How far is McFarland, CA from Bakersfield, CA?

The driving distance from McFarland, CA to Bakersfield, CA is about 25.7 miles (41.3 km), with a travel time of about 00h 29m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 24.2 miles (38.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 58m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
25.65 mi
00h 29m
Flight
24.15 mi
38.87 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from McFarland.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
24.15 mi
Kilometers
38.87 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
25.65 mi
Kilometers
41.28 km
Drive Time
00h 29m

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 00h 29m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Bakersfield
Wed, Apr 22, 6:09 PM PDT
Return by in McFarland
Wed, Apr 22, 6:38 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave McFarland
2026-04-22T17:40
Arrive Bakersfield
Wed, Apr 22, 6:09 PM PDT
Route Timing
00h 29m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:29 AM to 7:29 PM PDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:32 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in McFarland
10:00 PM PDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Shafter
CA

City in Kern County, California, United States

From McFarland
12.8 mi
00h 14m
To Bakersfield
12.9 mi
00h 14m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
70°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph WNW
Destination
71°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between McFarland and Bakersfield.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between McFarland and Bakersfield.

  1. 1

    Start on West Kern Avenue

    6 m · 3 sec · West Kern Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn right onto 2nd Street

    1318 ft · 43 sec · 2nd Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto West Sherwood Avenue

    113 m · 9 sec · West Sherwood Avenue

  4. 4

    Take the ramp straight toward CA 99 South

    949 ft · 23 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Golden State Highway

    16.8 mi · 18 min · Golden State Highway

  6. 6

    Continue on Golden State Freeway

    5.2 mi · 6 min · Golden State Freeway

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on Golden State Avenue

    1.9 mi · 2 min · Golden State Avenue

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right

    145 m · 13 sec

  9. 9

    Continue on Golden State Road

    583 ft · 12 sec · Golden State Road

  10. 10

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Chester Avenue

    59 m · 4 sec · Chester Avenue

  11. 11

    Exit the roundabout onto Chester Avenue

    1.5 km · 2 min · Chester Avenue

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Truxtun Avenue

    37 m · 8 sec · Truxtun Avenue

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Truxtun Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between McFarland and Bakersfield.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
13 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
50.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Golden State Highway
16.8 mi · 66%
Golden State Freeway
5.16 mi · 20%
Golden State Avenue
2.03 mi · 8%
Chester Avenue
0.95 mi · 4%
2nd Street
0.25 mi · 1%
CA 99 South
0.18 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Golden State Highway

Merge slight left onto Golden State Highway

16.8 mi · 00h 18m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 29m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 58m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+1.5 mi
24.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Shafter
00h 14m from McFarland
Leave By
7:32 PM PDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving McFarland and Mostly Sunny near Bakersfield.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from McFarland to Bakersfield?

The road trip is about 25.7 miles (41.3 km) and usually takes 00h 29m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Shafter is a useful midpoint, sitting about 12.8 miles from McFarland and 12.9 miles from Bakersfield.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 24.2 miles (38.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 1.5 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:32 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.25 one way or $10.50 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around McFarland and Mostly Sunny near Bakersfield.

Stop Ideas Near Shafter

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Shafter, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Shafter.

RAIL

Wasco station

12 mi away
700 G Street
RAIL

Bakersfield

27 mi away
601 Truxtun Ave
RAIL

Corcoran station

71 mi away
1099 Otis Ave.
BUS

Kettleman City, California

82 mi away
3300 Hubert Way

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between McFarland and Bakersfield. Straight-line distance: 24.15 mi (38.87 km).

McFarland

#1 McFarland

City in Kern County, California, United States

Population12,482
Coordinates35.6780100, -119.2292700
Altitude108
CountryUnited States
Bakersfield

#2 Bakersfield

The fifth most populous city in California and the center of the Bakersfield metropolitan area.

Population385,725
Coordinates35.3732900, -119.0187100
Altitude123
CountryUnited States
Start: West Kern Avenue (-119.22927, 35.678036)
End: Truxtun Avenue (-119.01871, 35.373244)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 41 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 51m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 38m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 30m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 25m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 21m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 19m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.91 gal
3.43 L · about $5.25
Round trip
$10.50
1.82 gal · 6.86 L
Estimated CO2
8.1 kg one way
Round trip: 16.2 kg / 36 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $5.25 $10.50
Mid-grade $6.07 $5.52 $11.04
Premium $6.24 $5.68 $11.36
Diesel $7.57 $6.89 $13.77

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between McFarland and Bakersfield. The current time is 17:40:15.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.