San Francisco to Yreka is 311.8 miles and takes about 5h 51m via I 505, with a fuel budget near $75 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This mostly highway drive will take you from the Pacific Coast region of California into its northern reaches. You'll spend most of your time on major freeways, making for a straightforward trip north. It's a good option if you're looking for an efficient way to cover ground between these two points in a single day. The route is designed for getting from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
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
155.9 miles from San Francisco, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 505
254.8 mi
4h 39m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
34 mi
41m
Eastshore Freeway
14.3 mi
16m
Linus F. Claeys Freeway
3.5 mi
3m
Carquinez Bridge
1 mi
1m
Route 80
0.9 mi
1m
11th Street
0.6 mi
1m
Bryant Street
0.3 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 505
— 254.8 mi, about 4h 39m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 100 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,383 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,694
Quietest
2 AM
~133 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 48 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco, CA and Yreka, CA.
1
Start on Market Street
312 ft·7 sec·Market Street
2
Turn right onto 11th Street
0.6 mi·1 min·11th Street
3
Turn left onto Bryant Street
0.3 mi·1 min·Bryant Street
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·25 sec
Toward I 80 East: OaklandUse the left / straight lanes.
5
Merge onto I 80
0.9 mi·1 min·Route 80
6
Continue on I 80
6.4 mi·9 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi·45 sec
Toward I 80 EastUse the slight left lane.
8
Merge onto I 880
407 ft·6 sec·Nimitz Freeway
9
Continue on I 80; I 580
3.3 mi·4 min·Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
7.4 mi·8 min·Eastshore Freeway
Toward I 80 East: Vallejo, SacramentoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 80
3.2 mi·3 min·Eastshore Freeway
Exit 21Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Continue on I 80
3.5 mi·3 min·Linus F. Claeys Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 80
0.3 mi·26 sec·Eastshore Freeway
14
Continue on I 80
1.0 mi·1 min·Carquinez Bridge
15
Continue on I 80
14 mi·16 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
13 mi·15 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·19 sec
Toward I 505 North: Winters, ReddingUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 505 North: Winters, ReddingUse the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Continue on I 505
255 mi·4 hr 39 min·I 505
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit onto 775
0.2 mi·31 sec·775
Toward Central Yreka
21
Turn left onto Foothill Drive
272 ft·5 sec·Foothill Drive
22
Continue on East Miner Street
0.1 mi·13 sec·East Miner Street
23
Turn right onto I 5 BUS; CA 3; US 99 Hist
0.3 mi·28 sec·North Main Street
24
Arrive at destination
I 5 BUS; CA 3; US 99 Hist
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 51m estimated drive time, leaving San Francisco in the morning will allow you to reach Yreka with plenty of daylight to spare. The route is primarily highway, so you can choose your stops based on convenience rather than necessity. With a fuel cost estimated at $75, it's wise to fill up before departing San Francisco, as services might become less frequent on the northern stretches. The 254.8-mile stretch on I 505 means you'll want to ensure you're comfortable and have any snacks or drinks you might need before that long segment begins.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 155.9 miles from San Francisco, CA, or about 3h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 254.8 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 69 miles or 1h 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 155.9 miles or 3h 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 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Yreka, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
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 311.8 miles and 5h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 69 miles from San Francisco, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 505 for about 254.8 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 8.7 and 55.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
8.7 mi into trip|~14m in
Take the exit toward I 80 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 80 East
8
12.6 mi into trip|~19m in|I 80 / Eastshore Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80 / Eastshore Freeway toward I 80 East: Vallejo, Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 80 East: Vallejo, Sacramento
6
42.5 mi into trip|~54m in|I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
55.6 mi into trip|~1h 9m in
Take the exit toward I 505 North: Winters, Redding
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.
