Highway Patrol Weigh Station
0 mi from route
Trip from Bakersfield, CA to Hayfork, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 27m
Distance
499 mi
803 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$104
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 19m
★
6 AM
9h 28m
8 AM
9h 45m
10 AM
9h 34m
12 PM
9h 32m
3 PM
9h 35m
5 PM
9h 44m
8 PM
9h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bakersfield, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Hayfork, CA
Efrem Efre
Trip Overview
Bakersfield to Hayfork is 499 miles and takes about 9h 27m via Westside Freeway, Golden State Highway, and Northbound California State Route 99, with a fuel budget near $113 and enough daylight to finish in a day if you start early. This overnight trip takes you from the Pacific Coast region of California to another part of the same state. Expect a predominantly highway experience with a solid stretch of driving, making it a good option if you prefer covering ground efficiently. Given the duration, planning for a stop is advisable to break up the 9.5-hour drive and ensure a more relaxed pace.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
249.5 miles from Bakersfield, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 40m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 127.6 mi | 2h 17m |
| Golden State Highway | 113.1 mi | 2h 2m |
| Northbound California State Route 99 | 84.6 mi | 1h 38m |
| CA 99 | 65.5 mi | 1h 14m |
| Cascade Wonderland Highway | 31.6 mi | 34m |
| Eureka Way | 25 mi | 29m |
| CA 3 | 23.7 mi | 35m |
| CA 299 | 11.8 mi | 13m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 127.6 mi, about 2h 17m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 142 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,249 veh/hr typical · worst 2,601
Quietest
2 AM
~212 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 48 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bakersfield, CA and Hayfork, CA.
1
Start on Truxtun Avenue
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Truxtun Avenue
2
Continue on Truxtun Avenue
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Truxtun Avenue
3
Turn right onto Chester Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Chester Avenue
4
Enter roundabout onto Golden State Road
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Golden State Road
5
Continue on Golden State Road
427 ft
·
8 sec
·
Golden State Road
6
Take the ramp
395 ft
·
10 sec
7
Merge onto CA 204; CA 99 BUS
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto CA 99
5.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on CA 99
111 mi
·
2 hr
·
Golden State Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 144
Toward Avenue 7
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto CA 99
21 mi
·
24 min
·
CA 99
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99
85 mi
·
1 hr 38 min
·
Northbound California State Route 99
Toward CA 99
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on CA 99
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Highway
14
Continue on CA 99
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Old U.S. Route 99E
15
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 99
44 mi
·
50 min
·
CA 99
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
Toward US 50 West, US 50 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 50 West: San Francisco
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on US 50
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Capital City Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 4A
Toward I 5: Los Angeles, Redding
Use the slight right lane.
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 4A
Toward I 5 North: Redding
Use the slight right lane.
21
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward I 5: Redding
22
Merge onto I 5
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
121 mi
·
2 hr 10 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Continue on I 5
32 mi
·
34 min
·
Cascade Wonderland Highway
25
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 678
Toward CA 44: Eureka, Susanville
26
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 678
Toward CA 44 West: Eureka, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
27
Merge onto CA 44
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 44
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Turn right onto CA 44; CA 273; US 99 Hist
489 ft
·
17 sec
·
Pine Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
29
Turn left onto CA 44; CA 273; US 99 Hist
25 mi
·
29 min
·
Eureka Way
Use the left lane.
