Palmdale to Bakersfield is 95.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 53 minutes via CA 58 BUS, with a fuel budget near $22 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip takes you from the Pacific Coast region of California to another part of the same region, primarily on highway routes. You'll experience a highway-focused drive that's relatively short, making it a convenient option for a quick trip. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to get between these two Southern California locations without a significant time commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
47.7 miles from Palmdale, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 56m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
CA 58 BUS
58 mi
1h 8m
Aerospace Highway
19.1 mi
20m
Antelope Valley Freeway
10.4 mi
12m
Sierra Highway
4.8 mi
6m
South Chester Avenue
1.4 mi
2m
East Palmdale Boulevard
1.1 mi
1m
CA 138
0.3 mi
<1m
Richland Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
CA 58 BUS
— 58 mi, about 1h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palmdale, CA and Bakersfield, CA.
1
Start on CA 138
0.1 mi·15 sec·East Palmdale Boulevard
2
Continue on CA 138
1.0 mi·1 min·East Palmdale Boulevard
3
Take the exit onto CA 138
0.3 mi·40 sec·CA 138
Toward CA 14 North, CA 138 West: Mojave
4
Merge onto CA 14; CA 138
10 mi·12 min·Antelope Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 14
19 mi·20 min·Aerospace Highway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on CA 14; US 6 Hist
4.8 mi·6 min·Sierra Highway
7
Continue on CA 58 BUS
3.5 mi·5 min·CA 58 BUS
8
Take the ramp onto CA 58 BUS
55 mi·1 hr 3 min·CA 58 BUS
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
Exit 111Toward Chester Avenue, H StreetUse the slight right lane.
10
Continue on Richland Street
0.1 mi·15 sec·Richland Street
11
Turn right onto South Chester Avenue
1.4 mi·2 min·South Chester Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn right onto Truxtun Avenue
19 ft·0 sec·Truxtun Avenue
13
Arrive at destination
Truxtun Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of about 1 hour 53 minutes, this drive is easily completed in a single day, offering flexibility in your departure time. It's recommended to leave when you feel most rested. With a fuel cost estimated at $22, filling up before you leave Palmdale should be sufficient. Since there are no designated stops in the data, you can decide on breaks as needed; however, be aware that the longest stretch on CA 58 BUS is 58 miles, so plan accordingly if you prefer more frequent stops.
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 47.7 miles from Palmdale, CA, or about 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 58 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 21 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 47.7 miles or 56m 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 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bakersfield, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Palmdale, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Palmdale, CA
This is one driving day of about 95.4 miles and 1h 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Palmdale, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on CA 58 BUS for about 58 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 94 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.1 mi into trip|~1m in|CA 138
Take the exit onto CA 138 toward CA 14 North, CA 138 West: Mojave
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CA 14 North, CA 138 West: Mojave
6
11.8 mi into trip|~14m in|CA 14 / Aerospace Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 14 / Aerospace Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
39.2 mi into trip|~46m in|CA 58 BUS
Take the ramp onto CA 58 BUS
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
93.7 mi into trip|~1h 49m in
Take the exit toward Chester Avenue, H Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 111
Toward Chester Avenue, H Street
6
94 mi into trip|~1h 50m in|South Chester Avenue
Turn right onto South Chester Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.93 one way
$43.85 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg33 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$22.60
$45.19
premium
$6.18
$23.20
$46.40
diesel
$5.61
$21.06
$42.13
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 33.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
28.6
0
$10.02
$4.58
Efficient EV
23.9
0
$8.35
$3.82
EV Truck/SUV
38.2
0
$13.36
$6.11
Gas CO2
33 kg
EV CO2
11 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 17, 2026
Origin
Palmdale, CA
Late night
in Palmdale on Tuesday
Local time
3:39 AM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Bakersfield, CA
Late night
in Bakersfield on Tuesday
Local time
3:39 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Mostly Clear
SSE 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 3:02AM MST until April 17 at 1:00PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 2:56AM PDT until April 17 at 2:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
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
2 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 53m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive where you'll spend about 72% of your time on major roads like the Antelope Valley Freeway and Aerospace Highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 58 miles on CA 58 BUS. Expect a straightforward driving experience with limited interaction with local traffic for extended periods. The route is designed for efficient travel, meaning you're unlikely to encounter many winding sections or sudden changes in road type.
72% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 58 mi on CA 58 BUS.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 58 BUS and Aerospace Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near CA 138.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 53m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (CA 138): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.8 miles (CA 14 / Aerospace Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 39.2 miles (CA 58 BUS): Lane positioning matters here.
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."
The longest stretch is about 58 miles on CA 58 BUS. 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 1.1 miles (CA 138): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.8 miles (CA 14 / Aerospace Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 39.2 miles (CA 58 BUS): 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.
