How far is Ridgecrest, CA from San Francisco, CA?
The driving distance from Ridgecrest, CA to San Francisco, CA is about 400 miles (643.7 km), with a travel time of about 06h 27m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 302.1 miles (486.2 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 54m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 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 06h 27m.
Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
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.
City in Kings County, California, United States
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Chance Light Rain
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Ridgecrest and San Francisco.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ridgecrest and San Francisco.
-
1
Start on West Ridgecrest Boulevard
82 m · 13 sec · West Ridgecrest Boulevard
-
2
Turn right onto South China Lake Boulevard
6 mi · 9 min · South China Lake Boulevard
-
3
Turn left onto Blue Star Memorial Highway
9.9 mi · 11 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway
-
4
Turn right onto Garlock Road
8.4 mi · 12 min · Garlock Road
-
5
Continue on Redrock Randsburg Road
12.1 mi · 17 min · Redrock Randsburg Road
-
6
Continue on Midland Trail
1743 ft · 23 sec · Midland Trail
-
7
Continue on Aerospace Highway
16.9 mi · 20 min · Aerospace Highway
-
8
Take the exit right toward CA-58 West: Bakersfield
2450 ft · 60 sec
-
9
Merge slight left onto Barstow–Bakersfield Highway
2.3 mi · 3 min · Barstow–Bakersfield Highway
-
10
Continue on Bakersfield–Tehachapi Highway
1.2 km · 51 sec · Bakersfield–Tehachapi Highway
-
11
Continue on Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
54.6 mi · 1 hr 3 min · Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
-
12
Continue on Centennial Corridor
2.3 mi · 3 min · Centennial Corridor
-
13
Continue on Westside Parkway
6.6 mi · 8 min · Westside Parkway
-
14
Continue on Stockdale Highway
4.3 mi · 6 min · Stockdale Highway
-
15
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Stockdale Highway
46 m · 2 sec · Stockdale Highway
-
16
Exit the roundabout onto Stockdale Highway
4.5 mi · 6 min · Stockdale Highway
-
17
Take the exit straight toward I 5 North
2621 ft · 1 min
-
18
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
192.7 mi · 3 hr 27 min · Westside Freeway
-
19
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
15.9 mi · 17 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
-
20
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
1.1 mi · 1 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
-
21
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
18 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
-
22
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
11.6 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
-
23
Keep slight right to continue on MacArthur Freeway
8.3 mi · 10 min · MacArthur Freeway
-
24
Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway
7.2 mi · 8 min · MacArthur Freeway
-
25
Take the exit slight left toward I 80 West: San Francisco
1.5 km · 1 min
-
26
Merge slight right onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
1015 ft · 17 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
-
27
Turn slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
1959 ft · 33 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
-
28
Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5.5 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
-
29
Continue on Route 80
1438 ft · 24 sec · Route 80
-
30
Continue on Route 80
1.2 km · 1 min · Route 80
-
31
Continue on Route 80
1893 ft · 32 sec · Route 80
-
32
Keep slight right to continue on US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
1919 ft · 39 sec
-
33
Merge slight right onto Central Freeway
1462 ft · 25 sec · Central Freeway
-
34
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
2490 ft · 42 sec · Octavia Boulevard
-
35
Turn right onto Market Street
629 ft · 32 sec · Market Street
-
36
Keep slight right to continue on Market Street
961 ft · 35 sec · Market Street
-
37
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Market Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Ridgecrest and San Francisco.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
Westside Freeway
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
193 mi · 03h 27m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
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.
Sunny leaving Ridgecrest and Chance Light Rain near San Francisco.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Ridgecrest to San Francisco?
The road trip is about 400 miles (643.7 km) and usually takes 06h 27m 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?
Avenal is a useful midpoint, sitting about 197.2 miles from Ridgecrest and 202.7 miles from San Francisco.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 302.1 miles (486.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 97.9 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 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 $81.40 one way or $162.80 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 125.4 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Sunny around Ridgecrest and Chance Light Rain near San Francisco.
Stop Ideas Near Avenal
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 Avenal.
Kettleman City, California
Lemoore, California
Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California
Corcoran station
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Ridgecrest and San Francisco. Straight-line distance: 302.13 mi (486.23 km).
#1 Ridgecrest
City in California
| Population | 29,135 |
| Coordinates | 35.6224600, -117.6709000 |
| Altitude | 698 |
| 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: 644 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 13h 19m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 09h 59m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 07h 59m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 06h 39m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 05h 42m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 04h 59m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $81.40 | $162.80 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $85.59 | $171.18 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $88.09 | $176.18 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $106.77 | $213.54 |
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 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.