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

The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Dunsmuir, CA is about 266.2 miles (428.4 km), with a travel time of about 05h 01m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 237.4 miles (382 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 10h 03m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
266.18 mi
05h 01m
Flight
237.35 mi
381.97 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from San Francisco.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
237.35 mi
Kilometers
381.97 km
Flight Time
00h 28m

Driving Distance

Road route
266.18 mi
Kilometers
428.37 km
Drive Time
05h 01m

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 05h 01m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Dunsmuir
Thu, Apr 23, 4:37 AM PDT
Return by in San Francisco
Thu, Apr 23, 9:39 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Francisco
2026-04-22T23:35
Arrive Dunsmuir
Thu, Apr 23, 4:37 AM PDT
Route Timing
05h 01m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:02 AM to 1:02 PM PDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
6:56 AM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in San Francisco
9:00 PM PDT
Early departure recommended

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
Willows
CA

City in California, USA

From San Francisco
133.2 mi
02h 30m
To Dunsmuir
133 mi
02h 30m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
65°F
Wednesday

Chance Light Rain

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 9 mph WSW
Destination
39°F
Wednesday

Light Snow Likely

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
6 to 9 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Market Street

    95 m · 8 sec · Market Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto 11th Street

    3173 ft · 2 min · 11th Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Bryant Street

    1724 ft · 1 min · Bryant Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp left toward I 80 East: Oakland

    1538 ft · 26 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight right onto Route 80

    1.5 km · 1 min · Route 80

  6. 6

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    6.4 mi · 10 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight left toward I 80 East

    2949 ft · 45 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight right onto Nimitz Freeway

    124 m · 6 sec · Nimitz Freeway

  9. 9

    Continue on Eastshore Freeway

    3.3 mi · 4 min · Eastshore Freeway

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on Eastshore Freeway

    7.4 mi · 9 min · Eastshore Freeway

  11. 11

    Continue on Eastshore Freeway

    3.2 mi · 4 min · Eastshore Freeway

  12. 12

    Continue on Linus F. Claeys Freeway

    3.5 mi · 4 min · Linus F. Claeys Freeway

  13. 13

    Continue on Eastshore Freeway

    1718 ft · 27 sec · Eastshore Freeway

  14. 14

    Continue on Carquinez Bridge

    1.6 km · 1 min · Carquinez Bridge

  15. 15

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    14.5 mi · 17 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    13.1 mi · 15 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward I 505 North: Winters, Redding

    803 ft · 20 sec

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on I 505 North: Winters, Redding

    1 km · 1 min

  19. 19

    Continue straight

    208.3 mi · 3 hr 48 min

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward I 5 Business: Dunsmuir

    1126 ft · 28 sec

  21. 21

    Continue on Dunsmuir Avenue

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Dunsmuir Avenue

  22. 22

    Turn right onto Branstetter Street

    153 m · 28 sec · Branstetter Street

  23. 23

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

    622 ft · 28 sec · Sacramento Avenue

  24. 24

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Sacramento Avenue

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
24 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 505 North
209 mi · 79%
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
34 mi · 13%
Eastshore Freeway
14.3 mi · 5%
Linus F. Claeys Freeway
3.45 mi · 1%
Dunsmuir Avenue
1.06 mi
Carquinez Bridge
0.99 mi
Longest Stretch

I 505 North

Continue straight

208 mi · 03h 48m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
05h 01m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
10h 04m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+28.8 mi
237.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Willows
02h 30m from San Francisco
Leave By
6:56 AM PDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Chance Light Rain leaving San Francisco and Light Snow Likely near Dunsmuir.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 266.2 miles (428.4 km) and usually takes 05h 01m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Willows is a useful midpoint, sitting about 133.2 miles from San Francisco and 133 miles from Dunsmuir.

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

The direct path is about 237.4 miles (382 km), while the road route adds roughly 28.8 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 8:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 6:56 AM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $54.17 one way or $108.34 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 83.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Light Rain around San Francisco and Light Snow Likely near Dunsmuir.

Stop Ideas Near Willows

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

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

RAIL

Chico station

37 mi away
West 5th and Orange Streets
BUS

Corning, California

45 mi away
1081 Solano Street
BUS

Oroville, California

53 mi away
Hwy 70 and Grand Ave.
BUS

Marysville, California

67 mi away
I Street between 8th and 9th

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and Dunsmuir. Straight-line distance: 237.35 mi (381.97 km).

San Francisco

#1 San Francisco

The seventeenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Population866,606
Coordinates37.7749300, -122.4194200
Altitude16
CountryUnited States
Dunsmuir

#2 Dunsmuir

City in Siskiyou County, California, United States

Population1,548
Coordinates41.2082100, -122.2719500
Altitude695
CountryUnited States
Start: San Francisco (-122.41942, 37.77493)
End: Dunsmuir (-122.27195, 41.20821)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 428 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)08h 52m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 39m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 19m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 26m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 48m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 19m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
9.39 gal
35.55 L · about $54.17
Round trip
$108.34
18.78 gal · 71.1 L
Estimated CO2
83.4 kg one way
Round trip: 166.9 kg / 368 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $54.17 $108.34
Mid-grade $6.07 $56.96 $113.92
Premium $6.24 $58.62 $117.24
Diesel $7.57 $71.05 $142.11

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 San Francisco and Dunsmuir. The current time is 23:35:54.

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.