Origin
Buttonwillow, CA
Night in Buttonwillow on Thursday
Local time
11:22 PM
PDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buttonwillow, CA to Bakersfield, CA
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
37m
Distance
27.5 mi
44 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buttonwillow, CA
Anna Arysheva
Bakersfield, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 27.5-mile drive from Buttonwillow to Bakersfield in California's Pacific Coast region should only take about 37 minutes, making it an easy addition to any itinerary. With a modest estimated fuel cost of $6, it's an economical choice for a quick transit. The route is primarily a mixed drive, with 42% on highways, suggesting a blend of faster travel and local road conditions. Given its short duration, this trip is perfectly suited as a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stops. It offers a practical way to connect two points within the same state, ideal for those looking for efficiency.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 27.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Buttonwillow to Bakersfield offers a mixed experience, with a significant 42% of the journey utilizing highway segments. You'll encounter Stockdale Highway for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 9.2 miles, providing a taste of the local road network before transitioning to the Westside Parkway and Westside Freeway. This blend means you'll experience both the feel of navigating through populated areas and the efficiency of higher-speed travel. The character of the road changes as you progress, moving from more rural or suburban settings into the larger urban environment of Bakersfield.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Stockdale Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 9.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Main Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 27.5 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (CA 58 / McKittrick Highway): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (CA 58): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Main Street
Turn left onto North Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CA 58 / McKittrick Highway
Turn left onto CA 58 / McKittrick Highway
Navigation decision point
4
4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
CA 58
Take the ramp onto CA 58
Navigation decision point
7
8.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
CA 58
Take the exit onto CA 58 toward Stockdale Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 253
Toward Stockdale Highway
4
8.8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
CA 58 / Stockdale Highway
Turn left onto CA 58 / Stockdale Highway
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Buttonwillow, CA to Bakersfield, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Stockdale Highway along the way.
Stockdale Highway
8.6 mi in
|
~11m
|
via CA 58
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Stockdale Highway | 9.2 mi | 12m |
| Westside Parkway | 6.7 mi | 7m |
| Westside Freeway | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| McKittrick Highway | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| Truxtun Avenue | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| CA 58 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Stockdale Highway
— 9.2 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buttonwillow, CA and Bakersfield, CA.
1
Start on East 1st Street
49 ft
·
7 sec
·
East 1st Street
2
Turn left onto North Main Street
347 ft
·
20 sec
·
North Main Street
3
Turn left onto CA 58
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
McKittrick Highway
4
Take the ramp onto CA 58
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
CA 58
5
Merge onto I 5
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Westside Freeway
6
Take the exit onto CA 58
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
CA 58
Exit 253
Toward Stockdale Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn left onto CA 58
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Stockdale Highway
8
Enter roundabout onto CA 58
126 ft
·
1 sec
·
Stockdale Highway
9
Continue on CA 58
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Stockdale Highway
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on Westside Parkway
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Westside Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
12
Turn straight onto Truxtun Avenue
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Truxtun Avenue
13
Arrive at destination
Truxtun Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.32 one way
$12.64 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $6.51 | $13.03 |
| premium | $6.18 | $6.69 | $13.38 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.07 | $12.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.89 | $1.32 |
| Efficient EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.41 | $1.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11 | 0 | $3.85 | $1.76 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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
Bakersfield, CA
Night in Bakersfield on Thursday
Local time
11:22 PM
PDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
27 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
37m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Buttonwillow, CA to Bakersfield, CA covers 27.5 miles and takes about 37m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Stockdale Highway, Westside Parkway, Westside Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13.7 miles from Buttonwillow, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.32 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 27.5 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (CA 58 / McKittrick Highway): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (CA 58): Navigation decision point.
On the drive from Buttonwillow, CA to Bakersfield, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Stockdale Highway along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include César E. Chávez National Monument.
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