Best Time to Drive from Sacramento to Clearlake

Right now (7:49 pm PDT): about 116 minutes via I-5 North, usually 111 at this time.

Only 25% 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	109	108	110	112	113	112	118	112	111	116	117	117	111	111	112
Tue	107	110	109	115	114	119	119	118	119	118	116	118	118	117	110	109	112
Wed	109	106	107	109	116	119	119	121	118	116	113	113	118	117	110	111	110
Thu	106	106	112	114	122	123	124	123	117	115	112	117	117	115	111	112	111
Fri	108	108	108	110	112	113	118	111	112	110	109	115	113	110	111	106	106
Sat	107	106	108	106	109	107	108	109	107	110	107	108	107	105	108	106	108
Sun	106	107	106	107	108	107	114	110	109	110	106	109	105	106	106	107	110

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 124 minutes, when leaving around 11 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 9:30 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 117 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Sundays (114 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 63 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 9:30 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 105 minutes then, versus up to 124 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 101-mile drive usually takes 105 to 124 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 Thursdays is usually slowest, about 124 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	109	108	110	112	113	112	118	112	111	116	117	117	111	111	112
Tue	107	110	109	115	114	119	119	118	119	118	116	118	118	117	110	109	112
Wed	109	106	107	109	116	119	119	121	118	116	113	113	118	117	110	111	110
Thu	106	106	112	114	122	123	124	123	117	115	112	117	117	115	111	112	111
Fri	108	108	108	110	112	113	118	111	112	110	109	115	113	110	111	106	106
Sat	107	106	108	106	109	107	108	109	107	110	107	108	107	105	108	106	108
Sun	106	107	106	107	108	107	114	110	109	110	106	109	105	106	106	107	110

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

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