Willits to Kenny is 75.3 miles and takes about 2h 38m via Redwood Highway and Usal Road, with a fuel budget near $16 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route hugs the Pacific Coast region of California, offering a mostly surface road experience. You'll navigate through a beautiful part of the state, so plan for a scenic, potentially winding drive. It's a straightforward trip, perfect for a single day of exploration.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
37.6 miles from Willits, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 49m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Redwood Highway
43 mi
55m
Usal Road
16.1 mi
1h 18m
CA 1
14.5 mi
21m
South Main Street
0.6 mi
1m
Willits Bypass
0.2 mi
<1m
Coast Street
0.1 mi
<1m
West Mendocino Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Pine Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Redwood Highway
— 43 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Willits, CA and Kenny, CA.
1
Start on Pine Street
148 ft·12 sec·Pine Street
2
Turn left onto Coast Street
0.1 mi·32 sec·Coast Street
3
Turn right onto West Mendocino Avenue
179 ft·13 sec·West Mendocino Avenue
4
Turn left onto South Main Street
0.6 mi·1 min·South Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on Redwood Highway
0.5 mi·45 sec·Redwood Highway
6
Turn right
0.2 mi·22 sec
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·25 sec
8
Merge onto US 101
0.2 mi·16 sec·Willits Bypass
9
Continue on US 101
43 mi·54 min·Redwood Highway
10
Turn left onto CA 1
14 mi·21 min·CA 1
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto CR 431
16 mi·1 hr 18 min·Usal Road
12
Arrive at destination
CR 431
Trip Plan
Consider starting your drive in Willits with a full tank of gas, as fuel stops may be infrequent. With a total duration of just under 3 hours, this trip is easily completed in a single day, giving you flexibility. The longest stretch on the Redwood Highway is 43 miles, so you'll have plenty of opportunities to pull over if needed. Keep an eye out for the transition from highway to surface roads, as this marks the start of the more rural sections of your drive.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 37.6 miles from Willits, CA, or about 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 43 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 17 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 37.6 miles or 49m 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 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kenny, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Willits, 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 Willits, CA
This is one driving day of about 75.3 miles and 2h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Willits, 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 Redwood Highway for about 43 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 44.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Coast Street
Turn left onto Coast Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|West Mendocino Avenue
Turn right onto West Mendocino Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|South Main Street
Turn left onto South Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
1.4 mi into trip|~3m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
5
44.6 mi into trip|~58m in|CA 1
Turn left onto CA 1
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.22 one way
$36.43 round trip
$6.15/gal25.4 MPG avg26 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.34
$18.79
$37.58
premium
$6.50
$19.26
$38.52
diesel
$6.28
$18.61
$37.21
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
22.6
0
$7.91
$3.61
Efficient EV
18.8
0
$6.59
$3.01
EV Truck/SUV
30.1
0
$10.54
$4.82
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Willits, CA
Evening
in Willits on Thursday
Local time
8:01 PM
PDT
Current temp
41°F
Patchy Fog
WNW 2 mph12% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued October 19 at 1:23AM 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
Kenny, CA
Evening
in Kenny on Thursday
Local time
8:01 PM
PDT
Current temp
39°F
Mostly Cloudy
NE 3 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued October 19 at 1:23AM 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.
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 38m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is primarily on surface roads, with only 19% of the route on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 43 miles on the Redwood Highway before you transition to other roads. Expect a rural cruising feel for most of the trip, as the majority of the miles are not on high-speed interstates. The change from highway to surface roads will be noticeable as you progress.
Only 19% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 43 mi on Redwood Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Coast Street.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Willits, CA to Kenny, CA is easy. At 2h 38m with 19% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Coast Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West Mendocino Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (South Main Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Willits is a city in Mendocino County on the North Coast of California. It is best known as the Heart of Mendocino County. It offers an amazing array of shopping and amusements for a city with a population of 5,000 in 2020.
Top landmarks
•Willits station — railway station in Willits, California
The longest stretch is about 43 miles on Redwood Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Coast Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West Mendocino Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (South Main Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kenny, CA before heading back.
