How far is Riverside, CA from Willows, CA?

The driving distance from Riverside, CA to Willows, CA is about 518.3 miles (834.2 km), with a travel time of about 09h 38m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 467.5 miles (752.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 19h 17m 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
518.34 mi
09h 38m
Flight
467.5 mi
752.37 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Riverside.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
467.5 mi
Kilometers
752.37 km
Flight Time
00h 56m

Driving Distance

Road route
518.34 mi
Kilometers
834.18 km
Drive Time
09h 38m

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 38m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Willows
Thu, Apr 23, 12:56 PM PDT
Return by in Riverside
Thu, Apr 23, 10:35 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Riverside
2026-04-23T03:18
Arrive Willows
Thu, Apr 23, 12:56 PM PDT
Route Timing
09h 38m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
3:39 PM to 5:09 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
4:42 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Riverside
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
Coalinga
CA

City in Fresno County, California, United States

From Riverside
259.3 mi
04h 49m
To Willows
259 mi
04h 49m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
77°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 15 mph SW
Destination
73°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
3 to 8 mph NNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Riverside and Willows.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Riverside and Willows.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    55 m · 14 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right

    29 m · 7 sec

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Magnolia Avenue

    70 m · 15 sec · Magnolia Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Central Avenue

    3.5 mi · 6 min · Central Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Van Buren Boulevard

    6.1 mi · 8 min · Van Buren Boulevard

  6. 6

    Continue on Mission Boulevard

    1434 ft · 24 sec · Mission Boulevard

  7. 7

    Take the ramp slight left toward CA 60 West

    1617 ft · 41 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Pomona Freeway

    12.1 mi · 14 min · Pomona Freeway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 71 South, CA 71 North: Corona, Pomona

    1213 ft · 30 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on CA 71 North: Pomona

    2510 ft · 1 min

  11. 11

    Keep slight left

    811 ft · 20 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Chino Valley Freeway

    3.5 mi · 4 min · Chino Valley Freeway

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on CA 57 North

    1.2 km · 2 min

  14. 14

    Continue straight

    3.4 mi · 4 min

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on I 210 West: Pasadena

    1.1 mi · 2 min

  16. 16

    Merge slight left onto Foothill Freeway

    18.3 mi · 21 min · Foothill Freeway

  17. 17

    Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

    25.6 mi · 30 min · Foothill Freeway

  18. 18

    Keep slight right

    686 ft · 9 sec

  19. 19

    Merge slight right

    1.6 km · 1 min

  20. 20

    Keep slight left

    36.1 mi · 42 min

  21. 21

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    22.3 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway

  22. 22

    Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

    225.6 mi · 4 hr 2 min · Westside Freeway

  23. 23

    Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

    25.5 mi · 28 min · Westside Freeway

  24. 24

    Keep left to continue on Westside Freeway

    53.8 mi · 1 hr · Westside Freeway

  25. 25

    Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

    75.6 mi · 1 hr 22 min · Westside Freeway

  26. 26

    Take the exit slight right toward County Road 57

    1314 ft · 20 sec

  27. 27

    Turn right onto County Road 57

    152 m · 19 sec · County Road 57

  28. 28

    Turn left onto Highway 99W

    1 mi · 2 min · Highway 99W

  29. 29

    Continue on South Tehama Street

    1.2 km · 1 min · South Tehama Street

  30. 30

    Continue on Old U.S. Route 99W

    1341 ft · 31 sec · Old U.S. Route 99W

  31. 31

    Turn right onto West Wood Street

    31 m · 2 sec · West Wood Street

  32. 32

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West Wood Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Riverside and Willows.

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
32 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
4 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
6.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
380 mi · 73%
Foothill Freeway
81.2 mi · 16%
Golden State Freeway
22.3 mi · 4%
Pomona Freeway
12.1 mi · 2%
Van Buren Boulevard
6.06 mi · 1%
CA 57 North
4.16 mi · 1%
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 38m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
19h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+50.8 mi
467.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Coalinga
04h 49m from Riverside
Leave By
4:42 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Riverside and Sunny near Willows.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Riverside to Willows?

The road trip is about 518.3 miles (834.2 km) and usually takes 09h 38m 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?

Coalinga is a useful midpoint, sitting about 259.3 miles from Riverside and 259 miles from Willows.

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

The direct path is about 467.5 miles (752.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 50.8 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 $105.52 one way or $211.03 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 162.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Riverside and Sunny near Willows.

Stop Ideas Near Coalinga

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

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

BUS

Kettleman City, California

40 mi away
3300 Hubert Way
BUS

Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California

49 mi away
25th Ave and Highway 198
BUS

Lemoore, California

53 mi away
300 E Street
RAIL

Paso Robles station

65 mi away
800 Pine Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Riverside and Willows. Straight-line distance: 467.5 mi (752.37 km).

Riverside

#1 Riverside

The most populous city in Riverside County, California and the center of the Riverside metropolitan area.

Population330,786
Coordinates33.9533500, -117.3961600
Altitude252
CountryUnited States
Willows

#2 Willows

City in California, USA

Population6,036
Coordinates39.5243300, -122.1935900
Altitude42
CountryUnited States
Start: Riverside (-117.39616, 33.95335)
End: Willows (-122.19359, 39.52433)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 834 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)17h 16m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)12h 57m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)10h 21m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 38m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)07h 24m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 27m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
18.29 gal
69.24 L · about $105.52
Round trip
$211.03
36.58 gal · 138.48 L
Estimated CO2
162.5 kg one way
Round trip: 325.1 kg / 717 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $105.52 $211.03
Mid-grade $6.07 $110.95 $221.89
Premium $6.24 $114.18 $228.37
Diesel $7.57 $138.40 $276.80

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 Riverside and Willows. The current time is 03:18:01.

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.