30
Continue on CA 299
12 mi
·
13 min
·
CA 299
31
Turn left onto CA 3
24 mi
·
35 min
·
CA 3
32
Arrive at destination
CA 3
Trip Plan
Since this is a 9h 27m drive, splitting it over two days is recommended. Aim to depart Bakersfield in the morning to maximize daylight for the first leg. Your longest stretch without services will be 127.6 miles on the Westside Freeway, so ensure you have enough fuel before embarking on that segment. Plan your overnight stop roughly halfway, around the 4-5 hour mark, to ensure a balanced driving experience. The total fuel cost is estimated at $113, so budget accordingly.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 249.5 miles from Bakersfield, CA, or about 4h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 127.6 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 110 miles or 2h in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 249.5 miles or 4h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 249.5 miles or 4h 40m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hayfork, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bakersfield, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Bakersfield, CA
Aim for roughly 250 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Hayfork, CA
Aim for roughly 250 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 110 miles from Bakersfield, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 127.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
250 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Woodland, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
250 mi · about 4.7h in
A practical overnight split lands near Woodland, CA after about 250 miles or 4.7 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 110 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 249.5 miles from Bakersfield, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 127.6 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 250 miles or 4.7 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Dunnigan Rest Area
0 mi from route
Rest Area
0 mi from route
Rest Area
0 mi from route
Rest Area
0 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
C. H. Warlow Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Enoch Christoffersen Rest Area - Southbound
0.1 mi from route
Enoch Christoffersen Rest Area - Northbound
0.1 mi from route
Dunnigan Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Maxwell Rest Area Southbound
0.1 mi from route
LT. John C. Helmick Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
LT. John C. Helmick Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Herbert S. Miles Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Herbert S. Miles Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
TA
0.1 mi from route
United Park
0.1 mi from route
TA
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
EZ Trip Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Valley Fuel Travel Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Elkhorn Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Maxwell Rest Area Northbound
0.2 mi from route
Willows Rest Area Southbound
0.2 mi from route
Willows Rest Area Northbound
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Maverik
0.2 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.3 mi from route
TA
0.3 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.3 mi from route
Ahmed's Exxon
0.9 mi from route
Moon Lim Lee Rest Area
1 mi from route
Sacramento 49er Travel Plaza
1.2 mi from route
Rest Area
1.4 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 245 decision points cluster between mile 119.9 and 276.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
119.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 11m in
Take the exit toward Avenue 7
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 144
Toward Avenue 7
7
141.8 mi into trip
|
~2h 35m in
|
CA 99 / Northbound California State Route 99
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99 / Northbound California State Route 99 toward CA 99
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 99
7
273.5 mi into trip
|
~5h 8m in
Take the exit toward US 50 West, US 50 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 50 West, US 50 East: San Francisco, S...
8
276 mi into trip
|
~5h 11m in
Take the exit toward I 5: Los Angeles, Redding
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 4A
Toward I 5: Los Angeles, Redding
9
276.2 mi into trip
|
~5h 12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 5 North: Redding
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 4A
Toward I 5 North: Redding
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$104.40 one way
$208.79 round trip
$5.31/gal
25.4 MPG avg
175 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.52 | $108.42 | $216.85 |
| premium | $5.67 | $111.29 | $222.59 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $94.22 | $188.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$104
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$234–$344
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 174.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $52 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 149.7 | 1 | $52.40 | $23.95 |
| Efficient EV | 124.8 | 1 | $43.66 | $19.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 199.6 | 2 | $69.86 | $31.94 |
Gas CO2
175 kg
EV CO2
58 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Origin
Bakersfield, CA
Night in Bakersfield on Saturday
Local time
11:59 PM
PDT
Current temp
102°F
Sunny
NW 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 16 at 3:22PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 16 at 1:29PM PDT until July 16 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Destination
Hayfork, CA
Night in Hayfork on Saturday
Local time
11:59 PM
PDT
Current temp
89°F
Sunny
WNW 8 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 16 at 3:22PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 16 at 1:29PM PDT until July 16 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
13 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
9h 27m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
Whiskeytown Lake’s crystal-clear waters are iconic, but this 42,000-acre National Recreation Area offers much more. Explore waterfalls, hike rugged trails, uncover Gold Rush history, and witness the r...
4 mi from route
~9 min detour
$15
near mile 447.3
Caution: Public Health Advisory for Upper Clear Creek above Whiskeytown Lake
César E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
Yes, we can! Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's...
28 mi from route
~69 min detour
Free
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 65% of this 499-mile trip on highways. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 127.6 miles on the Westside Freeway. After the highway portion concludes, you'll transition to surface roads for the remaining miles. Be prepared for merging traffic and a high volume of exits during the initial highway segments.
65% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
32 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 127.6 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Golden State Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 119.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 24 significant decision points across 499 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 119.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 141.8 miles (CA 99 / Northbound California State Route 99): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 273.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,721 ft
16 ft
Total Climb
2,742 ft
Total Descent
817 ft
Highest Point
2,721 ft
~463.3 mi in
Elevation Range
2,705 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bakersfield, CA and Hayfork, CA, road signs point toward Avenue 7, Lake Tahoe, Redding, Susanville and Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.
Avenue 7
119.9 mi in
|
~2h 11m
Lake Tahoe
273.5 mi in
|
~5h 8m
Redding
276 mi in
|
~5h 11m
Susanville
436 mi in
|
~8h 5m
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
436.2 mi in
|
~8h 5m
About the Cities
Starting in Bakersfield, CA
Full guide →Founded 1869
Bakersfield is a city in Kern County in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Bakersfield is famous for being the home of country music singers Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, and has the nickname "the country music capital of the West Coast."
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 127.6 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 250 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 46 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 Hayfork, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. There are 46 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 119.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 141.8 miles (CA 99 / Northbound California State Route 99): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 273.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and César E. Chávez National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.5 hours each way, a round trip means 18.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Hayfork, CA before the return drive.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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