Best Time to Drive from South Gate to Lake Forest

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 52 minutes via I-405 South, usually 49 at this time.

None 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 South Gate 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	43	47	68	71	55	51	50	51	51	50	51	53	56	50	49	48	46
Tue	43	47	81	91	65	54	52	52	51	50	51	53	58	51	48	47	44
Wed	43	50	81	88	72	60	52	54	52	52	55	54	58	51	48	47	44
Thu	43	47	73	86	68	54	52	53	51	51	53	54	56	51	49	47	44
Fri	43	48	61	72	56	51	50	52	52	52	51	51	51	50	49	47	44
Sat	44	44	44	44	45	45	46	47	48	48	48	50	48	48	46	46	45
Sun	44	44	44	46	45	46	47	47	48	47	48	47	47	47	46	47	45

About this drive

On weekdays the 46-mile drive from South Gate to Lake Forest (via I-405 South) usually takes as little as 43 minutes and up to 94 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 51 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (50 minutes).

About 39 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (10 to 17 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central South Gate 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 South Gate to Lake Forest?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 43 minutes then, versus up to 94 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from South Gate to Lake Forest?

The 46-mile drive usually takes 43 to 94 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 51 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from South Gate to Lake Forest?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 94 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Orange County (26 miles) · I-710 South in Los Angeles (8 miles) · I-405 South in Los Angeles (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 South Gate (return trip) · South Gate to Los Angeles · South Gate to Long Beach · South Gate to Anaheim · South Gate to Riverside · South Gate to Santa Ana · South Gate to Irvine · South Gate to San Bernardino · South Gate to Fontana · South Gate to Oxnard · South Gate to Moreno Valley · South Gate to Huntington Beach

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	47	68	71	55	51	50	51	51	50	51	53	56	50	49	48	46
Tue	43	47	81	91	65	54	52	52	51	50	51	53	58	51	48	47	44
Wed	43	50	81	88	72	60	52	54	52	52	55	54	58	51	48	47	44
Thu	43	47	73	86	68	54	52	53	51	51	53	54	56	51	49	47	44
Fri	43	48	61	72	56	51	50	52	52	52	51	51	51	50	49	47	44
Sat	44	44	44	44	45	45	46	47	48	48	48	50	48	48	46	46	45
Sun	44	44	44	46	45	46	47	47	48	47	48	47	47	47	46	47	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	47	68	71	55	51	50	51	51	50	51	53	56	50	49	48	46
Tue	43	47	81	91	65	54	52	52	51	50	51	53	58	51	48	47	44
Wed	43	50	81	88	72	60	52	54	52	52	55	54	58	51	48	47	44
Thu	43	47	73	86	68	54	52	53	51	51	53	54	56	51	49	47	44
Fri	43	48	61	72	56	51	50	52	52	52	51	51	51	50	49	47	44
Sat	44	44	44	44	45	45	46	47	48	48	48	50	48	48	46	46	45
Sun	44	44	44	46	45	46	47	47	48	47	48	47	47	47	46	47	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	47	68	71	55	51	50	51	51	50	51	53	56	50	49	48	46
Tue	43	47	81	91	65	54	52	52	51	50	51	53	58	51	48	47	44
Wed	43	50	81	88	72	60	52	54	52	52	55	54	58	51	48	47	44
Thu	43	47	73	86	68	54	52	53	51	51	53	54	56	51	49	47	44
Fri	43	48	61	72	56	51	50	52	52	52	51	51	51	50	49	47	44
Sat	44	44	44	44	45	45	46	47	48	48	48	50	48	48	46	46	45
Sun	44	44	44	46	45	46	47	47	48	47	48	47	47	47	46	47	45