Origin
Bakersfield, CA
Late night in Bakersfield on Tuesday
Local time
2:16 AM
PDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bakersfield, CA to Mendota, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 41m
Distance
136.8 mi
220 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$31
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 31m
★
6 AM
2h 42m
8 AM
3h 3m
10 AM
2h 49m
12 PM
2h 47m
3 PM
2h 50m
5 PM
3h 2m
8 PM
2h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bakersfield, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Mendota, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 136.8-mile drive from Bakersfield, CA to Mendota, CA takes approximately 2 hours and 41 minutes and is best suited as a single-day trip. Traveling primarily on Truxtun Avenue, CA 58, and Westside Parkway, this route offers a straightforward journey within the Pacific Coast region. With an estimated fuel cost of $31 and only one recommended stop, it's an efficient option for a quick transit. The overall feel is that of a turn-heavy local drive, so be prepared for frequent adjustments rather than long, open stretches. This makes it a practical choice for those needing to move between these two California locations without a significant time commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
68.4 miles from Bakersfield, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 20m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 95.7 mi | 1h 42m |
| South Derrick Avenue | 21.7 mi | 29m |
| Stockdale Highway | 8.9 mi | 12m |
| Westside Parkway | 6.6 mi | 8m |
| Truxtun Avenue | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| CA 58 | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 7th Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| CA 33 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 95.7 mi, about 1h 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bakersfield, CA and Mendota, CA.
1
Start on Truxtun Avenue
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Truxtun Avenue
2
Continue on Truxtun Avenue
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Truxtun Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward CA 58: Westside Parkway West
4
Continue on Westside Parkway
6.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Westside Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on Stockdale Highway
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Stockdale Highway
Use the straight lane.
6
Enter roundabout onto CA 58
149 ft
·
2 sec
·
Stockdale Highway
7
Continue on CA 58
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Stockdale Highway
8
Take the exit onto CA 58
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 58
Toward I 5 North
9
Merge onto I 5; CA 58
96 mi
·
1 hr 42 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit onto CA 33
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
CA 33
Toward CA 33 North: Mendota
11
Turn right onto CA 33
22 mi
·
29 min
·
South Derrick Avenue
12
Turn right onto 7th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
7th Street
13
Turn right onto Quince Street
124 ft
·
5 sec
·
Quince Street
14
Arrive at destination
Quince Street
Trip Plan
For this 2 hour and 41 minute drive, starting your journey in the morning is advisable to avoid potential afternoon traffic, especially as you navigate local roads. With only one stop recommended and a manageable 136.8 miles, you have flexibility in pacing. The estimated fuel cost is around $31, so ensure your tank is full before departing Bakersfield. A specific tip for this route: pay close attention to the frequent turns indicated by your navigation, as the 'turn-heavy local drive' profile suggests you'll be making many adjustments. This will help you stay on track and avoid unnecessary detours on your way to Mendota.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 68.4 miles from Bakersfield, CA, or about 1h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 95.7 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 30 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 68.4 miles or 1h 20m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mendota, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Bakersfield, CA
This is one driving day of about 136.8 miles and 2h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Bakersfield, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 95.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
68 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 68.4 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 95.7 miles.
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 85 decision points cluster between mile 13.8 and 136.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
13.8 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
CA 58 / Stockdale Highway
Enter roundabout onto CA 58 / Stockdale Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
18.4 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
CA 58
Take the exit onto CA 58 toward I 5 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 5 North
5
18.9 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
I 5; CA 58 / Westside Freeway
Merge onto I 5; CA 58 / Westside Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
114.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 10m in
|
CA 33
Take the exit onto CA 33 toward CA 33 North: Mendota
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward CA 33 North: Mendota
4
136.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 40m in
|
7th Street
Turn right onto 7th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.44 one way
$62.88 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
48 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $32.40 | $64.80 |
| premium | $6.18 | $33.27 | $66.54 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $30.20 | $60.41 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 47.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 41 | 0 | $14.36 | $6.57 |
| Efficient EV | 34.2 | 0 | $11.97 | $5.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 54.7 | 0 | $19.15 | $8.76 |
Gas CO2
48 kg
EV CO2
16 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Mendota, CA
Late night in Mendota on Tuesday
Local time
2:16 AM
PDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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.
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
25 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
2h 41m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' for this 136.8-mile journey between Bakersfield and Mendota. With a 0% highway share, you'll be navigating local roads for the entire duration, requiring constant attention to turns and speed limits. The longest uninterrupted stretch isn't a significant factor given the nature of the roads. As you progress, the drive will feel like a series of interconnected local routes rather than a continuous highway experience. This means you'll likely encounter more traffic signals and intersections, making it a more engaged driving experience than a typical interstate cruise.
75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 95.7 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and South Derrick Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 13.8 miles in near CA 58 / Stockdale Highway.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 41m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 13.8 miles (CA 58 / Stockdale Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 18.4 miles (CA 58): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 18.9 miles (I 5; CA 58 / Westside Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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."
Arriving in Mendota, CA
Full guide →Founded 1942
Firebaugh is a city in Fresno County in California's San Joaquin Valley.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 41m. Total distance: 136.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 95.7 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 13.8 miles (CA 58 / Stockdale Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 18.4 miles (CA 58): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 18.9 miles (I 5; CA 58 / Westside Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Mendota, CA before heading back.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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