SF area traffic?

A friend and I are doing a quick trip to the SF area to hike the Skyline to the Sea trail. We'll arrive at SFO late Friday night and shuttle to a nearby hotel, then rent a car early Sat. morning to stage a car at Waddell Beach. We'll need to drive back Monday evening - leaving around 6pm to drop the car at SFO (10:30 pm flight).

Google maps says the drive is 70 minutes. I've allocated 2 hours for the drive each way in our plans. Is that realistic? I know the traffic can be brutal, but don't have any first hand experience in the area.

Did you put in your specific estimated departure time and still got 70 minutes? If so, that's pretty good. I've done specific departure times in the past, but sometimes Google can give you a VERY big range (which is unhelpful when it says 40 - 120 minutes). Traffic is generally bad on weekdays after 2 pm until 8 pm or so, but if you allow 2 hours that should be enough. Just keep your fingers crossed there aren't any accidents. One bad accident and you're toast. If you use Waze, it can direct you around traffic and might shift you to 280 instead of 101 (which usually moves better). Good luck with the hike and the commute!

Your Saturday drive is early morning so should be ok.
monday evening you’ll be going against traffic, but once you get to the peninsula/Sfo area, it will probably be gridlock.
If you want to be safer, you could allow 2.5 hours on the return. You probably won’t need it, But personally I get stressed out these situations and like to allow plenty of time.

Thank you! We shifted our second overnight site to shorten the last days' hike. We fly out at 10:30 pm and only have 7 miles the last day. We should have a very large buffer. Ideally, we'll have enough time to get to SFO in time for a shower!

I did put in our specific times, but I worry that it's still a pretty tenuous estimate. Our next step is to somehow sort out a hiker shuttle so we can stage a rental car at the end, but still get back to the beginning to start.

Definitely use Waze!

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I’m impressed that you are doing this!!
btw, I too use Waze in these situations.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Globetrotter

I’m impressed that you are doing this!!
btw, I too use Waze in these situations.

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Thanks! It's a whirlwind, for sure. Definitely not our first backpacking trip, but the first time we've added in air travel. She has limited time away, so we're making the most of it.

Any time spent backpacking is better than no time!!!! Have fun!!