Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
68 mi
109 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Yucca Valley, CA
Robert Hacker
San Bernardino to Yucca Valley is 68 miles and takes about 1 hour 23 minutes via Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway and 29 Palms Highway, with a fuel budget near $16 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within California's Pacific Coast region, transitioning from the urban edge of San Bernardino to the high desert landscapes surrounding Yucca Valley. Expect a local road feel with frequent turns, making it a more engaging journey than a simple freeway cruise. It's a straightforward, one-day trip perfect for a quick escape.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | 38.5 mi | 42m |
| 29 Palms Highway | 19.8 mi | 27m |
| Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| North Waterman Avenue | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| West 5th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Palm Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between San Bernardino, CA and Yucca Valley, CA.
Start on West 5th Street
Turn right onto North Waterman Avenue
Take the ramp
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
Take the exit
Continue on CA 62
Turn right onto Palm Avenue
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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 34 miles from San Bernardino, 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 46.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto North Waterman Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Merge onto I 10 / Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CA 62: 29 Palms Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Regular Gas
$15.63 one way
$31.26 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $16.11 | $32.21 |
| premium | $6.18 | $16.54 | $33.07 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.01 | $30.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$16
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.4 | 0 | $7.14 | $3.26 |
| Efficient EV | 17 | 0 | $5.95 | $2.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.2 | 0 | $9.52 | $4.35 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in San Bernardino on Tuesday
Local time
2:23 AM
PDT
Current temp
85°F
Sunny
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:22AM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
Destination
Late night in Yucca Valley on Tuesday
Local time
2:23 AM
PDT
Current temp
76°F
Sunny
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:22AM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
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 characterized by its turn-heavy local drive profile, with only a 6% share of highway driving. You'll experience a mix of road types, but the majority of the journey will feel like navigating local streets and highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 38.5 miles on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway, offering a brief period of more consistent speed before transitioning back to more frequent changes in direction. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience that requires attention as you make your way through varied terrain.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near North Waterman Avenue.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 23m 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 0.6 miles (North Waterman Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 4.2 miles (I 10 / Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Founded 1854
San Bernardino is a city in the Inland Empire in California. It is the site of the first McDonald Brothers Hamburger Stand
Top landmarks
Yucca Valley is a large town in south central San Bernadino County in California Desert on the north-western boundary of Joshua Tree National Park.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 23m. Total distance: 68 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (6%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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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