Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
37.1 mi
60 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bakersfield, CA
Wikimedia Commons
South Taft, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Bakersfield, CA to South Taft, CA is 37.1 miles and takes about 54 minutes via Taft Highway and Westside Parkway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within California's Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward local journey. Given its short duration, this route is ideal for a single-day trip, allowing ample time for exploration at your destination. It's a practical option if you're looking for a quick connection between these two points without a significant time commitment.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Taft Highway | 16.5 mi | 22m |
| Westside Parkway | 6.6 mi | 8m |
| Enos Lane | 6 mi | 9m |
| Stockdale Highway | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| Truxtun Avenue | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Main Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 2nd Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Olive Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Bakersfield, CA and South Taft, CA.
Start on Truxtun Avenue
Continue on Truxtun Avenue
Take the ramp
Continue on Westside Parkway
Continue on Stockdale Highway
Enter roundabout onto CA 43
Continue on CA 43
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 43
Turn straight onto CA 119
Turn right onto Gardner Field Road
Continue on Main Street
Turn left onto 2nd Street
Continue on Olive Avenue
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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.
A short stop after about 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 18.6 miles from Bakersfield, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.3 and 36.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward CA 58: Westside Parkway West
Navigation decision point
Enter roundabout onto CA 43 / Enos Lane
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 43 / Enos Lane
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Gardner Field Road
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto 2nd Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$8.53 one way
$17.05 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.79 | $17.57 |
| premium | $6.18 | $9.02 | $18.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.19 | $16.38 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 13 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.90 | $1.78 |
| Efficient EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.25 | $1.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.19 | $2.37 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Bakersfield on Tuesday
Local time
5:10 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Mostly Clear
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:22AM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
Destination
Late night in South Taft on Tuesday
Local time
5:10 AM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, with only 18% of the journey on highway segments. You'll encounter a mix of local roads, including Taft Highway, Westside Parkway, and Enos Lane. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 16.5 miles on Taft Highway, so expect frequent changes in direction and speed. The road's personality shifts as you navigate through varied local terrain, requiring your attention to navigate the numerous turns.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 54m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 13.8 miles (CA 43 / Enos Lane): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 19.8 miles (CA 43 / Enos Lane): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 37.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (18%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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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