Origin
Bakersfield, CA
Late night in Bakersfield on Wednesday
Local time
3:31 AM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bakersfield, CA to Chico, CA
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
7h 1m
Distance
365.7 mi
588 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$84
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 50m
★
6 AM
7h 1m
8 AM
7h 24m
10 AM
7h 9m
12 PM
7h 7m
3 PM
7h 10m
5 PM
7h 23m
8 PM
6h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bakersfield, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Chico, CA
Efrem Efre
Trip Overview
The drive from Bakersfield, CA to Chico, CA covers 365.7 miles and takes about 7h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Golden State Highway, Northbound California State Route 99, CA 99 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 120.6 miles on Golden State Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $84.05 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
182.8 miles from Bakersfield, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 23m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
This is a 7h 1m highway drive covering 365.7 miles, with most of the trip on Golden State Highway and Northbound California State Route 99. The longest continuous stretch is about 120.6 miles on Golden State Highway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 38 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Golden State Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 120.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Golden State Highway and Northbound California State Route 99. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 119.9 miles in.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 26 significant decision points across 365.7 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 119.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 276 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 276.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 26 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
119.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 11m in
Take the exit toward Avenue 7
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 144
Toward Avenue 7
8
276 mi into trip
|
~5h 11m in
Take the exit toward I 5: Los Angeles, Redding
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 4A
Toward I 5: Los Angeles, Redding
9
276.2 mi into trip
|
~5h 12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 5 North: Redding
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 4A
Toward I 5 North: Redding
8
283.4 mi into trip
|
~5h 21m in
|
CA 99 / Golden State Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99 / Golden State Highway toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysvill...
8
295.9 mi into trip
|
~5h 35m in
|
CA 70
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70 toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bakersfield, CA and Chico, CA, road signs point toward Avenue 7, Lake Tahoe, Redding, Marysville and Oroville.
Avenue 7
119.9 mi in
|
~2h 11m
Lake Tahoe
273.5 mi in
|
~5h 8m
Redding
276 mi in
|
~5h 11m
Marysville
283.4 mi in
|
~5h 21m
|
via CA 99
Oroville
295.9 mi in
|
~5h 35m
|
via CA 70
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Golden State Highway | 120.6 mi | 2h 10m |
| Northbound California State Route 99 | 84.6 mi | 1h 38m |
| CA 99 | 73.1 mi | 1h 23m |
| CA 70 | 52 mi | 1h |
| Westside Freeway | 6.7 mi | 7m |
| CA 149 | 5.7 mi | 6m |
| Golden State Freeway | 5.2 mi | 5m |
| Bernie Richter Memorial Highway | 5 mi | 5m |
Longest stretch:
Golden State Highway
— 120.6 mi, about 2h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bakersfield, CA and Chico, CA.
1
Start on Truxtun Avenue
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Truxtun Avenue
2
Continue on Truxtun Avenue
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Truxtun Avenue
3
Turn right onto Chester Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Chester Avenue
4
Enter roundabout onto Golden State Road
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Golden State Road
5
Continue on Golden State Road
427 ft
·
8 sec
·
Golden State Road
6
Take the ramp
395 ft
·
10 sec
7
Merge onto CA 204; CA 99 BUS
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto CA 99
5.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on CA 99
111 mi
·
2 hr
·
Golden State Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 144
Toward Avenue 7
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto CA 99
21 mi
·
24 min
·
CA 99
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99
85 mi
·
1 hr 38 min
·
Northbound California State Route 99
Toward CA 99
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on CA 99
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Highway
14
Continue on CA 99
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Old U.S. Route 99E
15
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 99
44 mi
·
50 min
·
CA 99
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
Toward US 50 West, US 50 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 50 West: San Francisco
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on US 50
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Capital City Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 4A
Toward I 5: Los Angeles, Redding
Use the slight right lane.
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 4A
Toward I 5 North: Redding
Use the slight right lane.
21
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward I 5: Redding
22
Merge onto I 5
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99
7.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Golden State Highway
Toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Continue on CA 99
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Bernie Richter Memorial Highway
25
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70
22 mi
·
25 min
·
CA 70
Toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Turn right onto 5th Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
5th Street
27
Turn left onto B Street
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
B Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
28
Continue on CA 70
30 mi
·
35 min
·
CA 70
Use the left lane.
29
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 149
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
CA 149
Use the straight lane.
30
Merge onto CA 99
7.6 mi
·
8 min
·
CA 99
Use the straight lane.
31
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Toward Skyway
32
Turn left onto Skyway Road
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
Skyway Road
33
Continue on East Park Avenue
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
East Park Avenue
34
Turn slight right
150 ft
·
6 sec
35
Turn straight onto Park Avenue
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Park Avenue
36
Continue on Main Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
37
Turn right onto East 5th Street
165 ft
·
7 sec
·
East 5th Street
38
Arrive at destination
East 5th Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 182.8 miles from Bakersfield, CA, or about 3h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 120.6 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 80 miles or 1h 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 182.8 miles or 3h 23m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chico, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bakersfield, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Bakersfield, CA
This is one driving day of about 365.7 miles and 7h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Bakersfield, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Golden State Highway for about 120.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 182.8 mi from Bakersfield, CA · 3h 23m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
183 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 182.8 miles from Bakersfield, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Golden State Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 120.6 miles.
Arriving in Chico, CA
The final approach into Chico, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Chico, CA.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$84.05 one way
$168.11 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
128 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $86.62 | $173.23 |
| premium | $6.18 | $88.93 | $177.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $80.74 | $161.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$84
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$109–$134
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 128 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $38 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 109.7 | 1 | $38.40 | $17.55 |
| Efficient EV | 91.4 | 1 | $32.00 | $14.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 146.3 | 1 | $51.20 | $23.40 |
Gas CO2
128 kg
EV CO2
43 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Chico, CA
Late night in Chico on Wednesday
Local time
3:31 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
14 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
7h 1m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Bakersfield, CA to Chico, CA covers 365.7 miles and takes about 7h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Golden State Highway, Northbound California State Route 99, CA 99. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 182.8 miles from Bakersfield, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $84.05 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 26 significant decision points across 365.7 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 119.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 276 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 276.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Bakersfield, CA and Chico, CA, road signs point toward Avenue 7, Lake Tahoe, Redding, Marysville and Oroville.
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