How far is San Diego, CA from Los Molinos, CA?
The driving distance from San Diego, CA to Los Molinos, CA is about 616.4 miles (992 km), with a travel time of about 11h 37m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 574.4 miles (924.4 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 23h 14m 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 11h 37m.
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.
Small city in Fresno County, California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between San Diego and Los Molinos.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Diego and Los Molinos.
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1
Start on Front Street
8 m · 6 sec · Front Street
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2
Turn left onto West Broadway
88 m · 12 sec · West Broadway
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3
Turn left onto 1st Avenue
3072 ft · 1 min · 1st Avenue
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4
Take the ramp left toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
1017 ft · 25 sec
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5
Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway
13.5 mi · 16 min · San Diego Freeway
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6
Keep slight left to continue on San Diego Freeway
36.3 mi · 43 min · San Diego Freeway
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7
Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway
18.1 mi · 21 min · San Diego Freeway
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8
Keep slight left to continue on San Diego Freeway
7.4 mi · 9 min · San Diego Freeway
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9
Keep slight right to continue on Bake Parkway
1.6 mi · 2 min
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10
Keep slight right
6 mi · 7 min
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11
Take the exit slight right toward Jamboree Road
1266 ft · 17 sec
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12
Continue straight
527 ft · 11 sec
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13
Turn right onto Jamboree Road
760 ft · 18 sec · Jamboree Road
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14
Turn left onto El Camino Real
2.2 mi · 5 min · El Camino Real
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15
Turn left onto Newport Avenue
109 m · 14 sec · Newport Avenue
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16
Take the ramp right toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
1127 ft · 17 sec
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17
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
1.3 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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18
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.7 mi · 2 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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19
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
9.4 mi · 11 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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20
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
18 mi · 21 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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21
Keep slight right to continue on Golden State Freeway
25.5 mi · 30 min · Golden State Freeway
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22
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
2.2 mi · 3 min · Golden State Freeway
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23
Keep slight right to continue on I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
1.5 mi · 2 min
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24
Keep slight left
36.1 mi · 42 min
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25
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
22.3 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway
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26
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
225.6 mi · 4 hr 2 min · Westside Freeway
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27
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
25.5 mi · 28 min · Westside Freeway
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28
Keep left to continue on Westside Freeway
53.8 mi · 1 hr · Westside Freeway
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29
Keep slight right to continue on Golden State Highway
7.5 mi · 9 min · Golden State Highway
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30
Continue on Bernie Richter Memorial Highway
5 mi · 6 min · Bernie Richter Memorial Highway
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31
Keep slight right to continue on CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville
21.7 mi · 26 min
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32
Turn right onto 5th Street
1272 ft · 39 sec · 5th Street
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33
Turn left onto B Street
1.5 mi · 3 min · B Street
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34
Continue straight
30.3 mi · 35 min
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35
Keep slight left
5.7 mi · 7 min
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36
Merge slight left
34.9 mi · 42 min
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37
Turn left onto Sycamore Avenue
38 m · 6 sec · Sycamore Avenue
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38
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Sycamore Avenue
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Diego and Los Molinos.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
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.
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 San Diego and Sunny near Los Molinos.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from San Diego to Los Molinos?
The road trip is about 616.4 miles (992 km) and usually takes 11h 37m 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?
Huron is a useful midpoint, sitting about 308.1 miles from San Diego and 308.3 miles from Los Molinos.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 574.4 miles (924.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 42 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 $136.18 one way or $272.35 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 193.3 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Sunny around San Diego and Sunny near Los Molinos.
Stop Ideas Near Huron
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 Huron.
Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California
Kettleman City, California
Lemoore, California
Hanford station
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between San Diego and Los Molinos. Straight-line distance: 574.37 mi (924.36 km).
#1 San Diego
The eighth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Diego metropolitan area.
| Population | 1,422,420 |
| Coordinates | 32.7157100, -117.1647200 |
| Altitude | 20 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Los Molinos
Located in the northern Sacramento Valley at an elevation of 223 feet, this census-designated place is positioned where Mill Creek meets the Sacramento River in Tehama County.
| Population | 0 |
| Coordinates | 40.0212700, -122.1002700 |
| Altitude | 68 |
| Country | United States |
End: Los Molinos (-122.10027, 40.02127)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 992 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 20h 32m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 15h 24m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 12h 19m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 10h 16m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 08h 48m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 07h 41m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $6.26 | $136.18 | $272.35 |
| Mid-grade | $6.50 | $141.35 | $282.71 |
| Premium | $6.69 | $145.49 | $290.97 |
| Diesel | $8.41 | $182.98 | $365.97 |
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 · Oct 15, 2026