How far is San Francisco, CA from Fort Irwin, CA?
The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Fort Irwin, CA is about 449.6 miles (723.5 km), with a travel time of about 08h 32m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 362.6 miles (583.5 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 17h 05m 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 08h 32m.
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.
Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between San Francisco and Fort Irwin.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco and Fort Irwin.
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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
192.5 mi · 3 hr 26 min · Westside Freeway
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14
Take the exit slight right toward Stockdale Highway
1185 ft · 36 sec
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15
Turn left onto Stockdale Highway
4.8 mi · 7 min · Stockdale Highway
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16
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Stockdale Highway
39 m · 2 sec · Stockdale Highway
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17
Exit the roundabout onto Stockdale Highway
4.3 mi · 6 min · Stockdale Highway
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18
Continue on Westside Parkway
6.7 mi · 8 min · Westside Parkway
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19
Continue on Centennial Corridor
2.8 mi · 3 min · Centennial Corridor
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20
Continue on Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
54.8 mi · 1 hr 3 min · Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
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21
Continue on Barstow–Bakersfield Highway
8.1 mi · 9 min · Barstow–Bakersfield Highway
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22
Continue on Mojave-Barstow Highway
26.9 mi · 30 min · Mojave-Barstow Highway
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23
Continue on Barstow-Bakersfield Highway
34.8 mi · 40 min · Barstow-Bakersfield Highway
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24
Keep slight left to continue on I 15 North: Las Vegas
1.2 mi · 1 min
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25
Merge slight left onto Barstow and Mojave Freeway
3.3 mi · 4 min · Barstow and Mojave Freeway
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26
Keep slight left to continue on Barstow and Mojave Freeway
5.3 mi · 6 min · Barstow and Mojave Freeway
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27
Take the exit slight right toward Fort Irwin Road
1217 ft · 35 sec
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28
Turn left onto Fort Irwin Road
22.2 mi · 27 min · Fort Irwin Road
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29
Keep slight right to continue on Truck Bypass
1.4 mi · 3 min · Truck Bypass
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30
Turn left
38 m · 8 sec
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31
Turn right onto Fort Irwin Road
6.4 mi · 9 min · Fort Irwin Road
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32
Continue on South Loop Road
1.5 mi · 3 min · South Loop Road
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33
Turn left onto 3rd Street
3179 ft · 2 min · 3rd Street
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34
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · 3rd Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Francisco and Fort Irwin.
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
193 mi · 03h 26m
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 Francisco and Sunny near Fort Irwin.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Fort Irwin?
The road trip is about 449.6 miles (723.5 km) and usually takes 08h 32m 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 224.6 miles from San Francisco and 225 miles from Fort Irwin.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 362.6 miles (583.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 87 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 $99.30 one way or $198.60 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 140.9 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Sunny around San Francisco and Sunny near Fort Irwin.
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 Fort Irwin. Straight-line distance: 362.56 mi (583.49 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 Fort Irwin
Situated in the high Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County at an elevation of 2487 feet, this installation occupies vast, rugged terrain.
| Population | 0 |
| Coordinates | 35.2627500, -116.6847500 |
| Altitude | 758 |
| Country | United States |
End: Fort Irwin (-116.68475, 35.26275)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 724 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 14h 58m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 11h 14m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 08h 59m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 07h 29m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 06h 25m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 05h 36m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $6.26 | $99.30 | $198.60 |
| Mid-grade | $6.50 | $103.07 | $206.15 |
| Premium | $6.69 | $106.09 | $212.18 |
| Diesel | $8.41 | $133.43 | $266.86 |
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