How far is San Francisco, CA from Kernville, CA?
The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Kernville, CA is about 322.5 miles (519 km), with a travel time of about 06h 31m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 261.4 miles (420.7 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 02m 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 31m.
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.
The most populous city in Madera 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 Kernville.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco and Kernville.
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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
-
28
Continue on Evans Road
10.4 mi · 16 min · Evans Road
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29
Turn left onto Wofford Boulevard
1 mi · 2 min · Wofford Boulevard
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30
Continue on Burlando Road
3.2 mi · 6 min · Burlando Road
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31
Turn left onto Big Blue Road
12 m · 2 sec · Big Blue Road
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32
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Big Blue Road
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Francisco and Kernville.
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.
Sunny leaving San Francisco and Sunny near Kernville.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Kernville?
The road trip is about 322.5 miles (519 km) and usually takes 06h 31m 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 is a useful midpoint, sitting about 161.2 miles from San Francisco and 161.3 miles from Kernville.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 261.4 miles (420.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 61.1 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 $65.65 one way or $131.30 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 101.1 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Sunny around San Francisco and Sunny near Kernville.
Stop Ideas Near Madera
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.
Madera
Fresno station
Merced station
Mariposa, CA
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and Kernville. Straight-line distance: 261.42 mi (420.71 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 Kernville
Census-designated place in the southern Sierra Nevada, in Kern County, California, United States
| Population | 1,395 |
| Coordinates | 35.7546700, -118.4253600 |
| Altitude | 813 |
| Country | United States |
End: Kernville (-118.42536, 35.75467)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 519 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 10h 44m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 08h 03m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 06h 26m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 05h 22m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 04h 36m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 04h 01m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $65.65 | $131.30 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $69.03 | $138.06 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $71.05 | $142.09 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $86.11 | $172.22 |
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 · May 31, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.