How far is Joshua Tree, CA from San Francisco, CA?
The driving distance from Joshua Tree, CA to San Francisco, CA is about 498 miles (801.4 km), with a travel time of about 08h 22m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 424 miles (682.3 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 16h 44m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT.
Reverse, save, or send this route
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
Gas Cost Calculator
Leave and Arrive Planner
Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.
Drive time stays fixed at 08h 22m.
Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.
Halfway Point
A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.
Census-designated place in Kern County, California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Mostly Sunny
Chance Light Rain
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Joshua Tree and San Francisco.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Joshua Tree and San Francisco.
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1
Start on El Reposo Circle
27 m · 11 sec · El Reposo Circle
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2
Turn left onto 29 Palms Highway
3.3 mi · 5 min · 29 Palms Highway
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3
Turn right onto Yucca Mesa Road
2 mi · 3 min · Yucca Mesa Road
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4
Turn left onto Buena Vista Drive
3 mi · 4 min · Buena Vista Drive
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5
Turn right onto Old Woman Springs Road
41.8 mi · 52 min · Old Woman Springs Road
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6
Continue straight
23.1 mi · 33 min
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7
Continue on National Old Trails Highway
1.8 mi · 3 min · National Old Trails Highway
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8
Turn left onto Air Expressway
5.3 mi · 7 min · Air Expressway
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9
Turn right onto Blue Star Memorial Highway
30.3 mi · 36 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway
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10
Turn left onto CA 58 West: Mojave
2667 ft · 1 min
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11
Merge slight left onto Barstow-Bakersfield Highway
4.8 mi · 5 min · Barstow-Bakersfield Highway
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12
Continue on Mojave-Barstow Highway
26.9 mi · 30 min · Mojave-Barstow Highway
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13
Continue on Barstow–Bakersfield Highway
8.2 mi · 9 min · Barstow–Bakersfield Highway
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14
Continue on Bakersfield–Tehachapi Highway
1.2 km · 51 sec · Bakersfield–Tehachapi Highway
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15
Continue on Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
54.6 mi · 1 hr 3 min · Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
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16
Continue on Centennial Corridor
2.3 mi · 3 min · Centennial Corridor
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17
Continue on Westside Parkway
6.6 mi · 8 min · Westside Parkway
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18
Continue on Stockdale Highway
4.3 mi · 6 min · Stockdale Highway
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19
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Stockdale Highway
46 m · 2 sec · Stockdale Highway
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20
Exit the roundabout onto Stockdale Highway
4.5 mi · 6 min · Stockdale Highway
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21
Take the exit straight toward I 5 North
2621 ft · 1 min
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22
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
192.7 mi · 3 hr 27 min · Westside Freeway
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23
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
15.9 mi · 17 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
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24
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
1.1 mi · 1 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
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25
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
18 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
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26
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
11.6 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
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27
Keep slight right to continue on MacArthur Freeway
8.3 mi · 10 min · MacArthur Freeway
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28
Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway
7.2 mi · 8 min · MacArthur Freeway
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29
Take the exit slight left toward I 80 West: San Francisco
1.5 km · 1 min
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30
Merge slight right onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
1015 ft · 17 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
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31
Turn slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
1959 ft · 33 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
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32
Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5.5 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
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33
Continue on Route 80
1438 ft · 24 sec · Route 80
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34
Continue on Route 80
1.2 km · 1 min · Route 80
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35
Continue on Route 80
1893 ft · 32 sec · Route 80
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36
Keep slight right to continue on US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
1919 ft · 39 sec
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37
Merge slight right onto Central Freeway
1462 ft · 25 sec · Central Freeway
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38
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
2490 ft · 42 sec · Octavia Boulevard
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39
Turn right onto Market Street
629 ft · 32 sec · Market Street
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40
Keep slight right to continue on Market Street
961 ft · 35 sec · Market Street
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41
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Market Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Joshua Tree and San Francisco.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
Westside Freeway
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
193 mi · 03h 27m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
Better with a longer stop
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
Mostly Sunny leaving Joshua Tree and Chance Light Rain near San Francisco.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Joshua Tree to San Francisco?
The road trip is about 498 miles (801.4 km) and usually takes 08h 22m in normal driving conditions.
Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
What is the halfway point on this route?
Lost Hills is a useful midpoint, sitting about 244.4 miles from Joshua Tree and 253.5 miles from San Francisco.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 424 miles (682.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 74 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.
When is the best time to leave for this route?
A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $101.36 one way or $202.72 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 156.1 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Joshua Tree and Chance Light Rain near San Francisco.
Stop Ideas Near Lost Hills
Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.
Transit and Meeting Points
Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Lost Hills.
Wasco station
Kettleman City, California
Corcoran station
Bakersfield
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Joshua Tree and San Francisco. Straight-line distance: 423.98 mi (682.33 km).
#1 Joshua Tree
National park of the United States
| Population | 7,414 |
| Coordinates | 34.1347300, -116.3130700 |
| Altitude | 834 |
| Country | United States |
#2 San Francisco
The seventeenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Francisco Bay Area.
| Population | 866,606 |
| Coordinates | 37.7749300, -122.4194200 |
| Altitude | 16 |
| Country | United States |
End: Market Street (-122.419433, 37.774953)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 801 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 16h 35m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 12h 26m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 09h 57m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 08h 17m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 07h 06m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 06h 12m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $101.36 | $202.72 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $106.58 | $213.16 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $109.69 | $219.38 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $132.95 | $265.90 |
Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.
Prices in California · Apr 19, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.