Origin
Coalinga, CA
Morning in Coalinga on Sunday
Local time
9:40 AM
PDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Coalinga, CA to Cantua Creek, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
33.9 mi
55 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Coalinga, CA
Jorge Urosa
Cantua Creek, CA
Muhammethan ÇETİN
Trip Overview
Coalinga, CA to Cantua Creek, CA is 33.9 miles and takes about 54 minutes via Fresno Coalinga Road and Westside Freeway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, same-day trip keeps you within the Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward drive through California's Central Valley. It’s a quick hop that bypasses a significant portion of the Westside Freeway, making it a practical choice if you're looking to connect between these two points efficiently. Consider this route for its simplicity and minimal time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Fresno Coalinga Road | 12.3 mi | 17m |
| Westside Freeway | 11.6 mi | 12m |
| South Derrick Avenue | 4.5 mi | 6m |
| West Clarkson Avenue | 4.1 mi | 15m |
| East Elm Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| CA 33 | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North 5th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Fresno Coalinga Road
— 12.3 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Coalinga, CA and Cantua Creek, CA.
1
Start on CA 33
49 ft
·
3 sec
·
North 5th Street
2
Turn right onto CA 33; CA 198
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Elm Avenue
3
Continue on CA 33; CA 198
12 mi
·
17 min
·
Fresno Coalinga Road
4
Take the ramp onto CA 33
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
CA 33
5
Merge onto I 5; CA 33
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Westside Freeway
6
Take the exit onto CA 33
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
CA 33
Toward CA 33 North: Mendota
7
Turn right onto CA 33
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
South Derrick Avenue
8
Turn right onto West Clarkson Avenue
4.1 mi
·
15 min
·
West Clarkson Avenue
9
Arrive at destination
West Clarkson Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 33.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17 miles from Coalinga, 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 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 29.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CA 33; CA 198 / East Elm Avenue
Turn right onto CA 33; CA 198 / East Elm Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
13.3 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
CA 33
Take the ramp onto CA 33
Navigation decision point
3
13.6 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 5; CA 33 / Westside Freeway
Merge onto I 5; CA 33 / Westside Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
25.1 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
CA 33
Take the exit onto CA 33 toward CA 33 North: Mendota
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward CA 33 North: Mendota
4
29.9 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
West Clarkson Avenue
Turn right onto West Clarkson Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.79 one way
$15.58 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.03 | $16.06 |
| premium | $6.18 | $8.24 | $16.49 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.48 | $14.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.56 | $1.63 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.97 | $1.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.75 | $2.17 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Cantua Creek, CA
Morning in Cantua Creek on Sunday
Local time
9:40 AM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Huron, CA
17 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.
Temperature spread
1 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
54m 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 drive features a mixed profile, with 36% of it on highway. You'll start on Fresno Coalinga Road, which offers a longer, uninterrupted stretch of 12.3 miles. The journey then transitions to the Westside Freeway, providing a faster pace before concluding on South Derrick Avenue. Expect a blend of local road driving and freeway travel, making for a varied, though not overly complex, driving experience. The road conditions generally remain consistent throughout.
36% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.3 mi on Fresno Coalinga Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CA 33; CA 198 / East Elm Avenue.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Coalinga, CA to Cantua Creek, CA is easy. At 54m with 36% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CA 33; CA 198 / East Elm Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 13.3 miles (CA 33): Navigation decision point; at 13.6 miles (I 5; CA 33 / Westside Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
About the Cities
Starting in Coalinga, CA
Full guide →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.
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 54m. Total distance: 33.9 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 (36%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.3 miles on Fresno Coalinga Road. 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: near the start (CA 33; CA 198 / East Elm Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 13.3 miles (CA 33): Navigation decision point; at 13.6 miles (I 5; CA 33 / Westside Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cantua Creek, 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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