The California Highway Patrol said more of those travelers are expected to head home on the Sunday after the holiday.
"Make sure that you plan ahead and give yourself enough cushion from the vehicles in front of you," said CHP Madera spokesman, Sergio Moreno.
Video shows the traffic congestion around 3 p.m. on Sunday on Northbound Highway 99.
"I feel like we're all coming back from the holidays, whether in San Francisco, Sacramento, we're all just coming back so it's a lot more traffic today," said Annabel Silva.
Silva and her parents traveled from Los Angeles to Chico for the holiday to visit her brother.
Silva needed a break, so they stopped at the EZ Trip in Madera near Highway 99.
"We stopped here because I got tired and I was like oh I'm gonna have one of my parents switched out because I can't do this no more, I'm tired. Not even my music can keep me alive, I'm tired," said Silva.
Downey resident Sophia Ortega said traffic was a little heavy on her way back home from Sacramento.
Ortega said a lot of patience, some entertainment and not over consuming is getting her and her husband Erick through their long-distance drive with their pups.
"Definitely not drinking so much water on the road. We're trying to make not that many stops. So, the dogs wanted to drink water, so I just put a little water in my hand, so they won't have to drink so much," said Ortega.
The rental car company Hertz said the busiest day to return vehicles is the Monday and Tuesday after Thanksgiving. So, drivers may still see extra cars on the road for some of the coming week.
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