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Trip from Fresno, CA to Madera, CA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

28m

Distance

22.9 mi

37 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 26m ★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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county seat of Fresno County, California, United States

Fresno, CA

Wikimedia Commons

county seat of Madera County, California, United States

Madera, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Fresno, CA to Madera, CA covers 22.9 miles and takes about 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on CA 99, East Belmont Avenue, South Gateway Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.2 miles on CA 99. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.26 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 22.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

28m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 28m highway drive covering 22.9 miles, with most of the trip on CA 99 and East Belmont Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 18.2 miles on CA 99.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
CA 99 is the longest continuous segment at about 18.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 99 and East Belmont Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North First Street.

Driving Effort 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 22.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (North First Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (CA 99): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | North First Street

Turn right onto North First Street

Navigation decision point

5
3.3 mi into trip | ~6m in | CA 99

Merge onto CA 99

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
12.7 mi into trip | ~16m 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
6
22 mi into trip | ~26m in

Take the exit toward CA 145: Madera Avenue, Yosemite

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 153B Toward CA 145: Madera Avenue, Yosemite
8
22.2 mi into trip | ~27m in

Keep slight right at fork toward CA 145: Madera Avenue, Yosemite

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 153B Toward CA 145: Madera Avenue, Yosemite

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 Fresno, CA to Madera, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Avenue 7 along the way.

Avenue 7

12.7 mi in | ~16m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
CA 99 18.2 mi 20m
East Belmont Avenue 2.9 mi 5m
South Gateway Drive 0.4 mi <1m
South Madera Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
North First Street 0.2 mi <1m
East Washington Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
North Gateway Drive — —

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: CA 99 — 18.2 mi, about 20m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fresno, CA and Madera, CA.

1

Start on East Washington Avenue

28 ft · 3 sec · East Washington Avenue
2

Turn right onto North First Street

0.2 mi · 22 sec · North First Street
3

Turn left onto East Belmont Avenue

2.9 mi · 5 min · East Belmont Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Toward CA 99 North
5

Merge onto CA 99

9.4 mi · 10 min · CA 99
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 30 sec
Exit 144 Toward Avenue 7 Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Merge onto CA 99

8.8 mi · 9 min · CA 99
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 32 sec
Exit 153B Toward CA 145: Madera Avenue, Yosemite
9

Keep slight right at fork

246 ft · 6 sec
Exit 153B Toward CA 145: Madera Avenue, Yosemite
10

Continue on CA 145

0.2 mi · 17 sec · South Madera Avenue
11

Continue on CA 145

0.4 mi · 41 sec · South Gateway Drive
12

Arrive at destination

North Gateway Drive

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.26 one way

$10.53 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $5.42 $10.85
premium $6.18 $5.57 $11.14
diesel $5.61 $5.06 $10.11

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6.9 0 $2.40 $1.10
Efficient EV 5.7 0 $2.00 $0.92
EV Truck/SUV 9.2 0 $3.21 $1.47

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 14, 2026

Origin

Fresno, CA

Morning in Fresno on Thursday

Local time

8:38 AM

PDT

Current temp

48°F

Mostly Clear

0 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Lake Wind Advisory

Lake Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 12:37AM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Reno NV

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 12:37AM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Reno NV

Destination

Madera, CA

Morning in Madera on Thursday

Local time

8:38 AM

PDT

Current temp

45°F

Mostly Clear

NW 0 to 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Lake Wind Advisory

Lake Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 12:37AM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Reno NV

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 12:37AM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Reno NV

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

3 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

28m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Fresno, CA to Madera, CA covers 22.9 miles and takes about 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are CA 99, East Belmont Avenue, South Gateway Drive. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.4 miles from Fresno, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.26 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 is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 22.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North First Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (CA 99): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Fresno, CA to Madera, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Avenue 7 along the way.

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