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Trip from Oakhurst, CA to San Francisco, CA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

4h 8m

Distance

194.3 mi

313 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$45

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
3h 56m ★
6 AM
4h 9m
8 AM
4h 35m
10 AM
4h 18m
12 PM
4h 15m
3 PM
4h 19m
5 PM
4h 34m
8 PM
4h 1m

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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census-designated place (CDP) in Madera County, California, United States

Oakhurst, CA

Wikimedia Commons

consolidated city and county in California, United States

San Francisco, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Oakhurst, CA to San Francisco, CA covers 194.3 miles and takes about 4h 8m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on CA 99, Central Yosemite Highway, Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 53.7 miles on CA 99. At current regular gas prices, budget about $44.66 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

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

97.1 miles from Oakhurst, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 12m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 8m. Total distance: 194.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 4h 8m highway drive covering 194.3 miles, with most of the trip on CA 99 and Central Yosemite Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 53.7 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 32 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 53.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 99 and Central Yosemite Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 27 miles in near CA 140 / Central Yosemite Highway.

Driving Effort 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 23 significant decision points across 194.3 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 27 miles (CA 140 / Central Yosemite Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 157.3 miles (I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 169 miles (I 580 / MacArthur Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 23 key points

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

6
27 mi into trip | ~41m in | CA 140 / Central Yosemite Highway

Turn left onto CA 140 / Central Yosemite Highway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
6
157.3 mi into trip | ~3h 22m in | I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
169 mi into trip | ~3h 35m in | I 580 / MacArthur Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / MacArthur Freeway toward I 580: Oakland, San Francisco

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

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 580: Oakland, San Francisco
6
177.3 mi into trip | ~3h 45m in | I 580 / MacArthur Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 580 / MacArthur Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
192.9 mi into trip | ~4h 6m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 1B Toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
CA 99 53.7 mi 1h 2m
Central Yosemite Highway 35.6 mi 49m
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway 29.7 mi 34m
CA 49 26.2 mi 39m
MacArthur Freeway 15.5 mi 17m
Robert T. Monagan Freeway 13.9 mi 15m
CA 120 6.8 mi 7m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway 6 mi 9m
Longest stretch: CA 99 — 53.7 mi, about 1h 2m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Oakhurst, CA and San Francisco, CA.

1

Start on Chapel Hill Drive

96 ft · 8 sec · Chapel Hill Drive
2

Turn left onto Road 425B

161 ft · 7 sec · Road 425B
3

Continue on 426

0.4 mi · 1 min · Road 426
4

Turn left onto CA 41

0.3 mi · 40 sec · Southern Yosemite Highway
5

Turn right onto CA 49

21 mi · 31 min · CA 49
6

Turn straight onto CA 49

5.3 mi · 7 min · CA 49
7

Turn left

75 ft · 11 sec
8

Turn left onto CA 140

36 mi · 49 min · Central Yosemite Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
9

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 35 sec
10

Merge onto CA 99; CA 140

0.8 mi · 52 sec · CA 99; CA 140
11

Continue on CA 99; CA 59; CA 140

53 mi · 1 hr 2 min · CA 99; CA 59; CA 140
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 1 min
Toward CA 120 West: Manteca, San Francisco
13

Merge onto CA 120

6.8 mi · 7 min · CA 120
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Merge onto I 5

1.2 mi · 1 min · Westside Freeway
15

Keep slight right at fork onto I 205

14 mi · 15 min · Robert T. Monagan Freeway
16

Continue on I 580

18 mi · 20 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580

12 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580

8.3 mi · 9 min · MacArthur Freeway
Toward I 580: Oakland, San Francisco Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
19

Keep slight left at fork onto I 580

7.2 mi · 8 min · MacArthur Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 1 min
Exit 19A Toward I 80 West: San Francisco
21

Merge onto I 80

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Toward I 80 West: San Francisco Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22

Turn slight left onto I 80

0.4 mi · 33 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
23

Keep slight left at fork onto I 80

5.5 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the slight left lane.
24

Continue on I 80

0.3 mi · 24 sec · Route 80
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
25

Continue on I 80

0.8 mi · 1 min · Route 80
Exit 2A Use the straight / slight left lanes.
26

Continue on I 80

0.4 mi · 32 sec · Route 80
Exit 1A Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 38 sec
Exit 1B Toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28

Merge onto US 101

0.3 mi · 25 sec · Central Freeway
29

Continue on Octavia Boulevard

0.5 mi · 42 sec · Octavia Boulevard
Exit 434B Toward Octavia Boulevard, Fell Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30

Turn right onto Market Street

0.1 mi · 31 sec · Market Street
Use the right lane.
31

Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Market Street
32

Arrive at destination

Market Street

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 97.1 miles from Oakhurst, CA, or about 2h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 53.7 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 43 miles or 1h 4m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 97.1 miles or 2h 12m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 24m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Oakhurst, 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 Oakhurst, CA

This is one driving day of about 194.3 miles and 4h 8m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 miles from Oakhurst, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on CA 99 for about 53.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 97.1 mi from Oakhurst, CA · 2h 12m into the drive

city in Stanislaus County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Turlock, CA

97 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

Madera Acres, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Keyes, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 97.1 miles from Oakhurst, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in San Francisco, CA

The final approach into San Francisco, 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 San Francisco, CA.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Established in 1988, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park celebrates America’s maritime heritage on the Pacific Coast. Our 50-acre park has grown around Aquatic Park Cove, a protected area...

2 mi from route ~6 min detour Free near mile 194.3
View on nps.gov
Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park

Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths...

6 mi from route ~16 min detour Free near mile 187.6
View on nps.gov
Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history f...

12 mi from route ~29 min detour Free near mile 194.3
View on nps.gov
Muir Woods National Monument

Muir Woods National Monument

National Monument

Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908,...

12 mi from route ~30 min detour $15 near mile 194.3
View on nps.gov
Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

National Memorial

On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion jolted the San Francisco East Bay area, shattering windows and lighting up the night sky. At Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 320 men were killed instantly when two s...

21 mi from route ~52 min detour Free near mile 180.9
View on nps.gov
Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park

National Park

Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra. First protected in 1864, Yose...

30 mi from route ~74 min detour $35 near mile 13.4
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$44.66 one way

$89.32 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 68 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $46.02 $92.04
premium $6.18 $47.25 $94.50
diesel $5.61 $42.90 $85.80

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$45

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$70–$95

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 68 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 58.3 0 $20.40 $9.33
Efficient EV 48.6 0 $17.00 $7.77
EV Truck/SUV 77.7 0 $27.20 $12.44

Gas CO2

68 kg

EV CO2

23 kg (66% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Oakhurst, CA

Evening in Oakhurst on Thursday

Local time

6:16 PM

PDT

Current temp

39°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

San Francisco, CA

Evening in San Francisco on Thursday

Local time

6:16 PM

PDT

Current temp

44°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

5 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

4h 8m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Oakhurst, CA to San Francisco, CA covers 194.3 miles and takes about 4h 8m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are CA 99, Central Yosemite Highway, Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 97.1 miles from Oakhurst, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $44.66 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break 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 23 significant decision points across 194.3 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 27 miles (CA 140 / Central Yosemite Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 157.3 miles (I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 169 miles (I 580 / MacArthur Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Oakhurst, CA to San Francisco, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.

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