How far is San Francisco, CA from Mammoth Lakes, CA?
The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Mammoth Lakes, CA is about 258.8 miles (416.5 km), with a travel time of about 06h 15m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 188.6 miles (303.6 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 30m 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 15m.
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 Tuolumne County, California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Patchy Fog then Sunny
Mostly Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between San Francisco and Mammoth Lakes.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco and Mammoth Lakes.
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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
7.8 mi · 9 min
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16
Take the exit slight right toward CA 120 East: Sonora, Yosemite Avenue
1333 ft · 36 sec
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17
Turn right onto East Yosemite Avenue
10.7 mi · 16 min · East Yosemite Avenue
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18
Continue on California Street
978 ft · 28 sec · California Street
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19
Continue on Jackson Avenue
7.1 mi · 11 min · Jackson Avenue
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20
Continue on Valley Home Road
1.5 km · 2 min · Valley Home Road
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21
Continue on North Yosemite Avenue
1.4 km · 2 min · North Yosemite Avenue
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22
Turn left onto East F Street
25 mi · 34 min · East F Street
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23
Turn right
12.6 mi · 16 min
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24
Turn right onto Old Priest Grade
1.9 mi · 6 min · Old Priest Grade
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25
Continue on New Priest Grade Road
1.2 km · 1 min · New Priest Grade Road
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26
Continue on Highway 120
2 mi · 5 min · Highway 120
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27
Continue on Main Street
23.5 mi · 34 min · Main Street
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28
Continue on Big Oak Flat Road
1.1 km · 2 min · Big Oak Flat Road
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29
Continue on Big Oak Flat Road
7.8 mi · 16 min · Big Oak Flat Road
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30
Turn left onto Tioga Road
58.6 mi · 1 hr 43 min · Tioga Road
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31
Continue straight
18 mi · 21 min
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32
Continue straight
6.6 mi · 8 min
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33
Take the exit slight right
1639 ft · 22 sec
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34
Keep slight right
53 m · 3 sec
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35
Turn straight
3.1 mi · 5 min
-
36
Turn right
70 m · 19 sec
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37
Turn right
90 m · 22 sec
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38
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Francisco and Mammoth Lakes.
Interchange-aware route
The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.
Tioga Road
Turn left onto Tioga Road
58.6 mi · 01h 43m
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 Sunny leaving San Francisco and Mostly Sunny near Mammoth Lakes.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Mammoth Lakes?
The road trip is about 258.8 miles (416.5 km) and usually takes 06h 15m 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?
East Sonora is a useful midpoint, sitting about 129.2 miles from San Francisco and 129.6 miles from Mammoth Lakes.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 188.6 miles (303.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 70.2 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 $52.67 one way or $105.34 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 81.1 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Patchy Fog then Sunny around San Francisco and Mostly Sunny near Mammoth Lakes.
Stop Ideas Near East Sonora
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 East Sonora.
Yosemite National Park (Crane Flat), California
Yosemite National Park (White Wolf), California
Modesto station
Midpines, California
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and Mammoth Lakes. Straight-line distance: 188.62 mi (303.56 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 Mammoth Lakes
Town in Mono County, California, United States
| Population | 8,317 |
| Coordinates | 37.6485500, -118.9720800 |
| Altitude | 2402 |
| Country | United States |
End: Mammoth Lakes (-118.97208, 37.64855)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 416 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 08h 37m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 06h 28m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 05h 10m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 04h 18m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 03h 41m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 03h 13m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $52.67 | $105.34 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $55.38 | $110.77 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $57.00 | $114.00 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $69.09 | $138.17 |
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 22, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.