How far is San Francisco, CA from Lake Isabella, CA?
The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Lake Isabella, CA is about 323.2 miles (520.2 km), with a travel time of about 06h 16m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 264.5 miles (425.7 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 32m 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 16m.
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 Fresno County, California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny
Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between San Francisco and Lake Isabella.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco and Lake Isabella.
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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
182.1 mi · 3 hr 15 min · Westside Freeway
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14
Take the exit slight right toward Buttonwillow, McKittrick
2040 ft · 50 sec
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15
Turn straight onto Buttonwillow Drive
1.1 km · 1 min · Buttonwillow Drive
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16
Turn left onto 7th Standard Road
21.9 mi · 29 min · 7th Standard Road
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17
Take the ramp straight toward CA 99 South
1658 ft · 20 sec
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18
Merge slight left onto Golden State Freeway
3 mi · 3 min · Golden State Freeway
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19
Keep slight right to continue on Golden State Avenue
2.8 mi · 3 min · Golden State Avenue
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20
Take the exit slight right toward CA 178: Lake Isabella
1558 ft · 38 sec
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21
Keep slight left to continue on CA 178 East: Lake Isabella
904 ft · 22 sec
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22
Merge slight left onto CHP Officer David W. Manning Memorial Freeway
6.7 mi · 8 min · CHP Officer David W. Manning Memorial Freeway
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23
Continue on Route 178
31.9 mi · 46 min · Route 178
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24
Continue on Isabella Walker Pass Road
121 m · 5 sec · Isabella Walker Pass Road
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25
Take the exit slight right toward Bodfish
1317 ft · 33 sec
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26
Turn right onto Elizabeth Norris Road
1692 ft · 39 sec · Elizabeth Norris Road
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27
Turn left onto Lake Isabella Boulevard
3151 ft · 1 min · Lake Isabella Boulevard
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28
Turn right onto Erskine Creek Road
1337 ft · 42 sec · Erskine Creek Road
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29
Turn left onto Lake Ridge Way
120 m · 17 sec · Lake Ridge Way
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30
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Lake Ridge Way
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Francisco and Lake Isabella.
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
182 mi · 03h 15m
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.
Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny leaving San Francisco and Sunny near Lake Isabella.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Lake Isabella?
The road trip is about 323.2 miles (520.2 km) and usually takes 06h 16m 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?
Tranquillity is a useful midpoint, sitting about 161.6 miles from San Francisco and 161.6 miles from Lake Isabella.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 264.5 miles (425.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 58.7 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 $65.77 one way or $131.53 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 101.3 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny around San Francisco and Sunny near Lake Isabella.
Stop Ideas Near Tranquillity
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 Tranquillity.
Madera
Fresno station
Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California
Lemoore, California
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and Lake Isabella. Straight-line distance: 264.54 mi (425.74 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 Lake Isabella
Census-designated place in Kern County, California
| Population | 3,466 |
| Coordinates | 35.6180100, -118.4731400 |
| Altitude | 766 |
| Country | United States |
End: Lake Isabella (-118.47314, 35.61801)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 520 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 10h 46m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 08h 04m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 06h 27m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 05h 23m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 04h 37m |
| 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 | $65.77 | $131.53 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $69.15 | $138.30 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $71.17 | $142.34 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $86.26 | $172.53 |
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 25, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.