Best Time to Drive from Sacramento to Clearlake

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 108 minutes via I-5 North, usually 110 at this time.

Only 23% 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 Sacramento to Clearlake 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	105	107	107	108	109	112	114	113	114	116	114	116	117	117	108	111	111
Tue	106	107	109	110	116	121	120	119	118	117	113	114	116	117	110	109	109
Wed	106	106	109	109	120	123	126	121	120	116	112	113	116	117	112	109	109
Thu	106	107	112	114	122	124	123	121	118	115	112	115	116	115	110	109	109
Fri	106	107	108	111	112	118	115	116	112	112	110	114	115	113	110	108	108
Sat	105	106	107	105	108	108	109	108	110	110	108	108	108	106	109	107	108
Sun	105	107	105	107	107	110	112	112	110	109	107	107	106	106	106	108	108

About this drive

On weekdays the 101-mile drive from Sacramento to Clearlake (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 105 minutes and up to 126 minutes, when leaving around 11 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 9 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 117 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10:30 am on Sundays (112 minutes).

About 58 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 43 miles surface streets (53 to 64 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown Sacramento (the Capitol) to central Clearlake 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 Sacramento to Clearlake?

On weekdays, leave before 9 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 105 minutes then, versus up to 126 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Sacramento to Clearlake?

The 101-mile drive usually takes 105 to 126 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 117 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Sacramento to Clearlake?

Leaving around 11 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 126 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Sacramento (34 miles)

Sacramento traffic right now · Sacramento traffic tomorrow

More drives

Clearlake to Sacramento (return trip) · Sacramento to Roseville · Sacramento to Elk Grove · Sacramento to Davis · Sacramento to Folsom · Sacramento to San Francisco · Sacramento to Oakland · Sacramento to SMF · Sacramento to Stockton · Sacramento to Concord · Sacramento to Vallejo · Sacramento to Berkeley

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	105	107	107	108	109	112	114	113	114	116	114	116	117	117	108	111	111
Tue	106	107	109	110	116	121	120	119	118	117	113	114	116	117	110	109	109
Wed	106	106	109	109	120	123	126	121	120	116	112	113	116	117	112	109	109
Thu	106	107	112	114	122	124	123	121	118	115	112	115	116	115	110	109	109
Fri	106	107	108	111	112	118	115	116	112	112	110	114	115	113	110	108	108
Sat	105	106	107	105	108	108	109	108	110	110	108	108	108	106	109	107	108
Sun	105	107	105	107	107	110	112	112	110	109	107	107	106	106	106	108	108

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	105	107	107	108	109	112	114	113	114	116	114	116	117	117	108	111	111
Tue	106	107	109	110	116	121	120	119	118	117	113	114	116	117	110	109	109
Wed	106	106	109	109	120	123	126	121	120	116	112	113	116	117	112	109	109
Thu	106	107	112	114	122	124	123	121	118	115	112	115	116	115	110	109	109
Fri	106	107	108	111	112	118	115	116	112	112	110	114	115	113	110	108	108
Sat	105	106	107	105	108	108	109	108	110	110	108	108	108	106	109	107	108
Sun	105	107	105	107	107	110	112	112	110	109	107	107	106	106	106	108	108

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	105	107	107	108	109	112	114	113	114	116	114	116	117	117	108	111	111
Tue	106	107	109	110	116	121	120	119	118	117	113	114	116	117	110	109	109
Wed	106	106	109	109	120	123	126	121	120	116	112	113	116	117	112	109	109
Thu	106	107	112	114	122	124	123	121	118	115	112	115	116	115	110	109	109
Fri	106	107	108	111	112	118	115	116	112	112	110	114	115	113	110	108	108
Sat	105	106	107	105	108	108	109	108	110	110	108	108	108	106	109	107	108
Sun	105	107	105	107	107	110	112	112	110	109	107	107	106	106	106	108	108