How far is Mesa Verde, CA from San Francisco, CA?

The driving distance from Mesa Verde, CA to San Francisco, CA is about 597.2 miles (961.1 km), with a travel time of about 09h 41m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 518.5 miles (834.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 19h 23m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

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.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
597.19 mi
09h 41m
Flight
518.47 mi
834.4 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Mesa Verde.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
518.47 mi
Kilometers
834.4 km
Flight Time
01h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
597.19 mi
Kilometers
961.08 km
Drive Time
09h 41m

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 09h 41m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in San Francisco
Thu, Oct 15, 11:04 PM PDT
Return by in Mesa Verde
Fri, Oct 16, 8:46 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Mesa Verde
2026-10-15T13:22
Arrive San Francisco
Thu, Oct 15, 11:04 PM PDT
Route Timing
09h 41m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
3:42 PM to 5:12 PM PDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
4:36 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Mesa Verde
8:00 PM PDT
Overnight-style route

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.

Mid-route stop
Lebec
CA

City in California, United States of America

From Mesa Verde
297.2 mi
04h 50m
To San Francisco
299.9 mi
04h 50m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
85°F
Thursday

Patchy Blowing Dust

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph N
Destination
88°F
Today

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 7:00 AM PDT
Wind
1 to 7 mph SE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Mesa Verde and San Francisco.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Mesa Verde and San Francisco.

  1. 1

    Start on Palowalla Road

    60 m · 10 sec · Palowalla Road

  2. 2

    Continue on Palowalla Road

    103 m · 16 sec · Palowalla Road

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Maple Drive

    96 m · 19 sec · Maple Drive

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Olive Drive

    99 m · 16 sec · Olive Drive

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Pepper Drive

    556 ft · 30 sec · Pepper Drive

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Mesa Drive

    1365 ft · 39 sec · Mesa Drive

  7. 7

    Take the ramp left

    1426 ft · 35 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

    85.6 mi · 1 hr 32 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

  9. 9

    Continue on Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway

    33.7 mi · 36 min · Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway

  10. 10

    Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

    39.9 mi · 44 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

  11. 11

    Continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    13.9 mi · 16 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on I-10 Metro ExpressLanes

    9.3 mi · 10 min · I-10 Metro ExpressLanes

  13. 13

    Merge slight right onto San Bernardino Freeway

    1.2 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.4 km · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  15. 15

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  16. 16

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.9 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  17. 17

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.3 km · 55 sec · San Bernardino Freeway

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 57: Santa Ana

    1086 ft · 27 sec

  19. 19

    Keep slight right to continue on CA 57 North

    2267 ft · 55 sec

  20. 20

    Continue straight

    3.4 mi · 4 min

  21. 21

    Keep slight left to continue on I 210 West: Pasadena

    1.1 mi · 2 min

  22. 22

    Merge slight left onto Foothill Freeway

    18.3 mi · 21 min · Foothill Freeway

  23. 23

    Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

    25.6 mi · 30 min · Foothill Freeway

  24. 24

    Keep slight right

    686 ft · 9 sec

  25. 25

    Merge slight right

    1.6 km · 1 min

  26. 26

    Keep slight left

    36.1 mi · 42 min

  27. 27

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    22.3 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway

  28. 28

    Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

    225.6 mi · 4 hr 2 min · Westside Freeway

  29. 29

    Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    15.9 mi · 17 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  30. 30

    Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  31. 31

    Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

    18 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

  32. 32

    Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

    11.6 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

  33. 33

    Keep slight right to continue on MacArthur Freeway

    8.3 mi · 10 min · MacArthur Freeway

  34. 34

    Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway

    7.2 mi · 8 min · MacArthur Freeway

  35. 35

    Take the exit slight left toward I 80 West: San Francisco

    1.5 km · 1 min

  36. 36

    Merge slight right onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1015 ft · 17 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  37. 37

    Turn slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1959 ft · 33 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  38. 38

    Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    5.5 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  39. 39

    Continue on Route 80

    1438 ft · 24 sec · Route 80

  40. 40

    Continue on Route 80

    1.2 km · 1 min · Route 80

  41. 41

    Continue on Route 80

    1893 ft · 32 sec · Route 80

  42. 42

    Keep slight right to continue on US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge

    1919 ft · 39 sec

  43. 43

    Merge slight right onto Central Freeway

    1462 ft · 25 sec · Central Freeway

  44. 44

    Continue on Octavia Boulevard

    2490 ft · 42 sec · Octavia Boulevard

  45. 45

    Turn right onto Market Street

    629 ft · 32 sec · Market Street

  46. 46

    Keep slight right to continue on Market Street

    961 ft · 35 sec · Market Street

  47. 47

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Market Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Mesa Verde and San Francisco.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
47 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
10
7 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
226 mi · 38%
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
125 mi · 21%
Foothill Freeway
81.2 mi · 14%
Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
33.7 mi · 6%
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
29.6 mi · 5%
Golden State Freeway
22.3 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

226 mi · 04h 02m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

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.

Drive Time
09h 41m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
19h 24m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+78.7 mi
518.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lebec
04h 50m from Mesa Verde
Leave By
4:36 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Patchy Blowing Dust leaving Mesa Verde and Sunny near San Francisco.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Mesa Verde to San Francisco?

The road trip is about 597.2 miles (961.1 km) and usually takes 09h 41m 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?

Lebec is a useful midpoint, sitting about 297.2 miles from Mesa Verde and 299.9 miles from San Francisco.

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

The direct path is about 518.5 miles (834.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 78.7 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 $131.92 one way or $263.84 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 187.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Patchy Blowing Dust around Mesa Verde and Sunny near San Francisco.

Stop Ideas Near Lebec

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Lebec, 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 Lebec.

BUS

Fillmore, California

50 mi away
718 West Ventura St.
BUS

Tehachapi, California

50 mi away
Westside of Mullbery Street
BUS

Santa Paula, California

58 mi away
245 South Palm Avenue
RAIL

Santa Clarita-Newhall, California

60 mi away
24300 Railroad Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Mesa Verde and San Francisco. Straight-line distance: 518.47 mi (834.4 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Mesa Verde

Situated at an elevation of 390 feet in southeastern California's Riverside County, this census-designated place lies within the Palo Verde Valley near the Colorado River.

Population0
Coordinates33.6058600, -114.7310700
Altitude119
CountryUnited States
San Francisco

#2 San Francisco

The seventeenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Population866,606
Coordinates37.7749300, -122.4194200
Altitude16
CountryUnited States
Start: Palowalla Road (-114.731072, 33.605859)
End: Market Street (-122.419433, 37.774953)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 961 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)19h 53m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)14h 55m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)11h 56m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)09h 57m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)08h 31m
80 mph (129 km/h)07h 27m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
21.07 gal
79.77 L · about $131.92
Round trip
$263.84
42.14 gal · 159.54 L
Estimated CO2
187.2 kg one way
Round trip: 374.5 kg / 826 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $6.26 $131.92 $263.84
Mid-grade $6.50 $136.93 $273.87
Premium $6.69 $140.94 $281.87
Diesel $8.41 $177.26 $354.52

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 · Oct 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Mesa Verde and San Francisco. The current time is 13:22:57.

Distance to Other Cities

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