How far is San Francisco, CA from Willow Creek, CA?

The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Willow Creek, CA is about 315.5 miles (507.8 km), with a travel time of about 06h 02m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 228 miles (367 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 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.
Trip Tools

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.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
315.53 mi
06h 02m
Flight
228.04 mi
366.99 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from San Francisco.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
228.04 mi
Kilometers
366.99 km
Flight Time
00h 27m

Driving Distance

Road route
315.53 mi
Kilometers
507.8 km
Drive Time
06h 02m

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 02m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Willow Creek
Sun, May 31, 10:07 AM PDT
Return by in San Francisco
Sun, May 31, 4:09 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Francisco
2026-05-31T04:04
Arrive Willow Creek
Sun, May 31, 10:07 AM PDT
Route Timing
06h 02m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:02 PM to 1:32 PM PDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
11:56 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in San Francisco
8:00 PM PDT
Overnight-style route

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.

Mid-route stop
Orland
CA

City in Glenn County, California

From San Francisco
157.8 mi
03h 01m
To Willow Creek
157.7 mi
03h 01m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
82°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 9 mph W
Destination
75°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
1 to 9 mph NNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between San Francisco and Willow Creek.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco and Willow Creek.

  1. 1

    Start on Market Street

    95 m · 8 sec · Market Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto 11th Street

    3173 ft · 2 min · 11th Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Bryant Street

    1724 ft · 1 min · Bryant Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp left toward I 80 East: Oakland

    1538 ft · 26 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight right onto Route 80

    1.5 km · 1 min · Route 80

  6. 6

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    6.4 mi · 10 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight left toward I 80 East

    2949 ft · 45 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight right onto Nimitz Freeway

    124 m · 6 sec · Nimitz Freeway

  9. 9

    Continue on Eastshore Freeway

    3.3 mi · 4 min · Eastshore Freeway

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on Eastshore Freeway

    7.4 mi · 9 min · Eastshore Freeway

  11. 11

    Continue on Eastshore Freeway

    3.2 mi · 4 min · Eastshore Freeway

  12. 12

    Continue on Linus F. Claeys Freeway

    3.5 mi · 4 min · Linus F. Claeys Freeway

  13. 13

    Continue on Eastshore Freeway

    1718 ft · 27 sec · Eastshore Freeway

  14. 14

    Continue on Carquinez Bridge

    1.6 km · 1 min · Carquinez Bridge

  15. 15

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    14.5 mi · 17 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    13.1 mi · 15 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward I 505 North: Winters, Redding

    803 ft · 20 sec

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on I 505 North: Winters, Redding

    1 km · 1 min

  19. 19

    Continue straight

    157.7 mi · 2 hr 49 min

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 44: Eureka, Susanville

    915 ft · 16 sec

  21. 21

    Keep slight left to continue on CA 44 West: Eureka, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

    1.5 km · 1 min

  22. 22

    Merge slight left

    1.2 mi · 2 min

  23. 23

    Turn right onto Pine Street

    149 m · 18 sec · Pine Street

  24. 24

    Turn left onto Eureka Way

    25 mi · 30 min · Eureka Way

  25. 25

    Continue straight

    74 mi · 1 hr 28 min

  26. 26

    Turn right onto Bigfoot Scenic Byway

    21 m · 1 sec · Bigfoot Scenic Byway

  27. 27

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Bigfoot Scenic Byway

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between San Francisco and Willow Creek.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
27 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
3 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 505 North
158 mi · 50%
Eureka Way
99 mi · 31%
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
34 mi · 11%
Eastshore Freeway
14.3 mi · 5%
Linus F. Claeys Freeway
3.45 mi · 1%
CA 44 West
2.17 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 505 North

Continue straight

158 mi · 02h 49m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

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.

Drive Time
06h 02m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 04m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+87.5 mi
228 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Orland
03h 01m from San Francisco
Leave By
11:56 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving San Francisco and Sunny near Willow Creek.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Willow Creek?

The road trip is about 315.5 miles (507.8 km) and usually takes 06h 02m 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?

Orland is a useful midpoint, sitting about 157.8 miles from San Francisco and 157.7 miles from Willow Creek.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 228 miles (367 km), while the road route adds roughly 87.5 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 $64.21 one way or $128.42 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 98.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around San Francisco and Sunny near Willow Creek.

Stop Ideas Near Orland

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Orland, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Orland.

BUS

Corning, California

20 mi away
1081 Solano Street
RAIL

Chico station

30 mi away
West 5th and Orange Streets
BUS

Red Bluff, California

49 mi away
228 S. Main Street
BUS

Oroville, California

59 mi away
Hwy 70 and Grand Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and Willow Creek. Straight-line distance: 228.04 mi (366.99 km).

San Francisco

#1 San Francisco

The seventeenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Population866,606
Coordinates37.7749300, -122.4194200
Altitude16
CountryUnited States
Willow Creek

#2 Willow Creek

Census-designated place in Humboldt County, California

Population1,710
Coordinates40.9395800, -123.6314400
Altitude186
CountryUnited States
Start: San Francisco (-122.41942, 37.77493)
End: Willow Creek (-123.63144, 40.93958)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 508 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 30m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 53m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 18m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 15m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 30m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 56m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.13 gal
42.15 L · about $64.21
Round trip
$128.42
22.26 gal · 84.3 L
Estimated CO2
98.9 kg one way
Round trip: 197.8 kg / 436 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $64.21 $128.42
Mid-grade $6.07 $67.51 $135.03
Premium $6.24 $69.48 $138.97
Diesel $7.57 $84.22 $168.44

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

There is no time difference between San Francisco and Willow Creek. The current time is 04:04:58.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.