How far is San Diego, CA from Dunsmuir, CA?

The driving distance from San Diego, CA to Dunsmuir, CA is about 714.2 miles (1149.4 km), with a travel time of about 13h 16m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 650.7 miles (1047.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 26h 32m 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
714.22 mi
13h 16m
Flight
650.69 mi
1047.18 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from San Diego.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
650.69 mi
Kilometers
1047.18 km
Flight Time
01h 18m

Driving Distance

Road route
714.22 mi
Kilometers
1149.42 km
Drive Time
13h 16m

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 13h 16m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Dunsmuir
Thu, May 14, 10:08 AM PDT
Return by in San Diego
Thu, May 14, 11:24 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Diego
2026-05-13T20:52
Arrive Dunsmuir
Thu, May 14, 10:08 AM PDT
Route Timing
13h 16m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
7:16 PM to 8:46 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
9:28 AM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in San Diego
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
Firebaugh
CA

City in Fresno County, California, United States of America

From San Diego
357.4 mi
06h 38m
To Dunsmuir
356.9 mi
06h 38m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
72°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, May 13 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph W
Destination
60°F
Wednesday

Chance Rain And Snow

Starts
Wed, May 13 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
6 to 10 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between San Diego and Dunsmuir.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Diego and Dunsmuir.

  1. 1

    Start on Front Street

    8 m · 6 sec · Front Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto West Broadway

    88 m · 12 sec · West Broadway

  3. 3

    Turn left onto 1st Avenue

    3072 ft · 1 min · 1st Avenue

  4. 4

    Take the ramp left toward I 5 North: Los Angeles

    1017 ft · 25 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway

    13.5 mi · 16 min · San Diego Freeway

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on San Diego Freeway

    36.3 mi · 43 min · San Diego Freeway

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway

    18.1 mi · 21 min · San Diego Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on San Diego Freeway

    7.4 mi · 9 min · San Diego Freeway

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on Bake Parkway

    1.6 mi · 2 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight right

    6 mi · 7 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward Jamboree Road

    1266 ft · 17 sec

  12. 12

    Continue straight

    527 ft · 11 sec

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Jamboree Road

    760 ft · 18 sec · Jamboree Road

  14. 14

    Turn left onto El Camino Real

    2.2 mi · 5 min · El Camino Real

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Newport Avenue

    109 m · 14 sec · Newport Avenue

  16. 16

    Take the ramp right toward I 5 North: Los Angeles

    1127 ft · 17 sec

  17. 17

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    1.3 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  18. 18

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  19. 19

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    9.4 mi · 11 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  20. 20

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    18 mi · 21 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  21. 21

    Keep slight right to continue on Golden State Freeway

    25.5 mi · 30 min · Golden State Freeway

  22. 22

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    2.2 mi · 3 min · Golden State Freeway

  23. 23

    Keep slight right to continue on I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

    1.5 mi · 2 min

  24. 24

    Keep slight left

    36.1 mi · 42 min

  25. 25

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    22.3 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway

  26. 26

    Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

    225.6 mi · 4 hr 2 min · Westside Freeway

  27. 27

    Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

    25.5 mi · 28 min · Westside Freeway

  28. 28

    Keep left to continue on Westside Freeway

    53.8 mi · 1 hr · Westside Freeway

  29. 29

    Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

    120.9 mi · 2 hr 10 min · Westside Freeway

  30. 30

    Continue on Cascade Wonderland Highway

    82.2 mi · 1 hr 33 min · Cascade Wonderland Highway

  31. 31

    Take the exit slight right toward I 5 Business: Dunsmuir

    1126 ft · 28 sec

  32. 32

    Continue on Dunsmuir Avenue

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Dunsmuir Avenue

  33. 33

    Turn right onto Branstetter Street

    153 m · 28 sec · Branstetter Street

  34. 34

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Sacramento Avenue

    622 ft · 28 sec · Sacramento Avenue

  35. 35

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Sacramento Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between San Diego and Dunsmuir.

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
35 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
4.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
426 mi · 60%
Cascade Wonderland Highway
82.2 mi · 12%
San Diego Freeway
75.2 mi · 11%
Golden State Freeway
50 mi · 7%
I 5 Truck North
37.7 mi · 5%
Santa Ana Freeway
30.4 mi · 4%
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
13h 16m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
26h 32m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+63.5 mi
650.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Firebaugh
06h 38m from San Diego
Leave By
9:28 AM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving San Diego and Chance Rain And Snow near Dunsmuir.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from San Diego to Dunsmuir?

The road trip is about 714.2 miles (1149.4 km) and usually takes 13h 16m 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?

Firebaugh is a useful midpoint, sitting about 357.4 miles from San Diego and 356.9 miles from Dunsmuir.

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

The direct path is about 650.7 miles (1047.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 63.5 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 $145.38 one way or $290.76 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 224 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around San Diego and Chance Rain And Snow near Dunsmuir.

Stop Ideas Near Firebaugh

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

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

RAIL

Madera

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

Merced station

50 mi away
324 West 24th St
RAIL

Fresno station

61 mi away
2650 Tulare St.
BUS

Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California

73 mi away
25th Ave and Highway 198

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Diego and Dunsmuir. Straight-line distance: 650.69 mi (1047.18 km).

San Diego

#1 San Diego

The eighth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Diego metropolitan area.

Population1,422,420
Coordinates32.7157100, -117.1647200
Altitude20
CountryUnited States
Dunsmuir

#2 Dunsmuir

City in Siskiyou County, California, United States

Population1,548
Coordinates41.2082100, -122.2719500
Altitude695
CountryUnited States
Start: San Diego (-117.16472, 32.71571)
End: Dunsmuir (-122.27195, 41.20821)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 1149 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)23h 47m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)17h 51m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)14h 17m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)11h 54m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)10h 12m
80 mph (129 km/h)08h 54m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
25.2 gal
95.4 L · about $145.38
Round trip
$290.76
50.4 gal · 190.8 L
Estimated CO2
224 kg one way
Round trip: 447.9 kg / 987 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $145.38 $290.76
Mid-grade $6.07 $152.86 $305.73
Premium $6.24 $157.32 $314.65
Diesel $7.57 $190.69 $381.38

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 14, 2026

There is no time difference between San Diego and Dunsmuir. The current time is 20:52:38.

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.