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Trip from Oakland, CA to Big River, CA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

11h 23m

Distance

607.1 mi

977 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$140

one way

EV Charging

Fair

2 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
11h 14m ★
6 AM
11h 24m
8 AM
11h 44m
10 AM
11h 31m
12 PM
11h 29m
3 PM
11h 32m
5 PM
11h 43m
8 PM
11h 18m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city and county seat of Alameda County, California, United States

Oakland, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Big River, CA, CA

Big River, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

This 607.1-mile journey from Oakland, CA to Big River, CA is a significant undertaking, requiring an estimated 11 hours and 23 minutes of pure driving time. Given its length and duration, this route is best tackled over two days, allowing for a more relaxed pace and time to enjoy the Pacific Coast scenery. With a projected fuel cost of $141 and three recommended stops, it's a manageable long-distance drive. You'll navigate primarily through local streets like Harrison Street, 11th Street, and Madison Street, with no highway driving, making it a continuous local road experience.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

3 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

303.5 miles from Oakland, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 38m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Westside Freeway 192.5 mi 3h 26m
Needles Freeway 143.8 mi 2h 34m
Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway 54.8 mi 1h 3m
Route 95 47.4 mi 55m
Barstow-Bakersfield Highway 34.8 mi 40m
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway 30.2 mi 34m
Mojave-Barstow Highway 26.9 mi 29m
William Elton Brown Freeway 17 mi 18m
Longest stretch: Westside Freeway — 192.5 mi, about 3h 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Oakland, CA and Big River, CA.

1

Start on 14th Street

0.2 mi · 52 sec · 14th Street
2

Turn right onto Harrison Street

0.2 mi · 34 sec · Harrison Street
3

Turn left onto 11th Street

0.2 mi · 25 sec · 11th Street
Use the straight lane.
4

Turn right onto Madison Street

0.3 mi · 49 sec · Madison Street
5

Turn left onto 5th Street

381 ft · 8 sec · 5th Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
6

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Toward I 880 South: San Jose
7

Merge onto I 880

9.7 mi · 11 min · Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Exit 31 Toward I 238: Castro Valley, Stockton Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Exit 31 Toward I 238: Stockton Fresno Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on I 238

1.9 mi · 2 min · Castro Valley Freeway
Exit 31 Toward I 238: Stockton Fresno Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on I 580

12 mi · 14 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Exit 14 Use the straight / right lanes.
12

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580

18 mi · 20 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580

11 mi · 11 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
14

Keep slight left at fork onto I 580

5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
15

Merge onto I 5

193 mi · 3 hr 26 min · Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Take the exit onto CA 58

0.2 mi · 36 sec · CA 58
Exit 253 Toward Stockdale Highway Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Turn left onto CA 58

4.8 mi · 6 min · Stockdale Highway
18

Enter roundabout onto CA 58

126 ft · 1 sec · Stockdale Highway
19

Continue on CA 58

4.3 mi · 6 min · Stockdale Highway
Use the straight lane.
20

Continue on Westside Parkway

6.7 mi · 7 min · Westside Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Continue on CA 58

2.8 mi · 3 min · Centennial Corridor
22

Continue on CA 58

55 mi · 1 hr 3 min · Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23

Continue on CA 58

8.1 mi · 9 min · Barstow–Bakersfield Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24

Continue on CA 58

27 mi · 29 min · Mojave-Barstow Highway
25

Continue on CA 58

35 mi · 40 min · Barstow-Bakersfield Highway
Use the straight lane.
26

Keep slight left at fork

1.2 mi · 1 min
Toward I 15 North: Las Vegas Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27

Merge onto I 15

3.3 mi · 3 min · Barstow and Mojave Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28

Keep slight right at fork onto I 40

144 mi · 2 hr 34 min · Needles Freeway
29

Take the exit onto US 95

0.3 mi · 22 sec · US 95
Toward US 95 South: East Broadway, Blythe
30

Turn right onto US 95; US 66 Hist

47 mi · 55 min · Route 95
31

Turn left onto CA 62

13 mi · 18 min · Aqueduct Road
32

Turn right onto Rio Mesa Drive

1.4 mi · 3 min · Rio Mesa Drive
33

Turn left onto Alamo Road

0.3 mi · 1 min · Alamo Road
34

Turn right onto Sierra Vista Road

0.3 mi · 1 min · Sierra Vista Road
35

Turn right onto Koloko Court

244 ft · 10 sec · Koloko Court
36

Arrive at destination

Koloko Court

Trip Plan

For this extensive 607.1-mile trip, splitting the drive over two days is highly recommended to avoid fatigue. Aim to depart early in the morning on your first day to maximize daylight hours. Plan your three stops strategically to break up the 11-hour and 23-minute drive, ensuring you have opportunities for rest and refueling. Given the absence of highway driving and the reliance on local streets, pay close attention to navigation and speed limits within populated areas. A specific tip: since you'll be on local roads like Harrison Street and Madison Street for the duration, be prepared for potential traffic congestion, especially during peak commuting times.

