How far is Scotts Valley, CA from San Francisco, CA?

The driving distance from Scotts Valley, CA to San Francisco, CA is about 70.2 miles (112.9 km), with a travel time of about 01h 13m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 54.7 miles (88.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 26m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
70.16 mi
01h 13m
Flight
54.72 mi
88.07 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Scotts Valley.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
54.72 mi
Kilometers
88.07 km
Flight Time
00h 06m

Driving Distance

Road route
70.16 mi
Kilometers
112.91 km
Drive Time
01h 13m

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 01h 13m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in San Francisco
Thu, Apr 16, 7:49 AM PDT
Return by in Scotts Valley
Thu, Apr 16, 9:02 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Scotts Valley
2026-04-16T06:36
Arrive San Francisco
Thu, Apr 16, 7:49 AM PDT
Route Timing
01h 13m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:13 AM to 11:13 AM PDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:04 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Scotts Valley
9:30 PM PDT
Morning start is best

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
Palo Alto
CA

The most populous city in Santa Clara County, California.

From Scotts Valley
33.8 mi
00h 36m
To San Francisco
36.4 mi
00h 36m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
64°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
8 to 17 mph NNW
Destination
69°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 8 mph NNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Scotts Valley and San Francisco.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Scotts Valley and San Francisco.

  1. 1

    Start on Scotts Valley Drive

    1.5 km · 2 min · Scotts Valley Drive

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Granite Creek Road

    1292 ft · 34 sec · Granite Creek Road

  3. 3

    Take the ramp left

    874 ft · 11 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left onto Santa Cruz Highway

    15.8 mi · 23 min · Santa Cruz Highway

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 85 North, CA 85 South: Mountain View, Gilroy

    1031 ft · 20 sec

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on CA 85 North: Mountain View

    2190 ft · 42 sec

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on CA 85 North: Mountain View

    558 ft · 14 sec

  8. 8

    Continue straight

    966 ft · 24 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on CA 85: Mountain View

    2157 ft · 55 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto West Valley Freeway

    12.7 mi · 15 min · West Valley Freeway

  11. 11

    Continue on US 101 North: San Francisco

    2931 ft · 41 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Bayshore Freeway

    30.2 mi · 35 min · Bayshore Freeway

  13. 13

    Continue on James Lick Freeway

    4.2 mi · 6 min · James Lick Freeway

  14. 14

    Continue on Central Freeway

    1.3 km · 1 min · Central Freeway

  15. 15

    Continue on Octavia Boulevard

    2490 ft · 42 sec · Octavia Boulevard

  16. 16

    Turn right onto Market Street

    629 ft · 32 sec · Market Street

  17. 17

    Keep slight right to continue on Market Street

    961 ft · 35 sec · Market Street

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Market Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Scotts Valley and San Francisco.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
18 steps
2 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
3 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
25.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Bayshore Freeway
30.2 mi · 43%
Santa Cruz Highway
15.8 mi · 22%
West Valley Freeway
12.7 mi · 18%
James Lick Freeway
4.2 mi · 6%
Scotts Valley Drive
0.92 mi · 1%
CA 85 North
0.9 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Bayshore Freeway

Merge slight left onto Bayshore Freeway

30.2 mi · 00h 35m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 13m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 26m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+15.5 mi
54.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Palo Alto
00h 36m from Scotts Valley
Leave By
4:04 PM PDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Scotts Valley and Sunny near San Francisco.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Scotts Valley to San Francisco?

The road trip is about 70.2 miles (112.9 km) and usually takes 01h 13m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Palo Alto is a useful midpoint, sitting about 33.8 miles from Scotts Valley and 36.4 miles from San Francisco.

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

The direct path is about 54.7 miles (88.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 15.5 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:04 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $14.31 one way or $28.61 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 22 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Scotts Valley and Sunny near San Francisco.

Stop Ideas Near Palo Alto

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Palo Alto, 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 Palo Alto.

RAIL

Fremont station

18 mi away
37260 Fremont Blvd.
RAIL

Santa Clara – Great America station

19 mi away
5099 Stars & Stripes Dr.
BUS

Santa Clara station

21 mi away
1001 Railroad Ave.
BUS

Fremont (San Joaquin Buses), California

22 mi away
999 Upper Mission Blvd

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Scotts Valley and San Francisco. Straight-line distance: 54.72 mi (88.07 km).

Scotts Valley

#1 Scotts Valley

City in Santa Cruz County, California, United States

Population11,995
Coordinates37.0510600, -122.0146800
Altitude171
CountryUnited States
San Francisco

#2 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
Start: Scotts Valley Drive (-122.014681, 37.051044)
End: Market Street (-122.419433, 37.774953)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 113 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)02h 20m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 45m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 24m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 10m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 00m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 52m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
2.48 gal
9.37 L · about $14.31
Round trip
$28.61
4.96 gal · 18.74 L
Estimated CO2
22 kg one way
Round trip: 44.1 kg / 97 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $14.31 $28.61
Mid-grade $6.07 $15.04 $30.09
Premium $6.24 $15.48 $30.97
Diesel $7.57 $18.77 $37.53

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 16, 2026

There is no time difference between Scotts Valley and San Francisco. The current time is 06:36:03.

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.