Origin
San Francisco, CA
Night in San Francisco on Saturday
Local time
9:42 PM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 38m
Distance
267.9 mi
431 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$62
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Humboldt Hill, CA
Stephen Leonardi
This 267.9-mile journey from San Francisco to Humboldt Hill, California, will take approximately 5 hours and 38 minutes of driving time. Primarily utilizing the Redwood Highway, Willits Bypass, and Presidio Parkway, this route is best suited as a single-day trip, especially with a fuel cost estimated at $62. You'll be navigating a turn-heavy local drive for much of the way, offering a more intimate experience of the Pacific Coast region you'll be traversing. While it's a manageable day trip, you might consider breaking it up if you prefer a more leisurely pace. This drive offers a good balance of travel time and exploration potential within California.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
134 miles from San Francisco, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 48m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Redwood Highway | 252.9 mi | 5h 7m |
| Willits Bypass | 4.7 mi | 5m |
| Presidio Parkway | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Golden Gate Bridge | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Webster Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Divisadero Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Humboldt Hill Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Linda Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco, CA and Humboldt Hill, CA.
Start on Market Street
Turn sharp right onto US 101
Turn right onto Otis Street
Turn right onto Gough Street
Turn right onto Market Street
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on Franklin Street
Turn left onto Fell Street
Turn right onto Webster Street
Turn left onto California Street
Turn right onto Divisadero Street
Turn left onto US 101
Continue on US 101
Continue on US 101
Continue on US 101
Continue on US 101; CA 1
Continue on US 101
Take the exit
Merge onto US 101
Continue on US 101
Take the exit
Continue on South Broadway Street
Turn right onto Purdue Drive
Turn left onto Stanford Drive
Turn right onto Humboldt Hill Road
Turn left onto Skyline Drive
Turn left onto Vista Road
Continue on Linda Road
Continue on Linda Road
Continue on Linda Road
Arrive at destination
For this 5-hour and 38-minute drive, aim for an early start from San Francisco to maximize daylight and minimize traffic, especially if you plan to complete it in one day. With an estimated fuel cost of $62, ensure your vehicle is fueled before you depart. While there's only one recommended stop on this route, take advantage of the 252.9-mile stretch on the Redwood Highway to plan your breaks strategically. Pay close attention to the 'turn-heavy local drive' profile; anticipate frequent adjustments and be mindful of speed limits as you transition through different areas. This route is flexible enough for a single day, but a midday stop will make it more comfortable.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 59 miles or 1h 18m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 134 miles or 2h 48m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Humboldt Hill, CA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving San Francisco, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from San Francisco, CA
This is one driving day of about 267.9 miles and 5h 38m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
134 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 59 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 134 miles from San Francisco, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Redwood Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 252.9 miles.
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 and 0.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn sharp right onto US 101 / South Van Ness Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Turn right onto Gough Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Market Street
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Turn left onto Fell Street
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$61.57 one way
$123.15 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $63.45 | $126.90 |
| premium | $6.18 | $65.15 | $130.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $59.15 | $118.30 |
Estimated Tolls: $9.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$62
Tolls
$9
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$96–$121
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 93.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 80.4 | 0 | $28.13 | $12.86 |
| Efficient EV | 67 | 0 | $23.44 | $10.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 107.2 | 1 | $37.51 | $17.15 |
Gas CO2
94 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in San Francisco on Saturday
Local time
9:42 PM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Destination
Night in Humboldt Hill on Saturday
Local time
9:42 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
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
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
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' profile for this 267.9-mile trip. While 100% of the route is on highways, the character leans towards local roads rather than wide-open interstate. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 252.9 miles on the Redwood Highway, offering a substantial period of consistent driving. This suggests a route that likely winds through various towns and communities, requiring your attention to turns and changing speed limits. It's not a monotonous freeway cruise, but rather a more engaging drive through diverse Pacific Coast scenery.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 20 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 101 / South Van Ness Avenue.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 267.9 miles you will encounter 20 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: near the start (US 101 / South Van Ness Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.3 miles (Gough Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (Market Street): Lane positioning matters here.
The centerpiece of the Bay Area, San Francisco is one of the most visited cities in the world, and with good reason. The cultural center of northern California, San Francisco is renowned for its mixture of scenic beauty and unique culture that makes it one of the most vibrant and desirable cities in the nation, if not the world. Sandwiched between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean on a small square of land seven miles (11 km) on each side, San Francisco offers a wealth of treasures for the visitor, from the windswept and often foggy bay to the steep hills lined with Victorian homes that overlook the spectacular scenery of the city.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 38m. Total distance: 267.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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