	38
Fri	39	48	47	45	45	43	42	43	44	44	43	45	46	44	42	39	37
Sat	38	39	40	40	40	41	42	43	45	44	43	44	44	42	40	39	38
Sun	38	38	38	39	39	42	43	43	42	43	42	41	41	41	40	40	38

About this drive

On weekdays the 41-mile drive from Riverside to Lake Forest (via SR-91 West and SR-241 South) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 65 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 43 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (45 minutes).

About 37 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 7 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Riverside to central Lake Forest 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 Riverside to Lake Forest?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 65 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 41-mile drive usually takes 37 to 65 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 43 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Riverside to Lake Forest?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 65 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 West in Orange County (21 miles) · SR-241 South in Orange County (16 miles)

Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Lake Forest to Riverside (return trip) · Riverside to Los Angeles · Riverside to Santa Monica · Riverside to Pasadena · Riverside to Long Beach · Riverside to West Covina · Riverside to Burbank · Riverside to Glendale · Riverside to Van Nuys · Riverside to Torrance · Riverside to LAX · Riverside 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	41	52	60	59	54	45	44	42	42	43	44	44	43	42	40	40	39
Tue	41	55	65	62	56	47	43	42	42	43	43	46	44	44	40	39	38
Wed	41	53	60	62	57	47	43	42	42	43	44	45	44	44	41	39	38
Thu	40	51	58	55	50	46	43	43	43	44	43	44	44	44	41	39	38
Fri	39	48	47	45	45	43	42	43	44	44	43	45	46	44	42	39	37
Sat	38	39	40	40	40	41	42	43	45	44	43	44	44	42	40	39	38
Sun	38	38	38	39	39	42	43	43	42	43	42	41	41	41	40	40	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	52	60	59	54	45	44	42	42	43	44	44	43	42	40	40	39
Tue	41	55	65	62	56	47	43	42	42	43	43	46	44	44	40	39	38
Wed	41	53	60	62	57	47	43	42	42	43	44	45	44	44	41	39	38
Thu	40	51	58	55	50	46	43	43	43	44	43	44	44	44	41	39	38
Fri	39	48	47	45	45	43	42	43	44	44	43	45	46	44	42	39	37
Sat	38	39	40	40	40	41	42	43	45	44	43	44	44	42	40	39	38
Sun	38	38	38	39	39	42	43	43	42	43	42	41	41	41	40	40	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	52	60	59	54	45	44	42	42	43	44	44	43	42	40	40	39
Tue	41	55	65	62	56	47	43	42	42	43	43	46	44	44	40	39	38
Wed	41	53	60	62	57	47	43	42	42	43	44	45	44	44	41	39	38
Thu	40	51	58	55	50	46	43	43	43	44	43	44	44	44	41	39	38
Fri	39	48	47	45	45	43	42	43	44	44	43	45	46	44	42	39	37
Sat	38	39	40	40	40	41	42	43	45	44	43	44	44	42	40	39	38
Sun	38	38	38	39	39	42	43	43	42	43	42	41	41	41	40	40	38