How far is San Jose, CA from Searles Valley, CA?
The driving distance from San Jose, CA to Searles Valley, CA is about 369.7 miles (594.9 km), with a travel time of about 07h 25m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 271.8 miles (437.5 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 14h 50m 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 25m.
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 Kern 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 Jose and Searles Valley.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Jose and Searles Valley.
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1
Start on North Market Street
33 m · 6 sec · North Market Street
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2
Turn right onto Devine Street
84 m · 18 sec · Devine Street
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3
Turn left onto North San Pedro Street
93 m · 18 sec · North San Pedro Street
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4
Turn right onto West Saint James Street
602 ft · 16 sec · West Saint James Street
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5
Continue on West Julian Street
109 m · 7 sec · West Julian Street
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6
Take the ramp slight right toward CA 87 South
1213 ft · 32 sec
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7
Merge slight left onto Guadalupe Freeway
1.4 mi · 2 min · Guadalupe Freeway
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8
Continue on Guadalupe Parkway
4.1 mi · 5 min · Guadalupe Parkway
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9
Take the exit slight right toward Santa Teresa Boulevard
2182 ft · 31 sec
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10
Continue on Santa Teresa Boulevard
673 ft · 23 sec · Santa Teresa Boulevard
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11
Turn left onto CA 85 South
1533 ft · 41 sec
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12
Merge slight left
4.7 mi · 5 min
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13
Continue on US 101 South
1922 ft · 27 sec
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14
Continue straight
20.3 mi · 23 min
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15
Take the exit slight right toward CA 152 East: 10th Street, Pacheco Pass Road
1539 ft · 40 sec
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16
Turn left onto East 10th Street
108 m · 13 sec · East 10th Street
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17
Continue on Pacheco Pass Highway
40.6 mi · 50 min · Pacheco Pass Highway
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18
Take the exit slight right toward I 5: Los Angeles
3148 ft · 1 min
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19
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
149.3 mi · 2 hr 40 min · Westside Freeway
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20
Take the exit slight right toward Stockdale Highway
1185 ft · 36 sec
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21
Turn left onto Stockdale Highway
4.8 mi · 7 min · Stockdale Highway
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22
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Stockdale Highway
39 m · 2 sec · Stockdale Highway
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23
Exit the roundabout onto Stockdale Highway
4.3 mi · 6 min · Stockdale Highway
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24
Continue on Westside Parkway
6.7 mi · 8 min · Westside Parkway
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25
Continue on Centennial Corridor
2.8 mi · 3 min · Centennial Corridor
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26
Continue on Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
54.8 mi · 1 hr 3 min · Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
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27
Continue on Barstow–Bakersfield Highway
2.2 mi · 3 min · Barstow–Bakersfield Highway
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28
Take the exit slight right toward CA 14: Bishop, Mojave
2375 ft · 56 sec
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29
Merge slight right onto Aerospace Highway
17.1 mi · 20 min · Aerospace Highway
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30
Continue on Midland Trail
1729 ft · 23 sec · Midland Trail
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31
Turn right onto Redrock Randsburg Road
12.1 mi · 17 min · Redrock Randsburg Road
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32
Continue on Garlock Road
8.4 mi · 12 min · Garlock Road
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33
At the end of the road, turn left onto Blue Star Memorial Highway
3.1 mi · 4 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway
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34
Turn right onto Searles Station Cutoff Road
6.3 mi · 11 min · Searles Station Cutoff Road
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35
Turn left onto Trona Road
8.5 mi · 15 min · Trona Road
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36
At the end of the road, turn right onto Trona Road
12.9 mi · 18 min · Trona Road
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37
Turn left onto 1st Street
1 km · 2 min · 1st Street
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38
Continue on Trona Dump Road
2777 ft · 2 min · Trona Dump Road
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39
Turn straight
1454 ft · 2 min
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40
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Jose 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
149 mi · 02h 40m
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 Jose 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 Jose to Searles Valley?
The road trip is about 369.7 miles (594.9 km) and usually takes 07h 25m 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?
Lost Hills is a useful midpoint, sitting about 184.8 miles from San Jose and 184.9 miles from Searles Valley.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 271.8 miles (437.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 97.9 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 $75.23 one way or $150.46 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 115.9 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Chance Light Rain around San Jose and Mostly Sunny near Searles Valley.
Stop Ideas Near Lost Hills
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 Lost Hills.
Wasco station
Kettleman City, California
Corcoran station
Bakersfield
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between San Jose and Searles Valley. Straight-line distance: 271.86 mi (437.51 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 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: 595 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 12h 19m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 09h 14m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 07h 23m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 06h 09m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 05h 16m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 04h 36m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $75.23 | $150.46 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $79.10 | $158.20 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $81.41 | $162.82 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $98.67 | $197.35 |
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.