Business & Tech

How These 55 CA Stations Can Offer Gas $1 Cheaper Per Gallon Than Most

Gas stations owned by Native American tribes can offer steep savings at the pump compared to other nearby stations. See a list of locations.

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Gas prices are displayed at a gasoline station, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Los Angeles. Fuel prices are often much cheaper at tribally owned gas stations.
Gas prices are displayed at a gasoline station, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Los Angeles. Fuel prices are often much cheaper at tribally owned gas stations. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

As California's notoriously high gas prices continue to get even higher during the U.S. war with Iran, some drivers have found a reprieve thanks to tribally owned gas stations.

As of Thursday, the average price of gas in California was $5.86 a gallon — the most expensive in the country. Prices are up $1 on average nationwide since the war began at the end of February. And there's no immediate relief in sight.

Deals are to be found, though, at the 55 tribally owned gas stations in California. On Friday, the state's two cheapest gas stations offered more than $1 per gallon of savings compared to the statewide average price, according to GasBuddy. Both are tribally owned.

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One of the reasons tribes charge less? Taxes.

Generally, tribes must pay the federal fuel tax of 18.4 cents per gallon for gasoline and 24.3 cents per gallon for diesel, and pass that cost along to drivers.

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State fuel taxes are a different matter — oftentimes, tribes can bypass some or all of the local and state taxes charged at other gas stations.

Another reason is that tribes may use gas as a "loss leader" — accepting lower profit margins on fuel to drive traffic to casinos and other businesses on their land, the New York Post reported.

The two cheapest gas stations in the state as of Friday were

While many of these stations serve as vital infrastructure in the state’s most isolated corners, others have become high-volume anchors along some of the busiest transit corridors in the Western United States.

The Morongo Travel Center in Cabazon, owned by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, serves as a massive landmark for travelers moving through the Inland Empire to the Coachella Valley and Arizona on the 10 Freeway.

There, a gallon of regular was recently going for $5.10. Down the road in Palm Springs, gas was priced at around $6 or more, Casinos.org reported.

For those heading toward the Arizona border, Viejas Pit Stop is positioned directly off the 8 Freeway in the San Diego County mountains. Further east, the Golden Acorn Travel Center in Campo provides one of the last major high-capacity stops for long-haul truckers and travelers before the desert descent.

Pechanga Mini Mart is just off the 15 Freeway in Temecula, offering convenient access to commuters and locals.

For travelers navigating the remote stretches of the North Coast or the Eastern Sierra, stations like Lucky 7 Fuel Mart on Highway 101 in Del Norte County or the Paiute Palace Gas Station on U.S. 395 in Bishop offer essential services in areas where commercial options are sparse.

The Red Hawk Travel Center in El Dorado County is strategically located on Highway 50, the primary artery for Bay Area residents heading to Lake Tahoe.

Deals at the pump are to be found at many of the nearly 500 tribally owned convenience stores with gas stations across the U.S. (AP Digital Embed)

Here's a list of some of the tribal gas stations in California:

Northern California

Southern California

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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