This 78.1-mile drive from Clovis, CA to Coalinga, CA takes about 1 hour and 37 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. You'll navigate primarily via the Yosemite Freeway and the United States Navy Lieutenant Commander Otis Vincent Tolbert Memorial Highway, with a portion on Fresno Coalinga Road. With a projected fuel cost of around $18, this is an economical journey. Both Clovis and Coalinga are situated within the Pacific Coast region, so you'll remain within this familiar landscape for the entire trip. This route offers a straightforward transit between these two Central Valley communities.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39.1 miles from Clovis, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Yosemite Freeway
31.5 mi
37m
United States Navy Lieutenant Commander Otis Vincent Tolbert Memorial Highway
28.7 mi
34m
Fresno Coalinga Road
7.6 mi
11m
Sierra Freeway
5.8 mi
6m
East Elm Avenue
1 mi
1m
Dwight David Eisenhower Memorial Freeway
0.8 mi
<1m
Bullard Avenue
0.7 mi
1m
Woodworth Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Yosemite Freeway
— 31.5 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clovis, CA and Coalinga, CA.
1
Start on 4th Street
139 ft·11 sec·4th Street
2
Turn left onto Woodworth Avenue
479 ft·23 sec·Woodworth Avenue
3
Turn right onto 5th Street
300 ft·5 sec·5th Street
4
Turn left onto Bullard Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·Bullard Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward CA 168 West
6
Merge onto CA 168
4.8 mi·5 min·Sierra Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 168
1.0 mi·1 min·Sierra Freeway
Exit 1AToward CA 180 West, CA 41Use the slight right lane.
8
Take the exit
1.1 mi·1 min
9
Merge onto CA 41
0.8 mi·58 sec·Dwight David Eisenhower Memorial Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on CA 41
31 mi·37 min·Yosemite Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi·49 sec
Toward CA 198 West: Lemoore NAS, Coalinga
12
Merge onto CA 198
29 mi·34 min·United States Navy Lieutenant Commander Otis Vincent Tolbert Memorial Highway
13
At end of road, turn left onto CA 33; CA 198
7.6 mi·11 min·Fresno Coalinga Road
14
Continue on CA 33; CA 198
1.0 mi·1 min·East Elm Avenue
15
Turn left onto CA 33
49 ft·0 sec·North 5th Street
16
Arrive at destination
CA 33
Trip Plan
Given its short duration, this 78.1-mile trip offers a lot of flexibility. You can depart at your leisure, though an early start might help you beat any potential midday traffic. Since there are no designated stops listed, plan for a brief fuel and stretch break if needed, perhaps around the halfway point. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, with an estimated cost of $18, it's a manageable expense. A practical tip: be aware that the transition from the Yosemite Freeway to Fresno Coalinga Road might involve a change in speed limits and road conditions, so be prepared to adjust your driving accordingly.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 39.1 miles from Clovis, CA, or about 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 31.5 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 17 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.1 miles or 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Coalinga, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clovis, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Clovis, CA
This is one driving day of about 78.1 miles and 1h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Clovis, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Yosemite Freeway for about 31.5 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 40.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Woodworth Avenue
Turn left onto Woodworth Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.2 mi into trip|~2m in|CA 168 / Sierra Freeway
Merge onto CA 168 / Sierra Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
6 mi into trip|~7m in|CA 168 / Sierra Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 168 / Sierra Freeway toward CA 180 West, CA 41
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1A
Toward CA 180 West, CA 41
5
8.2 mi into trip|~10m in|CA 41 / Dwight David Eisenhower Memorial Freeway
Merge onto CA 41 / Dwight David Eisenhower Memorial Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
40.5 mi into trip|~49m in
Take the exit toward CA 198 West: Lemoore NAS, Coalinga
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CA 198 West: Lemoore NAS, Coalinga
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.95 one way
$35.90 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg27 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$18.50
$37.00
premium
$6.18
$18.99
$37.99
diesel
$5.61
$17.24
$34.49
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.4
0
$8.20
$3.75
Efficient EV
19.5
0
$6.83
$3.12
EV Truck/SUV
31.2
0
$10.93
$5.00
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Forecast as of Apr 19, 2026
Origin
Clovis, CA
Afternoon
in Clovis on Sunday
Local time
12:33 PM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Coalinga, CA
Afternoon
in Coalinga on Sunday
Local time
12:33 PM
PDT
Current temp
51°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
3 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 37m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed drive experience on this route, with 49% of the journey taking place on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 31.5 miles on the Yosemite Freeway. This means you'll experience periods of faster travel interspersed with more local road driving. The character of the drive shifts as you progress, moving from freeway conditions to more direct, potentially slower routes as you approach Coalinga. It's not a constant interstate grind, but rather a blend of speeds and road types.
49% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.5 mi on Yosemite Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Woodworth Avenue.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 78.1 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (Woodworth Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (CA 168 / Sierra Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles (CA 168 / Sierra Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Coalinga is a city in Fresno County in California's San Joaquin Valley. Most visitors to the area are travelers on Interstate 5 who make a stop at Harris Ranch, a business area that actually lies 13 miles northeast of the town.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 37m. Total distance: 78.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.5 miles on Yosemite Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Coalinga, 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: near the start (Woodworth Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (CA 168 / Sierra Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles (CA 168 / Sierra Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Coalinga, CA before heading back.
