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Trip from McFarland, CA to Ricardo, CA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 4m

Distance

106.7 mi

172 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$25

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min
4 AM
1h 56m ★
6 AM
2h 5m
8 AM
2h 22m
10 AM
2h 11m
12 PM
2h 9m
3 PM
2h 12m
5 PM
2h 22m
8 PM
1h 59m

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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Downtown McFarland, CA, CA

McFarland, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Downtown Ricardo, CA, CA

Ricardo, CA

Efrem Efre

Trip Overview

The drive from McFarland, CA to Ricardo, CA covers 106.7 miles and takes about 2h 4m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway, Aerospace Highway, Golden State Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 55.3 miles on Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $24.52 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

53.3 miles from McFarland, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 4m. Total distance: 106.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 4m drive with frequent turns across 106.7 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 55.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 2nd Street.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 106.7 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: near the start (2nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 22.5 miles (CA 99 / Golden State Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 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 | 2nd Street

Turn right onto 2nd Street

Navigation decision point

7
22.5 mi into trip | ~24m in | CA 99 / Golden State Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto CA 99 / Golden State Freeway toward CA 99 South: Los Angeles

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward CA 99 South: Los Angeles
8
25.8 mi into trip | ~28m in

Take the exit toward CA 58 East: Stockdale, Mojave, Tehachapi

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 24 Toward CA 58 East: Stockdale, Mojave, Tehachapi
8
25.9 mi into trip | ~28m in

Keep slight left at fork toward CA 58 East: Mojave, Tehachapi

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward CA 58 East: Mojave, Tehachapi
7
26.9 mi into trip | ~29m in | Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway toward CA 58

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward CA 58

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between McFarland, CA and Ricardo, CA, road signs point toward Mojave and Tehachapi.

Mojave

25.8 mi in | ~28m

Tehachapi

25.8 mi in | ~28m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway 55.3 mi 1h 3m
Aerospace Highway 17.1 mi 19m
Golden State Highway 16.8 mi 18m
Golden State Freeway 8.5 mi 9m
Midland Trail 4.3 mi 5m
Barstow–Bakersfield Highway 2.2 mi 2m
Abbott Drive 0.8 mi 2m
2nd Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway — 55.3 mi, about 1h 3m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between McFarland, CA and Ricardo, CA.

1

Start on West Kern Avenue

21 ft · 3 sec · West Kern Avenue
2

Turn right onto 2nd Street

0.2 mi · 43 sec · 2nd Street
3

Turn left onto West Sherwood Avenue

370 ft · 9 sec · West Sherwood Avenue
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Toward CA 99 South
5

Merge onto CA 99

17 mi · 18 min · Golden State Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Continue on CA 99

5.2 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto CA 99

3.3 mi · 3 min · Golden State Freeway
Toward CA 99 South: Los Angeles Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 8 sec
Exit 24 Toward CA 58 East: Stockdale, Mojave, Tehachapi Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 40 sec
Toward CA 58 East: Mojave, Tehachapi Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway

0.3 mi · 22 sec · Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
Toward CA 58
11

Keep slight left at fork onto Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway

55 mi · 1 hr 3 min · Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
Toward CA 58 Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Continue on CA 58

2.2 mi · 2 min · Barstow–Bakersfield Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 56 sec
Toward CA 14: Bishop, Mojave
14

Merge onto CA 14; US 6 Hist

17 mi · 19 min · Aerospace Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Continue on CA 14; US 6 Hist

4.3 mi · 5 min · Midland Trail
16

Turn left onto Abbott Drive

0.8 mi · 2 min · Abbott Drive
17

Arrive at destination

Abbott Drive

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 53.3 miles from McFarland, CA, or about 1h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55.3 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 23 miles or 25m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 53.3 miles or 1h in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 40m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ricardo, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving McFarland, 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from McFarland, CA

This is one driving day of about 106.7 miles and 2h 4m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from McFarland, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway for about 55.3 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 53.3 mi from McFarland, CA · 1h into the drive

Downtown Tehachapi, CA, CA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Tehachapi, CA

53 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

Oildale, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 23 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Tehachapi, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 53.3 miles from McFarland, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Ricardo, CA

The final approach into Ricardo, 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 Ricardo, CA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$24.52 one way

$49.05 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 37 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $25.27 $50.54
premium $6.18 $25.95 $51.90
diesel $5.61 $23.56 $47.12

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$25

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$50–$75

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 37.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 32 0 $11.20 $5.12
Efficient EV 26.7 0 $9.34 $4.27
EV Truck/SUV 42.7 0 $14.94 $6.83

Gas CO2

37 kg

EV CO2

12 kg (68% 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

McFarland, CA

Afternoon in McFarland on Thursday

Local time

2:42 PM

PDT

Current temp

73°F

Sunny

NNW 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 2:09PM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Reno NV

Lake Wind Advisory

Lake Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 2:09PM PDT until April 16 at 7:00AM PDT by NWS Reno NV

Destination

Ricardo, CA

Afternoon in Ricardo on Thursday

Local time

2:42 PM

PDT

Current temp

73°F

Sunny

WSW 15 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 2:09PM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Reno NV

Lake Wind Advisory

Lake Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 2:09PM PDT until April 16 at 7:00AM PDT by NWS Reno NV

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

2h 4m 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 McFarland, CA to Ricardo, CA covers 106.7 miles and takes about 2h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway, Aerospace Highway, Golden State Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 53.3 miles from McFarland, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $24.52 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 demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 106.7 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: near the start (2nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 22.5 miles (CA 99 / Golden State Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between McFarland, CA and Ricardo, CA, road signs point toward Mojave and Tehachapi.

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