Origin
Maricopa, CA
Afternoon in Maricopa on Sunday
Local time
1:19 PM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Maricopa, CA to Bakersfield, 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
Distance
42.6 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Maricopa, CA
Efrem Efre
Bakersfield, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 42.7-mile drive from Maricopa, CA to Bakersfield, CA takes approximately 49 minutes and is best tackled as a single-day trip. With a modest fuel cost of around $10, this route offers a straightforward journey through the Pacific Coast region. It's a turn-heavy local drive, so don't expect long stretches of open highway. The main roads you'll be navigating include West Side Highway, Taft Highway, and SR 119, making it a practical and efficient way to get between these two California locations. This trip is ideal for those looking for a quick and direct connection without significant time commitments.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Taft Highway | 16.7 mi | 23m |
| Westside Parkway | 6.7 mi | 7m |
| Enos Lane | 5.9 mi | 8m |
| West Side Highway | 5.7 mi | 7m |
| Stockdale Highway | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| Truxtun Avenue | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| California Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Taft Highway
— 16.7 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Maricopa, CA and Bakersfield, CA.
1
Start on CA 33
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
California Street
2
Continue on CA 33
5.7 mi
·
7 min
·
West Side Highway
3
Continue on CA 119
17 mi
·
23 min
·
Taft Highway
4
Enter roundabout onto CA 43
310 ft
·
4 sec
·
Enos Lane
5
Continue on CA 43
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Enos Lane
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Toward CA 58
7
Merge onto CA 58
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Stockdale Highway
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on Westside Parkway
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Westside Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
10
Turn straight onto Truxtun Avenue
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Truxtun Avenue
11
Arrive at destination
Truxtun Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.3 miles from Maricopa, 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
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 22.8 and 39.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
22.8 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
CA 43 / Enos Lane
Enter roundabout onto CA 43 / Enos Lane
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
3
28.7 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the ramp toward CA 58
Navigation decision point
Toward CA 58
5
28.9 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
CA 58 / Stockdale Highway
Merge onto CA 58 / Stockdale Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
3
39.9 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.79 one way
$19.58 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $10.09 | $20.18 |
| premium | $6.18 | $10.36 | $20.72 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.41 | $18.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.9 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 | 12.8 | 0 | $4.47 | $2.04 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.73 | $1.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17 | 0 | $5.96 | $2.73 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Bakersfield, CA
Afternoon in Bakersfield on Sunday
Local time
1:19 PM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Cloudy
0 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 19 at 2:47AM PDT until April 20 at 6:00PM PDT by NWS Medford OR
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
5 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 on this 42.7-mile route, with no highway driving to speak of. The journey is broken up by frequent turns, as you'll be utilizing West Side Highway, Taft Highway, and SR 119. Since there's no longest uninterrupted stretch of highway, you'll be constantly engaged with the road and your navigation. The road's character remains consistent throughout, focusing on local connectivity rather than expansive travel. This makes for a dynamic driving experience that keeps you attentive from start to finish.
Only 16% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.7 mi on Taft Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 22.8 miles in near CA 43 / Enos Lane.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Maricopa, CA to Bakersfield, CA is easy. At 1h with 16% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 22.8 miles (CA 43 / Enos Lane): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 28.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 28.9 miles (CA 58 / Stockdale Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving 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. Total distance: 42.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (16%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.7 miles on Taft Highway. 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 22.8 miles (CA 43 / Enos Lane): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 28.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 28.9 miles (CA 58 / Stockdale Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — César E. Chávez National Monument. 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 Bakersfield, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Bakersfield, CA
More from Maricopa, CA
More trips to Bakersfield, CA
Explore more options from Maricopa, CA or browse trips ending in Bakersfield, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.