Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 27m
Distance
66.2 mi
107 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oakland, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Walnut Grove, CA
ML ARANDA
This 66.2-mile drive from Oakland to Walnut Grove takes about 1 hour and 27 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily travel on CA 160 and CA 4, with a section through the Caldecott Tunnel. With a fuel cost estimated at $15, this highway-focused journey offers a straightforward route. Since there are no recommended stops and it's a relatively short distance, you'll have plenty of flexibility in your timing. Both Oakland and Walnut Grove are located in the Pacific Coast region, so you won't be transitioning between vastly different geographical areas.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 160 | 18.2 mi | 24m |
| CA 4 | 15 mi | 17m |
| Caldecott Tunnel | 9.8 mi | 11m |
| Victory Highway | 8.2 mi | 13m |
| Grove Shafter Freeway | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| CA 242 | 3.9 mi | 4m |
| Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| River Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Oakland, CA and Walnut Grove, CA.
Start on 14th Street
Turn right onto Castro Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 980
Continue on I 980
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 24
Continue on CA 24
Merge onto I 680
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 242
Merge onto CA 4
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 160
Turn straight onto CA 160
Turn left onto CA 160
Continue on CA 160
Turn right onto J11
Turn left onto E13
Turn right onto C Street
Turn right onto Grove Street
Turn left onto Lord Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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.
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 33.1 miles from Oakland, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 38.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 980 East, CA 24: Walnut Creek, San Francisco, Hayward
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Merge onto I 680 / Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 242 toward CA 242 North: Concord, Pittsburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Merge onto CA 4
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 160 toward CA 160: Rio Vista, Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$15.22 one way
$30.43 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $15.68 | $31.36 |
| premium | $6.18 | $16.10 | $32.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.62 | $29.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.9 | 0 | $6.95 | $3.18 |
| Efficient EV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.79 | $2.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.5 | 0 | $9.27 | $4.24 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Oakland on Sunday
Local time
12:57 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Partly Cloudy
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 17 at 7:10PM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
Destination
Late night in Walnut Grove on Sunday
Local time
12:57 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This route is predominantly a highway drive, with 64% of it on main roads. You'll experience the longest uninterrupted stretch of 18.2 miles on CA 160. Expect a mix of driving conditions as you navigate through the Caldecott Tunnel and transition onto state highways. The character of the drive leans towards efficient travel on established routes, rather than winding scenic byways. It's designed for getting you from point A to point B with relative ease.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 160 and CA 4. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 66.2 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.6 miles (I 680 / Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.4 miles (CA 242): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Oakland, CA and Walnut Grove, CA, road signs point toward Pittsburg and Sacramento.
Pittsburg
Sacramento
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).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 27m. Total distance: 66.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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