How far is San Francisco, CA from Alta Sierra, CA?
The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Alta Sierra, CA is about 311.4 miles (501.2 km), with a travel time of about 06h 14m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 256.3 miles (412.5 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 28m 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 14m.
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.
Census-designated place in Madera County, California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Showers And Thunderstorms
Rain And Snow
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between San Francisco and Alta Sierra.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco and Alta Sierra.
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1
Start on Market Street
95 m · 8 sec · Market Street
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2
Turn right onto 11th Street
3173 ft · 2 min · 11th Street
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3
Turn left onto Bryant Street
1724 ft · 1 min · Bryant Street
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4
Take the ramp left toward I 80 East: Oakland
1538 ft · 26 sec
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5
Merge slight right onto Route 80
1.5 km · 1 min · Route 80
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6
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5.8 mi · 9 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
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7
Take the exit slight right toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton
1.6 km · 1 min
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8
Merge slight left onto MacArthur Freeway
15.9 mi · 18 min · MacArthur Freeway
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9
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
11.5 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
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10
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
17.8 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
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11
Keep slight left to continue on Robert T. Monagan Freeway
3.9 mi · 4 min · Robert T. Monagan Freeway
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12
Keep slight left to continue on Robert T. Monagan Freeway
10.7 mi · 12 min · Robert T. Monagan Freeway
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13
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
1.6 km · 1 min · Westside Freeway
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14
Take the exit slight right toward CA 120 East: Manteca, Sonora
143 m · 6 sec
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15
Continue straight
6.2 mi · 7 min
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16
Take the exit slight right toward CA 99 South: Modesto, Fresno
1.1 km · 2 min
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17
Merge slight left
108.4 mi · 2 hr 4 min
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18
Keep slight left
41 mi · 44 min
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19
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Highway
34.9 mi · 37 min · Golden State Highway
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20
Take the exit slight right toward CA 155 east
821 ft · 23 sec
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21
Turn left onto Ellington Street
2044 ft · 39 sec · Ellington Street
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22
Turn left onto Garces Highway
1.5 mi · 2 min · Garces Highway
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23
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Garces Highway
41 m · 2 sec · Garces Highway
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24
Exit the roundabout onto Garces Highway
24.9 mi · 37 min · Garces Highway
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25
Continue on Bakersfield-Glennville Road
9.9 mi · 15 min · Bakersfield-Glennville Road
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26
Continue on Evans Road
8 mi · 12 min · Evans Road
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27
Continue on Evans Road
1.9 mi · 3 min · Evans Road
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28
Continue on Evans Road
3.2 mi · 5 min · Evans Road
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29
Turn right onto Old State Road
2227 ft · 1 min · Old State Road
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30
Continue on Old State Road
148 m · 21 sec · Old State Road
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31
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Old State Road
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Francisco and Alta Sierra.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
CA 99 South
Merge slight left
108 mi · 02h 04m
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.
Showers And Thunderstorms leaving San Francisco and Rain And Snow near Alta Sierra.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Alta Sierra?
The road trip is about 311.4 miles (501.2 km) and usually takes 06h 14m 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?
Madera Acres is a useful midpoint, sitting about 155.7 miles from San Francisco and 155.8 miles from Alta Sierra.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 256.3 miles (412.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 55.1 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 $63.40 one way or $126.80 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 97.7 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around San Francisco and Rain And Snow near Alta Sierra.
Stop Ideas Near Madera Acres
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 Madera Acres.
Madera
Fresno station
Merced station
Mariposa, CA
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and Alta Sierra. Straight-line distance: 256.34 mi (412.54 km).
#1 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 |
#2 Alta Sierra
Census-designated place in Nevada County, California
| Population | 7,047 |
| Coordinates | 35.7312600, -118.5539000 |
| Altitude | 1743 |
| Country | United States |
End: Alta Sierra (-118.5539, 35.73126)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 501 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 10h 22m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 07h 47m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 06h 13m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 05h 11m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 04h 26m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 03h 53m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $63.40 | $126.80 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $66.67 | $133.33 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $68.61 | $137.22 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $83.16 | $166.32 |
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 11, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.