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

The driving distance from Willow Creek, CA to San Francisco, CA is about 316.1 miles (508.7 km), with a travel time of about 05h 42m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 228 miles (367 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 11h 24m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
316.11 mi
05h 42m
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 Willow Creek.

Flight Distance

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

Driving Distance

Road route
316.11 mi
Kilometers
508.73 km
Drive Time
05h 42m

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 05h 42m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in San Francisco
Sun, May 31, 8:40 AM PDT
Return by in Willow Creek
Sun, May 31, 2:22 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Willow Creek
2026-05-31T02:58
Arrive San Francisco
Sun, May 31, 8:40 AM PDT
Route Timing
05h 42m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:42 AM to 1:42 PM PDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
5:36 AM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Willow Creek
9:00 PM PDT
Early departure recommended

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 Willow Creek
157.9 mi
02h 51m
To San Francisco
158.3 mi
02h 51m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
1 to 9 mph NNW
Destination
82°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 9 mph W

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Bigfoot Scenic Byway

    21 m · 9 sec · Bigfoot Scenic Byway

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Trinity Highway / CA Hwy 299

    98.6 mi · 1 hr 57 min · Trinity Highway / CA Hwy 299

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Court Street

    888 ft · 25 sec · Court Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Tehama Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Tehama Street

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right toward I 5 South: Sacramento

    3233 ft · 55 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Cascade Wonderland Highway

    31.8 mi · 34 min · Cascade Wonderland Highway

  7. 7

    Continue on Westside Freeway

    93 mi · 1 hr 40 min · Westside Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on I 505 South: Winters, San Francisco

    33.2 mi · 36 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West: San Francisco

    2201 ft · 54 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    27.6 mi · 32 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  11. 11

    Continue on Carquinez Bridge

    1.6 km · 1 min · Carquinez Bridge

  12. 12

    Continue on Eastshore Freeway

    1847 ft · 24 sec · Eastshore Freeway

  13. 13

    Continue on Linus F. Claeys Freeway

    3.4 mi · 4 min · Linus F. Claeys Freeway

  14. 14

    Continue on Eastshore Freeway

    14 mi · 16 min · Eastshore Freeway

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight left toward San Francisco

    1.3 km · 1 min · Eastshore Freeway

  16. 16

    Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1941 ft · 33 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  17. 17

    Turn slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1959 ft · 33 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    5.5 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  19. 19

    Continue on Route 80

    1438 ft · 24 sec · Route 80

  20. 20

    Continue on Route 80

    1.2 km · 1 min · Route 80

  21. 21

    Continue on Route 80

    1893 ft · 32 sec · Route 80

  22. 22

    Keep slight right to continue on US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge

    1919 ft · 39 sec

  23. 23

    Merge slight right onto Central Freeway

    1462 ft · 25 sec · Central Freeway

  24. 24

    Continue on Octavia Boulevard

    2490 ft · 42 sec · Octavia Boulevard

  25. 25

    Turn right onto Market Street

    629 ft · 32 sec · Market Street

  26. 26

    Keep slight right to continue on Market Street

    961 ft · 35 sec · Market Street

  27. 27

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Market Street

Car Route Details

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

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
6
4 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Trinity Highway / CA Hwy 299
98.6 mi · 31%
Westside Freeway
93 mi · 29%
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
33.9 mi · 11%
I 505 South
33.2 mi · 10%
Cascade Wonderland Highway
31.8 mi · 10%
Eastshore Freeway
15.2 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Trinity Highway / CA Hwy 299

Turn left onto Trinity Highway / CA Hwy 299

98.6 mi · 01h 57m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
05h 42m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
11h 24m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+88.1 mi
228 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Orland
02h 51m from Willow Creek
Leave By
5:36 AM PDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Willow Creek 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 Willow Creek to San Francisco?

The road trip is about 316.1 miles (508.7 km) and usually takes 05h 42m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Orland is a useful midpoint, sitting about 157.9 miles from Willow Creek and 158.3 miles from San Francisco.

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 88.1 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 8:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 5:36 AM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $64.32 one way or $128.65 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 99.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

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 Willow Creek and San Francisco. Straight-line distance: 228.04 mi (366.99 km).

Willow Creek

#1 Willow Creek

Census-designated place in Humboldt County, California

Population1,710
Coordinates40.9395800, -123.6314400
Altitude186
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: Bigfoot Scenic Byway (-123.631395, 40.939569)
End: Market Street (-122.419433, 37.774953)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 509 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 31m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 54m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 19m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 16m
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
11.15 gal
42.22 L · about $64.32
Round trip
$128.65
22.3 gal · 84.44 L
Estimated CO2
99.1 kg one way
Round trip: 198.2 kg / 437 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $64.32 $128.65
Mid-grade $6.07 $67.64 $135.27
Premium $6.24 $69.61 $139.22
Diesel $7.57 $84.37 $168.74

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 Willow Creek and San Francisco. The current time is 02:58:46.

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.