Toward I 505 North: Winters, Redding
8
55.8 mi into trip|~1h 9m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 505 North: Winters, Redding
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 505 North: Winters, Redding
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$65.23 one way
$130.46 round trip
$5.31/gal25.4 MPG avg109 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.52
$67.75
$135.50
premium
$5.67
$69.54
$139.08
diesel
$4.80
$58.87
$117.75
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$65
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$90–$115
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 109.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
EV Charging Along Route
9 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: good
San Francisco, CA - Geary Boulevard - Tesla Supercharger
San Francisco, CA
Tesla
34 DCFC
San Francisco, CA - Van Ness Avenue - Tesla Supercharger
San Francisco, CA
Tesla
12 DCFC
San Francisco, CA - Letterman Drive - Tesla Supercharger
San Francisco, CA
Tesla
6 DCFC
Safeway 0985 Noriega St. (San Francisco, CA)
San Francisco, CA
Electrify America
4 DCFC
Safeway San Francisco #2646
San Francisco, CA
eVgo Network
4 DCFC
First Washington Realty Lakeshore Plaza (San Francisco, CA)
San Francisco, CA
Electrify America
3 DCFC
Safeway 0995 Webster Street (San Francisco, CA)
San Francisco, CA
Electrify America
3 DCFC
Whole Foods Market
San Francisco, CA
eVgo Network
2 DCFC
Tesla: 3
Electrify America: 3
eVgo Network: 3
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
93.5
1
$32.74
$14.97
Efficient EV
78
0
$27.28
$12.47
EV Truck/SUV
124.7
1
$43.65
$19.96
Gas CO2
109 kg
EV CO2
36 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Jul 19, 2026
Origin
San Francisco, CA
Late night
in San Francisco on Sunday
Local time
1:16 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Mostly Cloudy
WSW 5 to 8 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 18 at 7:02PM PDT until July 21 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Destination
Yreka, CA
Late night
in Yreka on Sunday
Local time
1:16 AM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Areas Of Smoke
WNW 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 18 at 7:02PM PDT until July 21 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
97°F
Anderson, CA
156 mi in
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
5 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
5h 51m on the road
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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
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...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 10.8
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...
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,...
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...
12 mi from route
~29 min detour
Free
near mile 32.3
Whiskeytown Lake’s crystal-clear waters are iconic, but this 42,000-acre National Recreation Area offers much more. Explore waterfalls, hike rugged trails, uncover Gold Rush history, and witness the r...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly highway, with 88% of the 311.8 miles on major roads. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch on I 505 for 254.8 miles. Expect urban merging and dense exits as you initially leave the San Francisco Bay Area. The majority of your time will be spent cruising on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and Eastshore Freeway.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 254.8 mi on I 505.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 505 and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8.7 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
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 14 significant decision points across 311.8 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 8.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.6 miles (I 80 / Eastshore Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.5 miles (I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
2,938 ft35 ft
Total Climb
3,035 ft
Total Descent
498 ft
Highest Point
2,938 ft
~289.5 mi in
Elevation Range
2,903 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from San Francisco, CA to Yreka, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Redding along the way.
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.
Top landmarks
•Golden Gate Bridge — suspension bridge on the San Francisco Bay
•Alcatraz Island — island in San Francisco, California, United States of America
•San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge — suspension bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland, California, USA
Yreka (pronounced wye-ree-kuh) is a city of 7,500 people (2019) in Siskiyou County in the Shasta Cascades region of California. Yreka is home to the College of the Siskiyous, Klamath National Forest Interpretive Museum and the Siskiyou County Museum.
Top landmarks
•Yreka Carnegie Library — library
•West Miner Street-Third Street Historic District — historic district in Yreka, California
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 51m. Total distance: 311.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 254.8 miles on I 505. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 26 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Yreka, 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 1 meaningful breaks. There are 26 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 8.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.6 miles (I 80 / Eastshore Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.5 miles (I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and Golden Gate National Recreation Area (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.9 hours each way, a round trip means 11.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Yreka, CA before the return drive.
