How far is San Jose, CA from Mammoth Lakes, CA?
The driving distance from San Jose, CA to Mammoth Lakes, CA is about 249.2 miles (401.1 km), with a travel time of about 06h 06m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 161.6 miles (260.1 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 12m 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 06m.
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.
Mostly Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between San Jose and Mammoth Lakes.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Jose and Mammoth Lakes.
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1
Start on North Market Street
60 m · 9 sec · North Market Street
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2
Continue on Coleman Avenue
1.4 mi · 3 min · Coleman Avenue
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3
Take the ramp right toward I 880 North: Oakland
1675 ft · 43 sec
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4
Merge slight left
8.5 mi · 10 min
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5
Keep slight right to continue on Nimitz Freeway
3139 ft · 41 sec · Nimitz Freeway
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6
Take the exit slight right toward Sacramento
1.6 mi · 2 min
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7
Take the exit straight toward I 680 North: Sacramento
1012 ft · 25 sec
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8
Keep slight left to continue on I 680 North: Sacramento
1618 ft · 41 sec
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9
Merge slight left
8.5 mi · 10 min
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10
Take the exit slight right toward CA 84 East: Livermore, Vallecitos Road
5.5 mi · 8 min
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11
Merge slight right onto Isabel Avenue
4.3 mi · 7 min · Isabel Avenue
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12
Take the exit slight right toward I 580 East: Stockton
2679 ft · 1 min
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13
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
12.9 mi · 15 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
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14
Keep slight left to continue on Robert T. Monagan Freeway
3.9 mi · 4 min · Robert T. Monagan Freeway
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15
Keep slight left to continue on Robert T. Monagan Freeway
10.7 mi · 12 min · Robert T. Monagan Freeway
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16
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
1.6 km · 1 min · Westside Freeway
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17
Take the exit slight right toward CA 120 East: Manteca, Sonora
143 m · 6 sec
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18
Continue straight
7.8 mi · 9 min
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19
Take the exit slight right toward CA 120 East: Sonora, Yosemite Avenue
1333 ft · 36 sec
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20
Turn right onto East Yosemite Avenue
10.7 mi · 16 min · East Yosemite Avenue
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21
Continue on California Street
978 ft · 28 sec · California Street
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22
Continue on Jackson Avenue
7.1 mi · 11 min · Jackson Avenue
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23
Continue on Valley Home Road
1.5 km · 2 min · Valley Home Road
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24
Continue on North Yosemite Avenue
1.4 km · 2 min · North Yosemite Avenue
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25
Turn left onto East F Street
25 mi · 34 min · East F Street
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26
Turn right
12.6 mi · 16 min
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27
Turn right onto Old Priest Grade
1.9 mi · 6 min · Old Priest Grade
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28
Continue on New Priest Grade Road
1.2 km · 1 min · New Priest Grade Road
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29
Continue on Highway 120
2 mi · 5 min · Highway 120
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30
Continue on Main Street
23.5 mi · 34 min · Main Street
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31
Continue on Big Oak Flat Road
1.1 km · 2 min · Big Oak Flat Road
-
32
Continue on Big Oak Flat Road
7.8 mi · 16 min · Big Oak Flat Road
-
33
Turn left onto Tioga Road
58.6 mi · 1 hr 43 min · Tioga Road
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34
Continue straight
18 mi · 21 min
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35
Continue straight
6.6 mi · 8 min
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36
Take the exit slight right
1639 ft · 22 sec
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37
Keep slight right
53 m · 3 sec
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38
Turn straight
3.1 mi · 5 min
-
39
Turn right
70 m · 19 sec
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40
Turn right
90 m · 22 sec
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41
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Jose 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.
Sunny leaving San Jose 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 Jose to Mammoth Lakes?
The road trip is about 249.2 miles (401.1 km) and usually takes 06h 06m 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?
Tuolumne City is a useful midpoint, sitting about 124.5 miles from San Jose and 124.7 miles from Mammoth Lakes.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 161.6 miles (260.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 87.6 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 $50.71 one way or $101.42 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 78.1 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Sunny around San Jose and Mostly Sunny near Mammoth Lakes.
Stop Ideas Near Tuolumne 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 Tuolumne City.
Yosemite National Park (White Wolf), California
Yosemite National Park (Crane Flat), California
Midpines, California
El Portal, California
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between San Jose and Mammoth Lakes. Straight-line distance: 161.64 mi (260.14 km).
#1 San Jose
The tenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Jose metropolitan area.
| Population | 1,013,616 |
| Coordinates | 37.3393900, -121.8949600 |
| Altitude | 26 |
| 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: 401 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 08h 18m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 06h 13m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 04h 59m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 04h 09m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 03h 33m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 03h 06m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $50.71 | $101.42 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $53.32 | $106.64 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $54.88 | $109.75 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $66.51 | $133.03 |
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.