Trip from San Francisco, CA to Yucca Valley, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 23m
Distance
484.9 mi
780 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$119
one way
EV Charging
Good
9 DC fast
Best Time to Leave
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Yucca Valley, CA
Robert Hacker
Trip Overview
San Francisco to Yucca Valley is 484.9 miles and takes about 9h 23m via 11th Street, Bryant Street, and I 80 East, with a fuel budget near $107 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route takes you from the Pacific Coast region of Northern California down to the Pacific Coast region of Southern California, covering a significant portion of the state. Expect a drive that begins with city streets before transitioning to interstate cruising, offering a mix of urban and more open stretches. With a recommended two days for the trip, you'll have ample time to break up the drive and enjoy the changing scenery.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
242.5 miles from San Francisco, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 28m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 192.5 mi | 3h 26m |
| Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway | 54.8 mi | 1h 3m |
| Old Woman Springs Road | 44.8 mi | 55m |
| Blue Star Memorial Highway | 30.1 mi | 35m |
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 29.3 mi | 33m |
| Mojave-Barstow Highway | 26.9 mi | 29m |
| Happy Trails Highway | 21.6 mi | 30m |
| William Elton Brown Freeway | 17 mi | 18m |
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 76 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,635 veh/hr typical · worst 2,375
Quietest
2 AM
~316 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 89 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 Yucca Valley, CA.
Start on Market Street
Turn right onto 11th Street
Turn left onto Bryant Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 80
Continue on I 80
Take the exit
Merge onto I 580
Merge onto I 580
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
Merge onto I 5
Take the exit onto CA 58
Turn left onto CA 58
Enter roundabout onto CA 58
Continue on CA 58
Continue on Westside Parkway
Continue on CA 58
Continue on CA 58
Continue on CA 58
Continue on CA 58
Continue on CA 58
Take the exit
Turn left onto US 395
Turn left onto Air Expressway
At end of road, turn right onto US 66 Hist
Continue on US 66 Hist
Continue on CA 18
Continue on CA 18
Continue on CA 247
Continue on Joshua Lane
Turn right onto Onaga Trail
Turn right onto Palm Avenue
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 9h 23m estimated driving time, splitting this trip over two days is a sensible approach. Consider departing San Francisco in the morning to allow for a relaxed pace and an early stop. You'll have about 242 miles to cover on the first day, which should land you in a good stopping point. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you move away from major urban centers, and plan your refueling stops accordingly. The total fuel cost is estimated at $107, so budget for at least three fill-ups.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 107 miles or 2h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 242.5 miles or 4h 28m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 242.5 miles or 4h 28m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8h 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Yucca Valley, 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.
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from San Francisco, CA
Aim for roughly 242 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Yucca Valley, CA
Aim for roughly 242 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
242 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Reedley, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
242 mi · about 4.7h in
A practical overnight split lands near Reedley, CA after about 242 miles or 4.7 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
A short stop after about 107 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 242.5 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 Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 192.5 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 242 miles or 4.7 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
John "Chuck" Erreca Southbound Rest Area
EZ Trip Travel Center
Service Plaza
EZ Trip Travel Center
Love's Travel Stop
John "Chuck" Erreca Northbound Rest Area
Buttonwillow Rest Area
Buttonwillow Rest Area
Boron Rest Area
Boron Rest Area
Pilot Travel Center
Love's Travel Stop
Service Plaza
Coalinga Avenal Safety Roadside Rest Area - Northbound
Love's Travel Stop
Coalinga - Avenal Rest Area - Southbound
Coalinga - Avenal Rest Area - Northbound
Westley Rest Area
Westley Rest Area
TA
Pilot Travel Center
Love's Travel Stop
TA
Lost Hills Travel Center
Pilot Travel Center
Love's Travel Stop
Flying J Travel Center
Petro Stopping Centers
Alameda County Industries
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 215 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 377.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 80 East: Oakland
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit onto CA 58 toward Stockdale Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 395: Bishop, San Bernardino
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$118.67 one way
$237.33 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.40 | $122.20 | $244.40 |
| premium | $6.57 | $125.35 | $250.70 |
| diesel | $6.18 | $117.96 | $235.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$119
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$249–$359
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 169.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
EV Charging Along Route
9 DC fast chargers · Coverage: good
San Francisco, CA - Geary Boulevard - Tesla Supercharger
San Francisco, CA
34 DCFC
San Francisco, CA - Van Ness Avenue - Tesla Supercharger
San Francisco, CA
12 DCFC
San Francisco, CA - Letterman Drive - Tesla Supercharger
San Francisco, CA
6 DCFC
Safeway 0985 Noriega St. (San Francisco, CA)
San Francisco, CA
4 DCFC
Safeway San Francisco #2646
San Francisco, CA
4 DCFC
First Washington Realty Lakeshore Plaza (San Francisco, CA)
San Francisco, CA
3 DCFC
Safeway 0995 Webster Street (San Francisco, CA)
San Francisco, CA
3 DCFC
Whole Foods Market
San Francisco, CA
2 DCFC
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $51 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 145.5 | 1 | $50.91 | $23.28 |
| Efficient EV | 121.2 | 1 | $42.43 | $19.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 194 | 2 | $67.89 | $31.03 |
Gas CO2
170 kg
EV CO2
57 kg (66% 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.
Origin
San Francisco, CA
Late night in San Francisco on Monday
Local time
2:19 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Mostly Cloudy
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued October 18 at 12:43PM PDT until October 20 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued October 18 at 12:31PM PDT until October 20 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Destination
Yucca Valley, CA
Late night in Yucca Valley on Monday
Local time
2:19 AM
PDT
Current temp
58°F
Mostly Clear
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued October 18 at 12:43PM PDT until October 20 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued October 18 at 12:31PM PDT until October 20 at 9:00AM 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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
4 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
9h 23m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
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...
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...
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...
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
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...
Muir Woods National Monument
National Monument
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,...
Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
National Memorial
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is entirely on surface roads, meaning you'll be navigating city streets and local highways for the full 484.9 miles. There are no interstate highways involved, so anticipate frequent traffic signals and varying speed limits. Given the lack of highway cruising, expect a more connected experience with the towns and landscapes you pass through. You'll likely notice a consistent pattern of exits and entrances as you traverse varied terrain.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in.
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 21 significant decision points across 484.9 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 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36.4 miles (I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
Total Climb
3,740 ft
Total Descent
436 ft
Highest Point
3,358 ft
~484.9 mi in
Elevation Range
3,304 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between San Francisco, CA and Yucca Valley, CA, road signs point toward Stockdale Highway and San Bernardino.
Stockdale Highway
San Bernardino
About the Cities
Starting in San Francisco, CA
Full guide →“Frisco” · Founded 1776
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
Arriving in Yucca Valley, CA
Full guide →Founded 1971
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).
Who Is This Route For?
Solo Traveler
9h 23m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
How this page is built
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NREL for EV charging, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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