How far is San Francisco, CA from Searles Valley, CA?
The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Searles Valley, CA is about 410.4 miles (660.4 km), with a travel time of about 08h 05m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 310.3 miles (499.3 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 16h 11m 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 08h 05m.
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 Kings 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 Searles Valley.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco and Searles Valley.
-
1
Start on Market Street
95 m · 8 sec · Market Street
-
2
Turn right onto 11th Street
3173 ft · 2 min · 11th Street
-
3
Turn left onto Bryant Street
1724 ft · 1 min · Bryant Street
-
4
Take the ramp left toward I 80 East: Oakland
1538 ft · 26 sec
-
5
Merge slight right onto Route 80
1.5 km · 1 min · Route 80
-
6
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5.8 mi · 9 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
-
7
Take the exit slight right toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton
1.6 km · 1 min
-
8
Merge slight left onto MacArthur Freeway
15.9 mi · 18 min · MacArthur Freeway
-
9
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
11.5 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
-
10
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
17.8 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
-
11
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
11.1 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
-
12
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
-
13
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
192.5 mi · 3 hr 26 min · Westside Freeway
-
14
Take the exit slight right toward Stockdale Highway
1185 ft · 36 sec
-
15
Turn left onto Stockdale Highway
4.8 mi · 7 min · Stockdale Highway
-
16
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Stockdale Highway
39 m · 2 sec · Stockdale Highway
-
17
Exit the roundabout onto Stockdale Highway
4.3 mi · 6 min · Stockdale Highway
-
18
Continue on Westside Parkway
6.7 mi · 8 min · Westside Parkway
-
19
Continue on Centennial Corridor
2.8 mi · 3 min · Centennial Corridor
-
20
Continue on Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
54.8 mi · 1 hr 3 min · Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
-
21
Continue on Barstow–Bakersfield Highway
2.2 mi · 3 min · Barstow–Bakersfield Highway
-
22
Take the exit slight right toward CA 14: Bishop, Mojave
2375 ft · 56 sec
-
23
Merge slight right onto Aerospace Highway
17.1 mi · 20 min · Aerospace Highway
-
24
Continue on Midland Trail
1729 ft · 23 sec · Midland Trail
-
25
Turn right onto Redrock Randsburg Road
12.1 mi · 17 min · Redrock Randsburg Road
-
26
Continue on Garlock Road
8.4 mi · 12 min · Garlock Road
-
27
At the end of the road, turn left onto Blue Star Memorial Highway
3.1 mi · 4 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway
-
28
Turn right onto Searles Station Cutoff Road
6.3 mi · 11 min · Searles Station Cutoff Road
-
29
Turn left onto Trona Road
8.5 mi · 15 min · Trona Road
-
30
At the end of the road, turn right onto Trona Road
12.9 mi · 18 min · Trona Road
-
31
Turn left onto 1st Street
1 km · 2 min · 1st Street
-
32
Continue on Trona Dump Road
2777 ft · 2 min · Trona Dump Road
-
33
Turn straight
1454 ft · 2 min
-
34
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Francisco and Searles Valley.
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 Searles Valley.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Searles Valley?
The road trip is about 410.4 miles (660.4 km) and usually takes 08h 05m 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?
Kettleman City is a useful midpoint, sitting about 205.1 miles from San Francisco and 205.2 miles from Searles Valley.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 310.3 miles (499.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 100.1 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 $83.54 one way or $167.07 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 128.7 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Chance Light Rain around San Francisco and Mostly Sunny near Searles Valley.
Stop Ideas Near Kettleman City
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 Kettleman City.
Kettleman City, California
Lemoore, California
Corcoran station
Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and Searles Valley. Straight-line distance: 310.25 mi (499.3 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 Searles Valley
Census designated place in California
| Population | 1,739 |
| Coordinates | 35.7674500, -117.4039500 |
| Altitude | 637 |
| Country | United States |
End: Searles Valley (-117.40395, 35.76745)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 660 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 13h 40m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 10h 15m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 08h 12m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 06h 50m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 05h 51m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 05h 07m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $83.54 | $167.07 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $87.84 | $175.67 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $90.40 | $180.80 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $109.57 | $219.14 |
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.