How far is San Francisco, CA from Joshua Tree, CA?
The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Joshua Tree, CA is about 488.5 miles (786.1 km), with a travel time of about 09h 27m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 424 miles (682.3 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 18h 55m 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 27m.
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
Mostly Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between San Francisco and Joshua Tree.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco and Joshua Tree.
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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
5.2 mi · 6 min · Barstow-Bakersfield Highway
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24
Take the exit slight right toward US 395: Bishop, San Bernardino
1715 ft · 1 min
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25
Turn left onto Blue Star Memorial Highway
30.1 mi · 36 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway
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26
Turn left onto Air Expressway
5.3 mi · 7 min · Air Expressway
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27
At the end of the road, turn right onto National Old Trails Highway
1.8 mi · 3 min · National Old Trails Highway
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28
Continue on D Street
1.4 mi · 3 min · D Street
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29
Continue on Happy Trails Highway
21.6 mi · 30 min · Happy Trails Highway
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30
Continue straight
87 m · 7 sec
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31
Continue on Old Woman Springs Road
41.8 mi · 52 min · Old Woman Springs Road
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32
Turn left onto Buena Vista Drive
3 mi · 4 min · Buena Vista Drive
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33
Turn right onto Yucca Mesa Road
2 mi · 3 min · Yucca Mesa Road
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34
Turn left onto 29 Palms Highway
3.3 mi · 5 min · 29 Palms Highway
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35
Turn right onto El Reposo Circle
27 m · 4 sec · El Reposo Circle
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36
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · El Reposo Circle
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Francisco and Joshua Tree.
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.
Chance Light Rain leaving San Francisco and Mostly Sunny near Joshua Tree.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Joshua Tree?
The road trip is about 488.5 miles (786.1 km) and usually takes 09h 27m 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 244.3 miles from Joshua Tree.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 424 miles (682.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 64.5 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 Mostly Sunny near Joshua Tree.
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 Joshua Tree. Straight-line distance: 423.98 mi (682.33 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 Joshua Tree
National park of the United States
| Population | 7,414 |
| Coordinates | 34.1347300, -116.3130700 |
| Altitude | 834 |
| Country | United States |
End: Joshua Tree (-116.31307, 34.13473)
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 46m |
| 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.