How far is San Francisco, CA from Desert Hot Springs, CA?
The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Desert Hot Springs, CA is about 488.3 miles (785.8 km), with a travel time of about 09h 10m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 423.1 miles (680.9 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 18h 20m 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 09h 10m.
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 Kern County, California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Chance Light Rain
Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between San Francisco and Desert Hot Springs.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco and Desert Hot Springs.
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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 right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
11.1 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
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12
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
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13
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224.4 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway
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14
Keep slight right
58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min
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15
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
2 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
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16
Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena
1347 ft · 18 sec
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17
Continue on Foothill Freeway
24.4 mi · 28 min · Foothill Freeway
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18
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
19.1 mi · 22 min · Foothill Freeway
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19
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
2476 ft · 33 sec · Foothill Freeway
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20
Take the exit slight right toward CA 57 South: Santa Ana
1.4 km · 2 min
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21
Continue on Orange Freeway
3.4 mi · 4 min · Orange Freeway
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22
Take the exit slight right toward I 10 East, I 10 West: San Bernardino, Los Angeles
928 ft · 23 sec
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23
Keep slight left to continue on I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San Bernardino
1.1 km · 1 min
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24
Merge slight left onto San Bernardino Freeway
1.9 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway
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25
Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway
4 mi · 5 min · San Bernardino Freeway
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26
Keep slight left to continue on I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
9 mi · 10 min · I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
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27
Merge slight right onto San Bernardino Freeway
14.3 mi · 16 min · San Bernardino Freeway
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28
Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
40.3 mi · 44 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
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29
Keep slight left to continue on Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
4.1 mi · 4 min · Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
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30
Take the exit slight right toward CA 62: 29 Palms Highway
1.5 km · 1 min
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31
Continue on 29 Palms Highway
3 mi · 4 min · 29 Palms Highway
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32
Turn right onto Pierson Boulevard
5.1 mi · 9 min · Pierson Boulevard
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33
Turn left onto Palm Drive
59 m · 11 sec · Palm Drive
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34
Turn right
74 m · 20 sec
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35
Turn right onto Pierson Boulevard
917 ft · 23 sec · Pierson Boulevard
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36
Turn right
62 m · 15 sec
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37
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Francisco and Desert Hot Springs.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
Westside Freeway
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224 mi · 04h 00m
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.
Chance Light Rain leaving San Francisco and Sunny near Desert Hot Springs.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Desert Hot Springs?
The road trip is about 488.3 miles (785.8 km) and usually takes 09h 10m 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?
Lost Hills is a useful midpoint, sitting about 244.1 miles from San Francisco and 244.2 miles from Desert Hot Springs.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 423.1 miles (680.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 65.2 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 $99.40 one way or $198.80 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 153.1 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Chance Light Rain around San Francisco and Sunny near Desert Hot Springs.
Stop Ideas Near Lost Hills
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 Lost Hills.
Wasco station
Kettleman City, California
Corcoran station
Bakersfield
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and Desert Hot Springs. Straight-line distance: 423.08 mi (680.88 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 Desert Hot Springs
City in Riverside County, California, United States
| Population | 29,611 |
| Coordinates | 33.9617300, -116.5035300 |
| Altitude | 328 |
| Country | United States |
End: Desert Hot Springs (-116.50353, 33.96173)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 786 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 16h 16m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 12h 12m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 09h 45m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 08h 08m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 06h 58m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 06h 05m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $99.40 | $198.80 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $104.52 | $209.03 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $107.57 | $215.13 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $130.38 | $260.76 |
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 19, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.