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.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 303.5 miles from Oakland, CA, or about 5h 38m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 192.5 miles.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 134 miles or 2h 30m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 303.5 miles or 5h 38m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 303.5 miles or 5h 38m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 10h 6m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Big River, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Oakland, 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.

+

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Oakland, CA

Aim for roughly 304 miles and 5.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Big River, CA

Aim for roughly 304 miles and 5.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 134 miles from Oakland, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 192.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

county seat of Fresno County, California, United States

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Fresno, CA

200 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Lancaster, CA

401 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Lancaster, CA

Overnight Options

Night 1

Bakersfield, CA

304 mi · about 5.7h in

A practical overnight split lands near Bakersfield, CA after about 304 miles or 5.7 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Modesto, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 134 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bakersfield, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 303.5 miles from Oakland, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 192.5 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 304 miles or 5.7 hours on the road.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

Indian Haveli

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

North Edwards, California

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.6 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20 mile 346.9

Hours: 8 am–10 pm

+15595690142

Indian Haveli

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.6 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20 mile 346.9

North Edwards, California

Hours: 8 am–10 pm

+15595690142

Roaming Bean Coffee

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~12 min detour

4.7 mi from route ~12 min detour $1 to $10

Berkeley, California

Hours: 8:30 am–1 pm

+19252572672

Visit website

Café [REDACTED]

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour

4.8 mi from route ~12 min detour mile 346.9

Edwards AFB, California

Electrify America Charging Station

3.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Early in the drive, short detour

1.1 mi from route ~3 min detour mile 173.5

Coalinga, California

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18336322778

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

3.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Early in the drive, short detour

1.4 mi from route ~3 min detour mile 173.5

Coalinga, California

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

The Museum @ The Mural House

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour

Oakland, California

Hours: 10 am–6 pm

+16463067175

Visit website

Doug Siden Visitor Center at Crab Cove

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour

Alameda, California

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+15105443187

Visit website

Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.6 mi from route ~7 min detour

Alameda, CA

Hours: 5 am–10 pm

+15105443175

Visit website

Becky Temko Tot Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~10 min detour

4.1 mi from route ~10 min detour

Berkeley, California

Hours: 6 am–10 pm

+15109816660

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 28

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 396.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | 11th Street

Turn left onto 11th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
8
10.9 mi into trip | ~15m in

Take the exit toward I 238: Castro Valley, Stockton

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 31 Toward I 238: Castro Valley, Stockton
9
11.1 mi into trip | ~15m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 238: Stockton Fresno

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 31 Toward I 238: Stockton Fresno
7
252.9 mi into trip | ~4h 37m in | CA 58

Take the exit onto CA 58 toward Stockdale Highway

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 253 Toward Stockdale Highway
7
396.4 mi into trip | ~7h 24m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 15 North: Las Vegas

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 15 North: Las Vegas

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$139.54 one way

$279.07 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 212 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $143.79 $287.58
premium $6.18 $147.64 $295.28
diesel $5.61 $134.04 $268.08

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$140

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$270–$380

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 212.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $64 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 182.1 2 $63.75 $29.14
Efficient EV 151.8 1 $53.12 $24.28
EV Truck/SUV 242.8 3 $84.99 $38.85

Gas CO2

212 kg

EV CO2

71 kg (67% less)

Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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

Oakland, CA

Evening in Oakland on Saturday

Local time

6:25 PM

PDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Big River, CA

Evening in Big River on Saturday

Local time

6:25 PM

PDT

Current temp

87°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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

20 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

11h 23m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

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.

César E. Chávez National Monument

César E. Chávez National Monument

National Monument

Yes, we can! Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's...

7 mi from route ~19 min detour Free near mile 293.1
View on nps.gov
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

National Historical Park

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
View on nps.gov
Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park

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
View on nps.gov
Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

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
View on nps.gov
Muir Woods National Monument

Muir Woods National Monument

National Monument

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
View on nps.gov
Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

National Memorial

On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion jolted the San Francisco East Bay area, shattering windows and lighting up the night sky. At Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 320 men were killed instantly when two s...

22 mi from route ~55 min detour Free
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a drive that stays firmly on local roads, with a 0% highway share. This means you'll be navigating through towns and cities for the entire 607.1 miles, utilizing streets such as Harrison Street, 11th Street, and Madison Street for a significant portion. The absence of long highway stretches means you'll experience a more varied driving pace, with frequent intersections and potential for traffic. While there's no longest uninterrupted stretch noted, the constant engagement with local roadways will keep you attuned to your surroundings throughout the 11-hour and 23-minute journey.

75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
36 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 192.5 mi on Westside Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Needles Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near 11th Street.

Driving Effort 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 28 significant decision points across 607.1 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 0.4 miles (11th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Oakland, CA and Big River, CA, road signs point toward Stockdale Highway and Blythe.

Stockdale Highway

252.9 mi in | ~4h 37m | via CA 58

Blythe

544.6 mi in | ~10h 3m | via US 95

About the Cities

Starting in Oakland, CA

Full guide →

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.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 192.5 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 304 miles on day one.

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 Big River, 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 3 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (11th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — César E. Chávez National Monument, 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 11.4 hours each way, a round trip means 22.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Big River, CA before the return drive.

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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