How far is San Francisco, CA from Ridgecrest, CA?
The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Ridgecrest, CA is about 394.1 miles (634.3 km), with a travel time of about 07h 32m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 302.1 miles (486.2 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 15h 04m 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 07h 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.
City in Kings County, California, United States
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Areas Of Fog then Mostly Sunny
Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between San Francisco and Ridgecrest.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco and Ridgecrest.
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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
2.2 mi · 3 min · Barstow–Bakersfield Highway
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22
Take the exit slight right toward CA 14: Bishop, Mojave
2375 ft · 56 sec
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23
Merge slight right onto Aerospace Highway
17.1 mi · 20 min · Aerospace Highway
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24
Continue on Midland Trail
1729 ft · 23 sec · Midland Trail
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25
Turn right onto Redrock Randsburg Road
12.1 mi · 17 min · Redrock Randsburg Road
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26
Continue on Garlock Road
8.4 mi · 12 min · Garlock Road
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27
At the end of the road, turn left onto Blue Star Memorial Highway
9.8 mi · 11 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway
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28
Turn slight right onto South China Lake Boulevard
6.1 mi · 9 min · South China Lake Boulevard
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29
Turn left onto West Ridgecrest Boulevard
127 m · 26 sec · West Ridgecrest Boulevard
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30
Continue on West Ridgecrest Boulevard
23 m · 3 sec · West Ridgecrest Boulevard
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31
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · West Ridgecrest Boulevard
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Francisco and Ridgecrest.
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.
Areas Of Fog then Mostly Sunny leaving San Francisco and Sunny near Ridgecrest.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Ridgecrest?
The road trip is about 394.1 miles (634.3 km) and usually takes 07h 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?
Avenal is a useful midpoint, sitting about 197 miles from San Francisco and 197.1 miles from Ridgecrest.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 302.1 miles (486.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 92 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 $80.25 one way or $160.49 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 123.6 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Areas Of Fog then Mostly Sunny around San Francisco and Sunny near Ridgecrest.
Stop Ideas Near Avenal
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 Avenal.
Kettleman City, California
Lemoore, California
Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California
Corcoran station
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and Ridgecrest. Straight-line distance: 302.13 mi (486.23 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 Ridgecrest
City in California
| Population | 29,135 |
| Coordinates | 35.6224600, -117.6709000 |
| Altitude | 698 |
| Country | United States |
End: Ridgecrest (-117.6709, 35.62246)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 634 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 13h 07m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 09h 51m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 07h 52m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 06h 34m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 05h 37m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 04h 55m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $80.25 | $160.49 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $84.38 | $168.76 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $86.84 | $173.68 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $105.26 | $210.51 |
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 01, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.