How far is Mammoth Lakes, CA from San Francisco, CA?
The driving distance from Mammoth Lakes, CA to San Francisco, CA is about 264.5 miles (425.7 km), with a travel time of about 05h 33m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 188.6 miles (303.6 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 11h 07m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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 05h 33m.
An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.
You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.
Halfway Point
A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.
Census-designated place in Tuolumne County, California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Mostly Sunny
Patchy Fog then Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Mammoth Lakes and San Francisco.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mammoth Lakes and San Francisco.
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1
Start on the route
90 m · 27 sec
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2
Turn left
70 m · 22 sec
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3
Turn left onto Main Street
3.3 mi · 6 min · Main Street
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4
Take the ramp sharp left
1531 ft · 20 sec
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5
Merge slight left
24.7 mi · 29 min
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6
Turn left onto Tioga Road
58.6 mi · 1 hr 43 min · Tioga Road
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7
At the end of the road, turn right onto Big Oak Flat Road
8.4 mi · 17 min · Big Oak Flat Road
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8
Continue on Highway 120
25.5 mi · 38 min · Highway 120
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9
Continue on New Priest Grade Road
1.2 km · 1 min · New Priest Grade Road
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10
Turn slight left onto Old Priest Grade
1.9 mi · 6 min · Old Priest Grade
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11
At the end of the road, turn left onto New Priest Grade Road
12.6 mi · 16 min · New Priest Grade Road
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12
Continue straight
25 mi · 34 min
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13
Turn right onto North Yosemite Avenue
1.4 km · 2 min · North Yosemite Avenue
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14
Continue on Valley Home Road
1.5 km · 2 min · Valley Home Road
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15
Continue on Lon Dale Road
7.1 mi · 11 min · Lon Dale Road
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16
Continue on California Street
1000 ft · 30 sec · California Street
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17
Continue on Yosemite Avenue
10.8 mi · 16 min · Yosemite Avenue
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18
Turn left
2490 ft · 51 sec
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19
Keep slight right to continue on CA 120 West: Manteca, San Francisco
7.4 mi · 9 min
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20
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
1.2 mi · 1 min · Westside Freeway
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21
Keep slight right to continue on Robert T. Monagan Freeway
13.9 mi · 16 min · Robert T. Monagan Freeway
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22
Continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
18 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
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23
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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24
Keep slight right to continue on MacArthur Freeway
8.3 mi · 10 min · MacArthur Freeway
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25
Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway
7.2 mi · 8 min · MacArthur Freeway
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26
Take the exit slight left toward I 80 West: San Francisco
1.5 km · 1 min
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27
Merge slight right onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
1015 ft · 17 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
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28
Turn slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
1959 ft · 33 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
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29
Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5.5 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
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30
Continue on Route 80
1438 ft · 24 sec · Route 80
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31
Continue on Route 80
1.2 km · 1 min · Route 80
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32
Continue on Route 80
1893 ft · 32 sec · Route 80
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33
Keep slight right to continue on US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
1919 ft · 39 sec
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34
Merge slight right onto Central Freeway
1462 ft · 25 sec · Central Freeway
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35
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
2490 ft · 42 sec · Octavia Boulevard
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36
Turn right onto Market Street
629 ft · 32 sec · Market Street
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37
Keep slight right to continue on Market Street
961 ft · 35 sec · Market Street
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38
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Market Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Mammoth Lakes and San Francisco.
Interchange-aware route
The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.
Tioga Road
Turn left onto Tioga Road
58.6 mi · 01h 43m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
A longer out-and-back drive
This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.
Mostly Sunny leaving Mammoth Lakes and Patchy Fog then Sunny near San Francisco.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Mammoth Lakes to San Francisco?
The road trip is about 264.5 miles (425.7 km) and usually takes 05h 33m in normal driving conditions.
Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?
This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.
What is the halfway point on this route?
East Sonora is a useful midpoint, sitting about 129.4 miles from Mammoth Lakes and 135.1 miles from San Francisco.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 188.6 miles (303.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 75.9 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 8:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 5:52 AM PDT.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $53.82 one way or $107.65 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 82.9 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Mammoth Lakes and Patchy Fog then Sunny near San Francisco.
Stop Ideas Near East Sonora
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 East Sonora.
Yosemite National Park (Crane Flat), California
Yosemite National Park (White Wolf), California
Modesto station
Midpines, California
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Mammoth Lakes and San Francisco. Straight-line distance: 188.62 mi (303.56 km).
#1 Mammoth Lakes
Town in Mono County, California, United States
| Population | 8,317 |
| Coordinates | 37.6485500, -118.9720800 |
| Altitude | 2402 |
| 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: 426 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 08h 48m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 06h 36m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 05h 17m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 04h 24m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 03h 46m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 03h 18m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $53.82 | $107.65 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $56.60 | $113.19 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $58.25 | $116.49 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $70.60 | $141.20 |
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 · May 22, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.