Best Time to Drive from Riverside to Palm Desert

Right now (7:35 pm PST): about 84 minutes via I-10 East and SR-60 East, usually 80 at this time.

Only 30% 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 Palm Desert 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	73	76	77	85	82	80	80	82	83	85	85	86	85	87	84	83	76
Tue	73	75	78	84	82	82	80	81	83	83	82	86	86	89	86	79	76
Wed	73	76	79	87	87	80	80	81	82	83	84	84	84	85	82	78	75
Thu	73	76	78	86	82	80	79	82	82	81	82	84	83	84	83	79	75
Fri	73	76	76	81	80	79	80	83	83	83	84	85	83	84	83	80	75
Sat	73	74	74	74	76	76	77	78	79	80	79	78	77	78	78	76	74
Sun	74	74	74	74	74	74	76	77	79	78	78	77	77	77	78	77	74

About this drive

On weekdays the 70-mile drive from Riverside to Palm Desert (via I-10 East and SR-60 East) usually takes as little as 73 minutes and up to 91 minutes, when leaving around 8:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 82 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (80 minutes).

About 47 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 23 miles surface streets (24 to 40 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Riverside to central Palm Desert 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 Palm Desert?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 73 minutes then, versus up to 91 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Riverside to Palm Desert?

The 70-mile drive usually takes 73 to 91 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 82 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Riverside to Palm Desert?

Leaving around 8:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 91 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-60 East in Inland Empire (15 miles) · I-10 East in Inland Empire (13 miles) · I-215 South in Inland Empire (3 miles)

Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow

More drives

Palm Desert 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	73	76	77	85	82	80	80	82	83	85	85	86	85	87	84	83	76
Tue	73	75	78	84	82	82	80	81	83	83	82	86	86	89	86	79	76
Wed	73	76	79	87	87	80	80	81	82	83	84	84	84	85	82	78	75
Thu	73	76	78	86	82	80	79	82	82	81	82	84	83	84	83	79	75
Fri	73	76	76	81	80	79	80	83	83	83	84	85	83	84	83	80	75
Sat	73	74	74	74	76	76	77	78	79	80	79	78	77	78	78	76	74
Sun	74	74	74	74	74	74	76	77	79	78	78	77	77	77	78	77	74

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	73	76	77	85	82	80	80	82	83	85	85	86	85	87	84	83	76
Tue	73	75	78	84	82	82	80	81	83	83	82	86	86	89	86	79	76
Wed	73	76	79	87	87	80	80	81	82	83	84	84	84	85	82	78	75
Thu	73	76	78	86	82	80	79	82	82	81	82	84	83	84	83	79	75
Fri	73	76	76	81	80	79	80	83	83	83	84	85	83	84	83	80	75
Sat	73	74	74	74	76	76	77	78	79	80	79	78	77	78	78	76	74
Sun	74	74	74	74	74	74	76	77	79	78	78	77	77	77	78	77	74

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	73	76	77	85	82	80	80	82	83	85	85	86	85	87	84	83	76
Tue	73	75	78	84	82	82	80	81	83	83	82	86	86	89	86	79	76
Wed	73	76	79	87	87	80	80	81	82	83	84	84	84	85	82	78	75
Thu	73	76	78	86	82	80	79	82	82	81	82	84	83	84	83	79	75
Fri	73	76	76	81	80	79	80	83	83	83	84	85	83	84	83	80	75
Sat	73	74	74	74	76	76	77	78	79	80	79	78	77	78	78	76	74
Sun	74	74	74	74	74	74	76	77	79	78	78	77	77	77	78	77	74