How far is Mill Valley, CA from Bakersfield, CA?

The driving distance from Mill Valley, CA to Bakersfield, CA is about 299.9 miles (482.7 km), with a travel time of about 05h 00m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 262.3 miles (422.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 10h 01m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
299.96 mi
05h 00m
Flight
262.34 mi
422.2 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Mill Valley.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
262.34 mi
Kilometers
422.2 km
Flight Time
00h 31m

Driving Distance

Road route
299.96 mi
Kilometers
482.74 km
Drive Time
05h 00m

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 00m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Bakersfield
Mon, May 25, 8:57 AM PDT
Return by in Mill Valley
Mon, May 25, 1:57 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Mill Valley
2026-05-25T03:56
Arrive Bakersfield
Mon, May 25, 8:57 AM PDT
Route Timing
05h 00m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:01 AM to 1:01 PM PDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
6:58 AM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Mill Valley
9:00 PM PDT
Early departure recommended

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
South Dos Palos
CA

Census-designated place in Merced County, California

From Mill Valley
148.3 mi
02h 30m
To Bakersfield
151.7 mi
02h 30m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
70°F
Memorial Day

Partly Sunny

Starts
Mon, May 25 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph W
Destination
89°F
Memorial Day

Sunny

Starts
Mon, May 25 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph NNW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Mill Valley and Bakersfield.

  1. 1

    Start on Sunnyside Avenue

    76 m · 10 sec · Sunnyside Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Hill Street

    90 m · 11 sec · Hill Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto East Blithedale Avenue

    1.8 mi · 5 min · East Blithedale Avenue

  4. 4

    Take the ramp slight right toward US 101 North: Eureka

    1197 ft · 20 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway

    2.6 mi · 4 min · Redwood Highway

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward San Anselmo, Richmond Bridge

    845 ft · 21 sec

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on US 101 North: Richmond Bridge

    724 ft · 18 sec

  8. 8

    Turn slight right onto Richmond Bridge

    82 m · 6 sec

  9. 9

    Turn straight onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard East

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Sir Francis Drake Boulevard East

  10. 10

    Take the ramp straight toward I 580 East

    1740 ft · 27 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto John T. Knox Freeway

    11.6 mi · 14 min · John T. Knox Freeway

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Eastshore Freeway

    3.8 mi · 5 min · Eastshore Freeway

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on Interstate Highway 80

    1321 ft · 21 sec · Interstate Highway 80

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway

    16.4 mi · 19 min · MacArthur Freeway

  15. 15

    Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

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

  16. 16

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

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

  17. 17

    Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    11.1 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  19. 19

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    192.5 mi · 3 hr 26 min · Westside Freeway

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward Stockdale Highway

    1185 ft · 34 sec

  21. 21

    Turn left onto Stockdale Highway

    4.8 mi · 7 min · Stockdale Highway

  22. 22

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Stockdale Highway

    39 m · 2 sec · Stockdale Highway

  23. 23

    Exit the roundabout onto Stockdale Highway

    4.3 mi · 6 min · Stockdale Highway

  24. 24

    Continue on Westside Parkway

    6.7 mi · 8 min · Westside Parkway

  25. 25

    Take the exit slight right

    2846 ft · 1 min

  26. 26

    Turn straight onto Truxtun Avenue

    2.2 mi · 4 min · Truxtun Avenue

  27. 27

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Truxtun Avenue

Car Route Details

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

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
27 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
12
5 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
193 mi · 64%
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
29.3 mi · 10%
William Elton Brown Freeway
17 mi · 6%
MacArthur Freeway
16.4 mi · 5%
John T. Knox Freeway
11.6 mi · 4%
Stockdale Highway
9.43 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

193 mi · 03h 26m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

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.

Drive Time
05h 00m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
10h 02m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+37.6 mi
262.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
South Dos Palos
02h 30m from Mill Valley
Leave By
6:58 AM PDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving Mill Valley and Sunny near Bakersfield.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Mill Valley to Bakersfield?

The road trip is about 299.9 miles (482.7 km) and usually takes 05h 00m 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?

South Dos Palos is a useful midpoint, sitting about 148.3 miles from Mill Valley and 151.7 miles from Bakersfield.

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

The direct path is about 262.3 miles (422.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 37.6 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 6:58 AM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $61.09 one way or $122.19 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 94.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Mill Valley and Sunny near Bakersfield.

Stop Ideas Near South Dos Palos

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around South Dos Palos, 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 South Dos Palos.

RAIL

Merced station

41 mi away
324 West 24th St
RAIL

Madera

56 mi away
Avenue 15 1/2 at 29th Road
RAIL

Denair station

64 mi away
3800 Santa Fe Avenue
RAIL

Fresno station

81 mi away
2650 Tulare St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Mill Valley and Bakersfield. Straight-line distance: 262.34 mi (422.2 km).

Mill Valley

#1 Mill Valley

City in Marin County, California, United States

Population14,323
Coordinates37.9060400, -122.5449800
Altitude24
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: Sunnyside Avenue (-122.544979, 37.906102)
End: Truxtun Avenue (-119.01871, 35.373244)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 483 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)09h 59m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 29m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 59m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 59m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 17m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 44m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
10.59 gal
40.07 L · about $61.09
Round trip
$122.19
21.18 gal · 80.14 L
Estimated CO2
94.1 kg one way
Round trip: 188.2 kg / 415 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $61.09 $122.19
Mid-grade $6.07 $64.24 $128.48
Premium $6.24 $66.11 $132.23
Diesel $7.57 $80.13 $160.27

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 25, 2026

There is no time difference between Mill Valley and Bakersfield. The current time is 03:56:41.

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.