Big Pine to Oakland is 298.4 miles and takes about 7 hours via North Sierra Highway and Tioga Road, with a fuel budget near $68 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip takes you from the Pacific Coast region of California to another point within the same region. Expect a mix of highway and surface driving as you traverse the state. This route is generally suitable for a single day's drive, but consider your pace and how often you like to stop. It's a solid option if you're looking for a direct path between these two points.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
149.2 miles from Big Pine, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 40m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
North Sierra Highway
61.7 mi
1h 11m
Tioga Road
58.6 mi
1h 42m
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
29.7 mi
34m
Highway 120
25.5 mi
38m
CA 108
25 mi
34m
Robert T. Monagan Freeway
13.9 mi
15m
New Priest Grade Road
13.3 mi
16m
Yosemite Avenue
10.8 mi
16m
Longest stretch:
North Sierra Highway
— 61.7 mi, about 1h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Big Pine, CA and Oakland, CA.
1
Start on US 395; US 6 Hist
462 ft·11 sec·Grand Army of the Republic Highway
2
Continue on US 395; US 6 Hist
0.2 mi·32 sec·North Main Street
3
Continue on US 395; US 6 Hist
7.4 mi·8 min·Grand Army of the Republic Highway
4
Continue on US 395; CA 168; US 6 Hist
5.0 mi·5 min·El Camino Sierra
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on US 395; CA 168; US 6 Hist
2.4 mi·4 min·South Main Street
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn left onto CA 168
1.5 mi·2 min·West Line Street
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto North Barlow Lane
1.0 mi·1 min·North Barlow Lane
8
Turn left onto US 395
62 mi·1 hr 11 min·North Sierra Highway
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn left onto CA 120
59 mi·1 hr 42 min·Tioga Road
Use the left lane.
10
At end of road, turn right onto Big Oak Flat Road
8.4 mi·17 min·Big Oak Flat Road
11
Continue on CA 120
26 mi·38 min·Highway 120
12
Continue on CA 120
0.8 mi·1 min·New Priest Grade Road
13
Turn slight left onto Old Priest Grade
1.9 mi·5 min·Old Priest Grade
14
At end of road, turn left onto CA 120
13 mi·15 min·New Priest Grade Road
15
Continue on CA 108; CA 120
25 mi·34 min·CA 108; CA 120
16
Turn right onto CA 120; J9; J14
0.9 mi·2 min·North Yosemite Avenue
17
Continue on CA 120; J9; J14
0.9 mi·1 min·Valley Home Road
18
Continue on CA 120; J9
7.1 mi·10 min·Lon Dale Road
19
Continue on CA 120
0.2 mi·30 sec·California Street
20
Continue on CA 120; J7
11 mi·16 min·Yosemite Avenue
21
Turn left onto CA 120
0.5 mi·51 sec·CA 120
Use the left lane.
22
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 120
7.4 mi·8 min·CA 120
Toward CA 120 West: Manteca, San FranciscoUse the right lane.
23
Merge onto I 5
1.2 mi·1 min·Westside Freeway
24
Keep slight right at fork onto I 205
14 mi·15 min·Robert T. Monagan Freeway
25
Continue on I 580
18 mi·20 min·Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
12 mi·13 min·Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Keep slight left at fork onto I 238
2.4 mi·2 min·Castro Valley Freeway
Exit 34Toward I 238Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
28
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·52 sec
Toward I 880 NorthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Merge onto I 880
9.8 mi·11 min·Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Take the exit
0.2 mi·32 sec
Exit 41AToward Oak Street, Lakeside DriveUse the straight / slight right lanes.
31
Turn right onto Oak Street
0.3 mi·49 sec·Oak Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
32
Turn left onto 12th Street
0.3 mi·45 sec·12th Street
Use the straight lane.
33
Turn right onto Harrison Street
0.1 mi·24 sec·Harrison Street
Use the right lane.
