How far is Ricardo, CA from California City, CA?

The driving distance from Ricardo, CA to California City, CA is about 18 miles (29 km), with a travel time of about 00h 20m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 17.1 miles (27.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 41m 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
18.03 mi
00h 20m
Flight
17.14 mi
27.58 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Ricardo.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
17.14 mi
Kilometers
27.58 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
18.03 mi
Kilometers
29.02 km
Drive Time
00h 20m

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 20m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in California City
Thu, Apr 16, 9:05 AM PDT
Return by in Ricardo
Thu, Apr 16, 9:25 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Ricardo
2026-04-16T08:44
Arrive California City
Thu, Apr 16, 9:05 AM PDT
Route Timing
00h 20m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:21 AM to 7:21 PM PDT

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

Leave by
7:48 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Ricardo
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
Mojave
CA

Desert in southwestern United States

From Ricardo
8.9 mi
00h 10m
To California City
9.1 mi
00h 10m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
69°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
15 to 25 mph W
Destination
72°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Ricardo and California City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ricardo and California City.

  1. 1

    Start on Abbott Drive

    1.2 km · 3 min · Abbott Drive

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Midland Trail

    4 mi · 5 min · Midland Trail

  3. 3

    Continue on Redrock Randsburg Road

    106 m · 12 sec · Redrock Randsburg Road

  4. 4

    Turn sharp right onto Neuralia Road

    12.9 mi · 23 min · Neuralia Road

  5. 5

    Turn right

    20 m · 7 sec

  6. 6

    Turn uturn onto California City Boulevard

    29 m · 8 sec · California City Boulevard

  7. 7

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · California City Boulevard

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Ricardo and California City.

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
7 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
38.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Neuralia Road
12.9 mi · 71%
Midland Trail
4.01 mi · 22%
Abbott Drive
0.76 mi · 4%
Redrock Randsburg Road
0.07 mi
California City Boulevard
0.02 mi
Longest Stretch

Neuralia Road

Turn sharp right onto Neuralia Road

12.9 mi · 00h 23m

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 20m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 42m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+0.9 mi
17.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Mojave
00h 10m from Ricardo
Leave By
7:48 PM PDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Ricardo and Mostly Sunny near California City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Ricardo to California City?

The road trip is about 18 miles (29 km) and usually takes 00h 20m 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?

Mojave is a useful midpoint, sitting about 8.9 miles from Ricardo and 9.1 miles from California City.

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

The direct path is about 17.1 miles (27.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 0.9 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:48 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.69 one way or $7.38 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Ricardo and Mostly Sunny near California City.

Stop Ideas Near Mojave

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

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

BUS

Mojave, California

15900 Sierra Highway
BUS

Tehachapi, California

27 mi away
Westside of Mullbery Street
BUS

Lancaster, California

40 mi away
44812 Sierra Highway
BUS

Palmdale (Amtrak Thruway), California

53 mi away
39000 Clock Tower Plaza Drive - Bus Bay 2E

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Ricardo and California City. Straight-line distance: 17.14 mi (27.58 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Ricardo

Ricardo is a place in California, United States.

Population0
Coordinates35.3738500, -117.9892400
Altitude785
CountryUnited States
California City

#2 California City

City in Kern County, California

Population14,198
Coordinates35.1258000, -117.9859000
Altitude733
CountryUnited States
Start: Abbott Drive (-117.989224, 35.37386)
End: California City Boulevard (-117.985901, 35.125738)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 29 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 36m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 21m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.64 gal
2.41 L · about $3.69
Round trip
$7.38
1.28 gal · 4.82 L
Estimated CO2
5.7 kg one way
Round trip: 11.4 kg / 25 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $3.69 $7.38
Mid-grade $6.07 $3.88 $7.76
Premium $6.24 $4.00 $7.99
Diesel $7.57 $4.84 $9.69

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 16, 2026

There is no time difference between Ricardo and California City. The current time is 08:44:20.

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.