Origin
Oakland, CA
Morning in Oakland on Friday
Local time
9:03 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oakland, CA to Blackhawk, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
30 mi
48 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oakland, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Blackhawk, CA
Veronika Andrews
Trip Overview
The drive from Oakland, CA to Blackhawk, CA covers 30 miles and takes about 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Caldecott Tunnel, Donald D Doyle Highway, Grove Shafter Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8.8 miles on Caldecott Tunnel. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.90 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 30 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 45m drive with frequent turns across 30 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Caldecott Tunnel is the longest continuous segment at about 8.8 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 around 14.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 30 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 14.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.1 miles (I 680 / Donald D Doyle Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
14.5 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward I 680 South: Mount Diablo Boulevard, San Jose
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 680 South: Mount Diablo Boulevard, San...
6
14.8 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 680 South: San Jose, Dublin, South Main Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 680 South: San Jose, Dublin, South Mai...
6
17.1 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 680 / Donald D Doyle Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 680 / Donald D Doyle Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
22.4 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward Sycamore Valley Road East, Sycamore Valley Road West
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 38
Toward Sycamore Valley Road East, Sycamore Vall...
6
29.4 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
Eagle Nest Place
Enter roundabout onto Eagle Nest Place
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Oakland, CA and Blackhawk, CA, road signs point toward San Jose, Dublin, Sycamore Valley Road East and Sycamore Valley Road West.
San Jose
14.5 mi in
|
~18m
Dublin
14.8 mi in
|
~19m
Sycamore Valley Road East
22.4 mi in
|
~28m
Sycamore Valley Road West
22.4 mi in
|
~28m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Caldecott Tunnel | 8.8 mi | 10m |
| Donald D Doyle Highway | 6.7 mi | 7m |
| Grove Shafter Freeway | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| Camino Tassajara | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Sycamore Valley Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Blackhawk Drive | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Blackhawk Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Eagle Ridge Drive | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Caldecott Tunnel
— 8.8 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oakland, CA and Blackhawk, CA.
1
Start on 14th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
14th Street
2
Turn right onto Castro Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Castro Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 980 East, CA 24: Walnut Creek, San Francisco, Hayward
4
Merge onto I 980
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
·
John B. Williams Freeway
5
Continue on I 980
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Grove Shafter Freeway
Toward CA 24: Berkeley, Walnut Creek
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 24
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Grove Shafter Freeway
7
Continue on CA 24
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Caldecott Tunnel
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 680 South: Mount Diablo Boulevard, San Jose
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 680 South: San Jose, Dublin, South Main Street
10
Merge onto I 680
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
11
Continue on I 680
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Donald D Doyle Highway
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 680
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Donald D Doyle Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
502 ft
·
12 sec
Exit 38
Toward Sycamore Valley Road East, Sycamore Valley Road West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward Sycamore Valley Road East
15
Turn straight onto Sycamore Valley Road
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Sycamore Valley Road
Use the straight lane.
16
Continue on Camino Tassajara
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Camino Tassajara
17
Turn left onto Blackhawk Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Blackhawk Road
Use the left lane.
18
Turn right onto Blackhawk Drive
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Blackhawk Drive
19
Enter roundabout onto Eagle Nest Place
146 ft
·
12 sec
·
Eagle Nest Place
20
Continue on Eagle Nest Place
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Eagle Nest Place
21
Turn left onto Eagle Ridge Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Eagle Ridge Drive
22
Arrive at destination
Eagle Ridge Place
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 15 mi from Oakland, CA · 19m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
15 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 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15 miles from Oakland, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Blackhawk, CA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Blackhawk, CA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.90 one way
$13.79 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $7.11 | $14.21 |
| premium | $6.18 | $7.30 | $14.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.62 | $13.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.63 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.20 | $1.92 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (60% 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
Blackhawk, CA
Morning in Blackhawk on Friday
Local time
9:03 AM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
45m 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 Oakland, CA to Blackhawk, CA covers 30 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Caldecott Tunnel, Donald D Doyle Highway, Grove Shafter Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15 miles from Oakland, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.90 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 17 decision points packed into just 30 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
The main spots that need attention: at 14.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.1 miles (I 680 / Donald D Doyle Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Oakland, CA and Blackhawk, CA, road signs point toward San Jose, Dublin, Sycamore Valley Road East and Sycamore Valley Road West.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial. There are 5 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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