Origin
Tehachapi, CA
Night in Tehachapi on Thursday
Local time
9:24 PM
PDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tehachapi, CA to Ricardo, CA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
50m
Distance
40.8 mi
66 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tehachapi, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Ricardo, CA
Efrem Efre
Trip Overview
The drive from Tehachapi, CA to Ricardo, CA covers 40.8 miles and takes about 50m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Aerospace Highway, Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway, Midland Trail for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.1 miles on Aerospace Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.38 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 40.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 50m drive with frequent turns across 40.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 10 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Aerospace Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 17.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CA 58 Business / West Tehachapi Boulevard.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 50m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CA 58 Business / West Tehachapi Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (CA 58 / Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 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
|
CA 58 Business / West Tehachapi Boulevard
Turn right onto CA 58 Business / West Tehachapi Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
2.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
3
2.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CA 58 / Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
Merge onto CA 58 / Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
5
18.2 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward CA 14: Bishop, Mojave
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CA 14: Bishop, Mojave
5
18.6 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
CA 14; US 6 Hist / Aerospace Highway
Merge onto CA 14; US 6 Hist / Aerospace Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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 Tehachapi, CA to Ricardo, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Mojave along the way.
Mojave
18.2 mi in
|
~22m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Highway | 17.1 mi | 19m |
| Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway | 13.4 mi | 15m |
| Midland Trail | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| Barstow–Bakersfield Highway | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| West Tehachapi Boulevard | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Abbott Drive | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| South Curry Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Aerospace Highway
— 17.1 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tehachapi, CA and Ricardo, CA.
1
Start on CR 174
46 ft
·
5 sec
·
South Curry Street
2
Turn right onto CA 58 Business
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
West Tehachapi Boulevard
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
4
Merge onto CA 58
13 mi
·
15 min
·
Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
5
Continue on CA 58
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Barstow–Bakersfield Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward CA 14: Bishop, Mojave
7
Merge onto CA 14; US 6 Hist
17 mi
·
19 min
·
Aerospace Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on CA 14; US 6 Hist
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Midland Trail
9
Turn left onto Abbott Drive
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Abbott Drive
10
Arrive at destination
Abbott Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.4 mi from Tehachapi, CA · 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.4 miles from Tehachapi, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ricardo, CA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Ricardo, 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
$9.38 one way
$18.76 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $9.66 | $19.33 |
| premium | $6.18 | $9.92 | $19.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.01 | $18.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.28 | $1.96 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.71 | $2.61 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Ricardo, CA
Night in Ricardo on Thursday
Local time
9:24 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
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
12 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
50m 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 Tehachapi, CA to Ricardo, CA covers 40.8 miles and takes about 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Aerospace Highway, Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway, Midland Trail. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.4 miles from Tehachapi, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.38 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 straightforward 50m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CA 58 Business / West Tehachapi Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (CA 58 / Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
On the drive from Tehachapi, CA to Ricardo, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Mojave along the way.
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