Avenal to Gepford is 36.5 miles and takes about 50 minutes via Avenal Cutoff Road, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within California's Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward drive through mostly rural landscapes. You'll be sticking to surface roads for the entire duration, so expect a relaxed pace. This route is ideal for a quick local excursion or as a brief segment within a larger California road trip.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenal Cutoff Road
18.3 mi
24m
South 19 1/2 Avenue
8 mi
9m
Skyline Boulevard
5.1 mi
7m
United States Navy Lieutenant Commander Otis Vincent Tolbert Memorial Highway
3.3 mi
3m
19 1/2 Avenue
0.3 mi
1m
West Excelsior Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
South Lassen Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
South 7th Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Avenal Cutoff Road
— 18.3 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Avenal, CA and Gepford, CA.
1
Start on South 7th Avenue
64 ft·5 sec·South 7th Avenue
2
Turn right onto CA 269
5.1 mi·7 min·Skyline Boulevard
3
Continue on CA 269
0.2 mi·15 sec·South Lassen Avenue
4
Turn right onto Avenal Cutoff Road
18 mi·24 min·Avenal Cutoff Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·33 sec
6
Merge onto CA 198
3.3 mi·3 min·United States Navy Lieutenant Commander Otis Vincent Tolbert Memorial Highway
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Toward CA 41: Lemoore, Fresno
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward CA 41 North: Lemoore, Fresno
9
Merge onto CA 41
8.0 mi·9 min·South 19 1/2 Avenue
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward Excelsior Avenue
11
Turn left onto West Excelsior Avenue
0.2 mi·31 sec·West Excelsior Avenue
12
Turn left onto 19 1/2 Avenue
0.3 mi·1 min·19 1/2 Avenue
13
Arrive at destination
19 1/2 Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 18.3 miles from Avenal, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 27.1 and 36.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
27.1 mi into trip|~37m in
Take the exit toward CA 41: Lemoore, Fresno
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CA 41: Lemoore, Fresno
6
27.3 mi into trip|~37m in
Keep slight left at fork toward CA 41 North: Lemoore, Fresno
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CA 41 North: Lemoore, Fresno
4
35.8 mi into trip|~48m in
Take the exit toward Excelsior Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Excelsior Avenue
5
36.1 mi into trip|~48m in|West Excelsior Avenue
Turn left onto West Excelsior Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
36.3 mi into trip|~49m in|19 1/2 Avenue
Turn left onto 19 1/2 Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.83 one way
$17.66 round trip
$6.15/gal25.4 MPG avg13 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.34
$9.11
$18.22
premium
$6.50
$9.33
$18.67
diesel
$6.28
$9.02
$18.04
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 69% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
11
0
$3.83
$1.75
Efficient EV
9.1
0
$3.19
$1.46
EV Truck/SUV
14.6
0
$5.11
$2.34
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Oct 21, 2026
Origin
Avenal, CA
Night
in Avenal on Friday
Local time
10:10 PM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Light Rain Likely then Showers And Thunderstorms
SSE 5 to 10 mph86% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued October 21 at 7:10AM PDT until October 22 at 4:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued October 21 at 7:10AM PDT until October 22 at 4:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Destination
Gepford, CA
Night
in Gepford on Friday
Local time
10:10 PM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Light Rain
SW 0 to 5 mph83% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued October 21 at 7:10AM PDT until October 22 at 4:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued October 21 at 7:10AM PDT until October 22 at 4:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
51°F
Huron, CA
18 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
50m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive exclusively uses surface roads, with no highway miles. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 18.3 miles on Avenal Cutoff Road. You'll primarily be navigating on local roads like South 19 1/2 Avenue and Skyline Boulevard. Expect a rural cruising feel for much of the 50-minute trip.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.3 mi on Avenal Cutoff Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 27.1 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 36.5 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 27.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 35.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,252 ft201 ft
Total Climb
473 ft
Total Descent
1,060 ft
Highest Point
1,252 ft
~2.6 mi in
Elevation Range
1,051 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Avenal, CA to Gepford, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Fresno along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 36.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.3 miles on Avenal Cutoff Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Gepford, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 27.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 35.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Gepford, CA before heading back.
