Travel guide
Lincoln Highway: route guide
Allow 10–14 days driving New York to San Francisco (about 5,057 km (3,142 mi)); 7 days if you only run the Midwest–Rockies core. Do it as a road trip in a rental car, May–September, and skip it if you want a fast crossing — Interstate 80 is the practical alternative. The old alignment is often not the current US 30, so follow a route guide, not a single road number.Allow 10–14 days driving New York to San Francisco (about 3,142 mi (5,057 km)); 7 days if you only run the Midwest–Rockies core. Do it as a road trip in a rental car, May–September, and skip it if you want a fast crossing — Interstate 80 is the practical alternative. The old alignment is often not the current US 30, so follow a route guide, not a single road number.
- Source checked
- A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
- Field checked
- Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify
Key facts
- Full length
- About 5,057 km (3,142 miles) New York City to San Francisco
- Time neededcheck
- 10–14 days full route; 7 days for the Midwest–Rockies core
- Best seasoncheck
- May–September; mountain passes in Wyoming, Utah and the Sierra can close in winter
- Vehicle
- Rental car, one-way drop-off; the Lincoln Tunnel segment is not walkable
- Route numbering
- Much of it is old US 30, not the current US 30; some pre-1926 sections are footpaths or private land
- Modern alternative
- Interstate 80 covers the same New York–San Francisco corridor
- Endpoints
- Times Square, New York City; Lincoln Park (Legion of Honor), San Francisco
Map and orientation
The Lincoln Highway runs west from Times Square in New York City, through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Nevada, to Lincoln Park in San Francisco. It was the first organised transcontinental auto trail, dedicated in 1913 as an early memorial to Abraham Lincoln, and it predates the numbered US Highway system of the mid-1920s.
The line on the map is not one road. It was assembled from existing roads and realigned repeatedly, so today it is a mix of US 30, US 40, US 50, US 93, state highways and city streets. In many towns the Lincoln Highway is simply "old US 30". Some pre-1926 sections are now walking trails or private property, so plan on a route guide or the Lincoln Highway Association's mapping rather than a single highway number.
Coordinates here are approximate: the route spans the continent, so use the endpoint cities and the stage table below to build your own line.
Stages
Distances below are driving distances along the modern corridor, not the 1913 alignment; expect detours onto older alignments to add time. Times assume a car, daylight driving and short stops, not sightseeing.
The Midwest is the flattest and fastest stretch. The Rockies and the Sierra are where weather and mountain grades slow you down and where a winter crossing can be blocked.
- Do not skip: the Pennsylvania Turnpike corridor and old US 30 towns, the Iowa and Nebraska plains, the Rockies crossing, and the Sierra descent into California.
- Skip if short on time: long urban detours in Chicago and Denver — take the interstate around them.
| Stage | Approx. km | Driving time |
|---|---|---|
| New York City – Philadelphia | 150 | 2–3 h |
| Philadelphia – Pittsburgh | 490 | 5–6 h |
| Pittsburgh – Cleveland | 210 | 2–3 h |
| Cleveland – Chicago | 550 | 5–6 h |
| Chicago – Des Moines | 540 | 5–6 h |
| Des Moines – Omaha | 220 | 2–3 h |
| Omaha – Denver | 870 | 8–9 h |
| Denver – Salt Lake City | 840 | 8–9 h |
| Salt Lake City – Reno | 840 | 8–9 h |
| Reno – San Francisco | 350 | 4–5 h |
Distances and times are 2026 estimates for the modern corridor; older alignments vary (check).
When to go
May to September is the reliable window. Snow can close mountain passes in Wyoming, Utah and the Sierra from late autumn to spring, and summer heat makes the Nevada and Utah desert stages unpleasant at midday — drive those early.
Spring and autumn are quieter and cheaper outside the mountains, but check pass conditions before committing to a Rockies crossing. Winter crossings are possible on the interstates but not on every old alignment.
Where to stay
There is no single lodging strip. Book around the stage towns: Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Des Moines, Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City and Reno, then fill the gaps with motels in the smaller old US 30 towns.
Small-town motels along the old alignment are the point of the trip, but they fill up in summer and around local events; reserve the Rockies and Sierra nights first, then work outward. Camping is an option in the national forests and parks along the western stages.
Preparation
Rent a car with unlimited mileage and confirm one-way drop-off between New York and San Francisco — the fee is usually the biggest single cost. Carry a paper map or offline navigation: cell coverage drops in the Rockies, Nevada and parts of Utah.
Check state-by-state driving rules, toll transponders for the Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and New Jersey turnpikes, and park entry reservations for the western stages. Service stations are sparse on some Nevada and Utah stretches, so refuel when you can.
If you only want the historic experience, pick one state and drive its old alignment in a day or two rather than the whole continent.
FAQ
Questions people ask
How long does Lincoln Highway take?
The full New York to San Francisco route is about 5,057 km and takes 10–14 days with stops. A focused Midwest-to-Rockies trip takes about 7 days. Driving straight through without sightseeing is possible in under a week but defeats the purpose.
When is the best time to do Lincoln Highway?
May to September. Mountain passes in Wyoming, Utah and the Sierra can close with snow outside that window, and summer desert heat in Nevada and Utah is best driven in the early morning.
Where should I stay along Lincoln Highway?
Base nights in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Des Moines, Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City and Reno, and use small-town motels on the old US 30 alignments between them. Book the Rockies and Sierra nights first in summer.
Is the Lincoln Highway the same as US 30?
No. Much of it is old US 30, but the route was realigned many times and now mixes US 30, US 40, US 50, US 93, state highways and city streets. Some pre-1926 sections are footpaths or private land.
Can I drive the whole Lincoln Highway in a rental car?
Yes, with a one-way rental between New York and San Francisco. Confirm the drop-off fee and unlimited mileage first, and note that the Lincoln Tunnel segment at the east end is not walkable.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check