Origin
Bakersfield, CA
Afternoon in Bakersfield on Sunday
Local time
2:50 PM
PDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bakersfield, CA to Wofford Heights, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
48.2 mi
78 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bakersfield, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Wofford Heights, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
Bakersfield to Wofford Heights is 48.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 8 minutes via Route 178, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Pacific Coast region, moving from the urban edge of Bakersfield into a more rural, mountainous setting as you approach Wofford Heights. It's a straightforward, relatively short trip, making it ideal for a quick excursion or a transition to exploring the southern Sierra Nevada. Consider this route if you're looking for a simple journey with a change in scenery without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Route 178 | 31.9 mi | 46m |
| CHP Officer David W. Manning Memorial Freeway | 7.4 mi | 8m |
| Wofford Heights Boulevard | 6.6 mi | 9m |
| Isabella Walker Pass Road | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| L Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Truxtun Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 23rd Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Evans Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Route 178
— 31.9 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bakersfield, CA and Wofford Heights, CA.
1
Start on Truxtun Avenue
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Truxtun Avenue
2
Turn left onto L Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
L Street
3
Turn right onto 23rd Street
420 ft
·
9 sec
·
23rd Street
4
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 178
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
CHP Officer David W. Manning Memorial Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on CA 178
32 mi
·
46 min
·
Route 178
6
Continue on CA 178
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Isabella Walker Pass Road
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 43
Toward CA 155
8
Turn left onto CA 155
6.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Wofford Heights Boulevard
9
Turn right onto East Evans Road
47 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Evans Road
10
Arrive at destination
East Evans Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.1 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 48.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
L Street
Turn left onto L Street
Navigation decision point
3
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
23rd Street
Turn right onto 23rd Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CA 178 / CHP Officer David W. Manning Memorial Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 178 / CHP Officer David W. Manning Memorial Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
41.3 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward CA 155
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 43
Toward CA 155
3
48.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
East Evans Road
Turn right onto East Evans Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.08 one way
$22.16 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $11.42 | $22.83 |
| premium | $6.18 | $11.72 | $23.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.64 | $21.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.06 | $2.31 |
| Efficient EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.22 | $1.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.75 | $3.08 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Wofford Heights, CA
Afternoon in Wofford Heights on Sunday
Local time
2:50 PM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
32 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
1h 8m 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?
This route is primarily a highway-focused drive, with 82% of the journey on freeways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 31.9 miles on Route 178, which makes up the bulk of the travel. Expect a consistent pace for most of the trip, transitioning from freeway conditions to more local road driving as you enter Wofford Heights Boulevard. The road's personality is defined by its efficiency, designed for steady progress rather than winding scenic detours.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.9 mi on Route 178.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Route 178 and CHP Officer David W. Manning Memorial Freeway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near L Street.
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 1h 8m 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 0.1 miles (L Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (23rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (CA 178 / CHP Officer David W. Manning Memorial Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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."
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 1h 8m. Total distance: 48.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.9 miles on Route 178. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.1 miles (L Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (23rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (CA 178 / CHP Officer David W. Manning Memorial Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Wofford Heights, 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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