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Trip from Boyes Hot Springs, CA to San Francisco, 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 10m

Distance

46.7 mi

75 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 5m ★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Boyes Hot Springs, CA, CA

Boyes Hot Springs, CA

Solvej Nielsen

consolidated city and county in California, United States

San Francisco, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 46.7-mile drive from Boyes Hot Springs to San Francisco, California, is a straightforward, one-day trip, taking about 1 hour and 10 minutes to complete. Primarily utilizing Redwood Highway and Arnold Drive, you'll find about 75% of this route is not on a highway, making it a more local experience. With an estimated fuel cost of $11, this journey is budget-friendly for a day trip. The route connects two destinations within the Pacific Coast region, offering a relatively short transit time.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Redwood Highway 18.6 mi 24m
Arnold Drive 12.4 mi 19m
Sears Point Road 7.2 mi 8m
Golden Gate Bridge 1.7 mi 2m
Presidio Parkway 1.6 mi 3m
Webster Street 1 mi 2m
Boyes Boulevard 0.9 mi 2m
Divisadero Street 0.8 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Redwood Highway — 18.6 mi, about 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Boyes Hot Springs, CA and San Francisco, CA.

1

Start on Boyes Boulevard

0.9 mi · 2 min · Boyes Boulevard
2

Turn left onto Arnold Drive

4.2 mi · 7 min · Arnold Drive
3

At end of road, turn left onto CA 116

0.1 mi · 10 sec · Stage Gulch Road
4

Continue on CA 116

1.6 mi · 2 min · Arnold Drive
5

Enter roundabout onto CA 121

130 ft · 2 sec · Arnold Drive
6

Continue on CA 121

6.5 mi · 9 min · Arnold Drive
7

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 16 sec
8

Continue on this road

490 ft · 13 sec · this road
9

Merge onto CA 37

7.2 mi · 8 min · Sears Point Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 34 sec
11

Merge onto US 101

8.4 mi · 10 min · Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto US 101

10 mi · 13 min · Redwood Highway
Toward US 101: San Francisco Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Continue on US 101

1.7 mi · 2 min · Golden Gate Bridge
14

Merge

34 ft · 0 sec
15

Keep slight left at fork

130 ft · 1 sec
16

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 8 sec
17

Continue on US 101; CA 1

1.6 mi · 3 min · Presidio Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Continue on US 101

0.2 mi · 43 sec · Richardson Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
19

Continue on US 101

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Lombard Street
20

Turn right onto Divisadero Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · Divisadero Street
Use the right lane.
21

Turn left onto California Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · California Street
22

Turn right onto Webster Street

1.0 mi · 2 min · Webster Street
Use the straight lane.
23

Turn left onto Oak Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Oak Street
Use the left lane.
24

Turn right onto Gough Street

0.1 mi · 24 sec · Gough Street
25

Turn slight left onto Market Street

183 ft · 15 sec · Market Street
Use the slight left lane.
26

Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Market Street
27

Arrive at destination

Market Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown San Rafael, CA, CA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

San Rafael, CA

23 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

Sonoma, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

San Rafael, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 23.3 miles from Boyes Hot Springs, 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 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 13.6 and 46 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
13.6 mi into trip | ~22m in | CA 37 / Sears Point Road

Merge onto CA 37 / Sears Point Road

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
29.6 mi into trip | ~41m in | US 101 / Redwood Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto US 101 / Redwood Highway toward US 101: San Francisco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 101: San Francisco
6
43.7 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in | Divisadero Street

Turn right onto Divisadero Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
44.9 mi into trip | ~1h 5m in | Webster Street

Turn right onto Webster Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
46 mi into trip | ~1h 8m in | Oak Street

Turn left onto Oak Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.73 one way

$21.47 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $11.06 $22.12
premium $6.18 $11.36 $22.71
diesel $5.61 $10.31 $20.62

Estimated Tolls: $9.00

Golden Gate Bridge $9.00

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$11

Tolls

$9

Total

$20

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14 0 $4.90 $2.24
Efficient EV 11.7 0 $4.09 $1.87
EV Truck/SUV 18.7 0 $6.54 $2.99

Gas CO2

16 kg

EV CO2

5 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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Boyes Hot Springs, CA

Late night in Boyes Hot Springs on Sunday

Local time

3:03 AM

PDT

Current temp

--

Unavailable

Destination

San Francisco, CA

Late night in San Francisco on Sunday

Local time

3:03 AM

PDT

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

59°F

San Rafael, CA

23 mi in

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Road read

1h 10m 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 much of this 46.7-mile journey. While you'll spend some time on the Redwood Highway, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 18.6 miles, much of the route involves navigating local roads like Arnold Drive and Sears Point Road. The highway share is only 4%, indicating a significant portion of your time will be spent on less direct, more winding paths. This driving profile suggests a more engaging, varied experience rather than a monotonous interstate cruise.

Only 4% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.6 mi on Redwood Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 13.6 miles in near CA 37 / Sears Point Road.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.7 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 13.6 miles (CA 37 / Sears Point Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.6 miles (US 101 / Redwood Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 43.7 miles (Divisadero Street): Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Starting in Boyes Hot Springs, CA

Full guide →

Arriving in San Francisco, CA

Full guide →

“Frisco” · Founded 1776

The centerpiece of the Bay Area, San Francisco is one of the most visited cities in the world, and with good reason. The cultural center of northern California, San Francisco is renowned for its mixture of scenic beauty and unique culture that makes it one of the most vibrant and desirable cities in the nation, if not the world. Sandwiched between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean on a small square of land seven miles (11 km) on each side, San Francisco offers a wealth of treasures for the visitor, from the windswept and often foggy bay to the steep hills lined with Victorian homes that overlook the spectacular scenery of the city.

Top landmarks

  • Golden Gate Bridge — suspension bridge on the San Francisco Bay
  • Alcatraz Island — island in San Francisco, California, United States of America
  • San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge — suspension bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland, California, USA

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 10m. Total distance: 46.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 18.6 miles on Redwood Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $9.00 in tolls one way, starting with Golden Gate Bridge. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

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 San Francisco, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

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 13.6 miles (CA 37 / Sears Point Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.6 miles (US 101 / Redwood Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 43.7 miles (Divisadero Street): Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Muir Woods National Monument and Golden Gate National Recreation Area (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at San Francisco, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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