How far is Sacramento, CA from Julian, CA?

The driving distance from Sacramento, CA to Julian, CA is about 519.8 miles (836.6 km), with a travel time of about 09h 56m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 468.5 miles (754 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 19h 52m 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
519.82 mi
09h 56m
Flight
468.52 mi
754.01 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Sacramento.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
468.52 mi
Kilometers
754.01 km
Flight Time
00h 56m

Driving Distance

Road route
519.82 mi
Kilometers
836.57 km
Drive Time
09h 56m

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 56m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Julian
Thu, Apr 23, 7:02 AM PDT
Return by in Sacramento
Thu, Apr 23, 4:58 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Sacramento
2026-04-22T21:06
Arrive Julian
Thu, Apr 23, 7:02 AM PDT
Route Timing
09h 56m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
3:56 PM to 5:26 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
4:08 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Sacramento
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
Buttonwillow
CA

Place in Kern County California

From Sacramento
260 mi
04h 58m
To Julian
259.8 mi
04h 58m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
66°F
Wednesday

Chance Light Rain

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
7 mph SSW
Destination
55°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Sacramento and Julian.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento and Julian.

  1. 1

    Start on 9th Street

    2904 ft · 2 min · 9th Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto P Street

    2746 ft · 1 min · P Street

  3. 3

    Take the ramp straight toward US 50, I 5 South: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Los Angeles

    1146 ft · 17 sec

  4. 4

    Keep slight right to continue on I 5 South: Los Angeles

    2877 ft · 38 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    59.4 mi · 1 hr 6 min · Westside Freeway

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

    1.2 km · 49 sec · Westside Freeway

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

    236.6 mi · 4 hr 14 min · Westside Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight right

    58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    2 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena

    1347 ft · 18 sec

  11. 11

    Continue on Foothill Freeway

    24.4 mi · 28 min · Foothill Freeway

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

    19.1 mi · 22 min · Foothill Freeway

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

    2476 ft · 33 sec · Foothill Freeway

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 57 South: Santa Ana

    1.4 km · 2 min

  15. 15

    Continue on Orange Freeway

    3.2 mi · 4 min · Orange Freeway

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 71: Corona

    1.1 mi · 2 min

  17. 17

    Continue on Chino Valley Freeway

    12.8 mi · 15 min · Chino Valley Freeway

  18. 18

    Continue on Corona Freeway

    2.9 mi · 4 min · Corona Freeway

  19. 19

    Keep slight left to continue on CA 91 East: Riverside

    1.2 km · 1 min

  20. 20

    Merge slight left onto Riverside Freeway

    3.9 mi · 4 min · Riverside Freeway

  21. 21

    Take the exit slight right toward I 15 North, I 15 South: Barstow, San Diego

    1.3 km · 55 sec · Corona Freeway

  22. 22

    Keep slight right to continue on Corona Freeway

    2418 ft · 59 sec · Corona Freeway

  23. 23

    Merge slight left onto Corona Freeway

    14.2 mi · 16 min · Corona Freeway

  24. 24

    Continue on Temecula Valley Freeway

    19.1 mi · 20 min · Temecula Valley Freeway

  25. 25

    Merge slight right onto Escondido Freeway

    4.2 mi · 5 min · Escondido Freeway

  26. 26

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 79: Temecula Parkway

    1735 ft · 42 sec

  27. 27

    Keep slight right to continue on Temecula Parkway

    99 m · 8 sec

  28. 28

    Continue on Temecula Parkway

    1.4 km · 1 min · Temecula Parkway

  29. 29

    Turn right onto Pechanga Parkway

    2.7 mi · 5 min · Pechanga Parkway

  30. 30

    Continue on Pala Road

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Pala Road

  31. 31

    Continue on Pala Temecula Road

    4.9 mi · 9 min · Pala Temecula Road

  32. 32

    Turn left onto Pala Mission Road

    2758 ft · 1 min · Pala Mission Road

  33. 33

    Continue on Pala Mission Road

    16 m · 6 sec · Pala Mission Road

  34. 34

    Turn left onto Highway 76

    2.8 mi · 4 min · Highway 76

  35. 35

    Continue on Pala Road

    6 mi · 8 min · Pala Road

  36. 36

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Pala Road

    43 m · 2 sec · Pala Road

  37. 37

    Exit the roundabout onto Pala Road

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Pala Road

  38. 38

    Continue on Highway 76

    17.8 mi · 25 min · Highway 76

  39. 39

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Highway 79

    7.1 mi · 10 min · Highway 79

  40. 40

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Highway 78

    51 m · 3 sec · Highway 78

  41. 41

    Continue on Old Julian Highway

    2.9 mi · 4 min · Old Julian Highway

  42. 42

    Continue on Julian Road

    988 ft · 19 sec · Julian Road

  43. 43

    Continue on Julian Highway

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Julian Highway

  44. 44

    Continue on Julian Road

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Julian Road

  45. 45

    Continue on Washington Street

    1010 ft · 35 sec · Washington Street

  46. 46

    Turn right

    26 m · 6 sec

  47. 47

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Sacramento and Julian.

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
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
12
4 merges, 8 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
355 mi · 68%
Foothill Freeway
44 mi · 8%
Highway 76
20.6 mi · 4%
Temecula Valley Freeway
19.1 mi · 4%
Corona Freeway
17.9 mi · 3%
Chino Valley Freeway
12.8 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

237 mi · 04h 14m

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 56m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
19h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+51.3 mi
468.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Buttonwillow
04h 58m from Sacramento
Leave By
4:08 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Chance Light Rain leaving Sacramento and Mostly Sunny near Julian.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Sacramento to Julian?

The road trip is about 519.8 miles (836.6 km) and usually takes 09h 56m 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?

Buttonwillow is a useful midpoint, sitting about 260 miles from Sacramento and 259.8 miles from Julian.

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

The direct path is about 468.5 miles (754 km), while the road route adds roughly 51.3 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 $105.80 one way or $211.61 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 163 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Light Rain around Sacramento and Mostly Sunny near Julian.

Stop Ideas Near Buttonwillow

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

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

RAIL

Wasco station

25 mi away
700 G Street
RAIL

Bakersfield

41 mi away
601 Truxtun Ave
RAIL

Corcoran station

78 mi away
1099 Otis Ave.
BUS

Kettleman City, California

79 mi away
3300 Hubert Way

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Sacramento and Julian. Straight-line distance: 468.52 mi (754.01 km).

Sacramento

#1 Sacramento

The sixth most populous city in California and the center of the Sacramento metropolitan area.

Population512,838
Coordinates38.5815700, -121.4944000
Altitude9
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Julian

Census designated place

Population1,502
Coordinates33.0786600, -116.6019600
Altitude1287
CountryUnited States
Start: Sacramento (-121.4944, 38.58157)
End: Julian (-116.60196, 33.07866)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 837 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)17h 19m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)12h 59m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)10h 23m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 39m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)07h 25m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 29m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
18.34 gal
69.44 L · about $105.80
Round trip
$211.61
36.68 gal · 138.88 L
Estimated CO2
163 kg one way
Round trip: 326 kg / 719 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $105.80 $211.61
Mid-grade $6.07 $111.25 $222.50
Premium $6.24 $114.50 $228.99
Diesel $7.57 $138.78 $277.56

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 Sacramento and Julian. The current time is 21:06:26.

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.