34
Turn left onto 14th Street
0.2 mi·48 sec·14th Street
35
Arrive at destination
14th Street
Trip Plan
For this 7-hour drive, leaving in the morning is your best bet to ensure you have ample daylight. With only 2 planned stops, you can afford to be flexible with your timing. Pay attention to the fuel cost estimate of $68, and ensure you have enough before you leave Big Pine. The longest stretch without a major change in road type is 61.7 miles on North Sierra Highway, so plan your breaks accordingly. Since this is a single-day trip, you have the flexibility to adjust your schedule based on traffic or personal preference.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 149.2 miles from Big Pine, CA, or about 3h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 61.7 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 66 miles or 1h 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 149.2 miles or 3h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 56m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Oakland, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Big Pine, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Big Pine, CA
This is one driving day of about 298.4 miles and 7h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 66 miles from Big Pine, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on North Sierra Highway for about 61.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 20
5 decision points cluster between mile 232.5 and 298.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
232.5 mi into trip|~5h 42m in|CA 120
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 120 toward CA 120 West: Manteca, San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward CA 120 West: Manteca, San Francisco
8
284.7 mi into trip|~6h 42m in|I 238 / Castro Valley Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 238 / Castro Valley Freeway toward I 238
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 34
Toward I 238
7
287.1 mi into trip|~6h 44m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 880 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 880 North
8
297.3 mi into trip|~6h 56m in
Take the exit toward Oak Street, Lakeside Drive
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.
Exit 41A
Toward Oak Street, Lakeside Drive
7
298.1 mi into trip|~6h 58m in|Harrison Street
Turn right onto Harrison Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$62.43 one way
$124.86 round trip
$5.31/gal25.4 MPG avg104 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.52
$64.84
$129.67
premium
$5.67
$66.55
$133.11
diesel
$4.80
$56.34
$112.69
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$62
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$87–$112
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 104.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
89.5
1
$31.33
$14.32
Efficient EV
74.6
0
$26.11
$11.94
EV Truck/SUV
119.4
1
$41.78
$19.10
Gas CO2
104 kg
EV CO2
35 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Big Pine, CA
Morning
in Big Pine on Sunday
Local time
10:37 AM
PDT
Current temp
64°F
Clear
W 7 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 16 at 11:09PM PDT until July 17 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Medford OR
Destination
Oakland, CA
Morning
in Oakland on Sunday
Local time
10:37 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Cloudy
SSW 6 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 16 at 11:09PM PDT until July 17 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Medford OR
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
8 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
7h on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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.
Yosemite National Park
National Park
Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra. First protected in 1864, Yose...
Established in 1988, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park celebrates America’s maritime heritage on the Pacific Coast. Our 50-acre park has grown around Aquatic Park Cove, a protected area...
8 mi from route
~21 min detour
Free
near mile 298.4
Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths...
9 mi from route
~22 min detour
Free
near mile 298.4
Established in 1911 by presidential proclamation, Devils Postpile National Monument protects and preserves the Devils Postpile formation, the 101-foot high Rainbow Falls, and pristine mountain scenery...
11 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 61.7
Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history f...
18 mi from route
~46 min detour
Free
near mile 298.4
Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908,...
18 mi from route
~45 min detour
$15
near mile 298.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is a mix of highway and surface roads, with 39% of the route on highways. You'll encounter a stretch of 61.7 miles on North Sierra Highway, which is the longest continuous segment on a single road. Expect to transition from more rural cruising on surface roads to faster highway speeds and then back again. Keep an eye out for the merging traffic as you approach urban areas like Oakland.
39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
35 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 61.7 mi on North Sierra Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 232.5 miles in near CA 120.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 298.4 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 232.5 miles (CA 120): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 284.7 miles (I 238 / Castro Valley Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 287.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mountain driving with significant elevation changes
8,354 ft40 ft
Total Climb
4,939 ft
Total Descent
8,884 ft
Highest Point
8,354 ft
~85.3 mi in
Elevation Range
8,314 ft
Notable High Points
8,354 ft at ~85.3 miles+191 ft prominence
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 Big Pine, CA to Oakland, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Francisco along the way.
Big Pine is in the Eastern Sierra region of California. It is one of a chain of small towns along US Route 395 in the Owens Valley along the southern Sierra Nevada.
Oakland is a port city in the Bay Area of California in the United States. Once an industrial area overshadowed by San Francisco, its larger neighbor to the west, this city of 440,000 people (2020) has begun to step out from under San Francisco's shadow with its notable natural and architectural features and its rise as the multicultural "hipster" city of the Bay Area.
Top landmarks
•San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge — suspension bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland, California, USA
•Lake Merritt — lagoon in Oakland, California, USA
•Oakland Museum of California — art museum in Oakland, California
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h. Total distance: 298.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 61.7 miles on North Sierra Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Oakland, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 232.5 miles (CA 120): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 284.7 miles (I 238 / Castro Valley Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 287.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Yosemite National Park, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.0 hours each way, a round trip means 14.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Oakland, CA before the return drive.
