Origin
Elk River, CA
Morning in Elk River on Tuesday
Local time
10:08 AM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elk River, CA to Blue Lake, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
22.1 mi
36 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elk River, CA
Dick Hoskins
Blue Lake, CA
Roman Lukyanenko
Trip Overview
This quick 22.1-mile drive from Elk River to Blue Lake in California's Pacific Coast region should take you about 34 minutes to complete. It's a straightforward trip, with the majority of your time spent on local roads and a smaller portion on the Redwood Highway and CA 299. With an estimated fuel cost of just $5, this route is an easy and affordable addition to any Pacific Coast itinerary. Since it's so short, it's perfect for a same-day excursion, offering flexibility in your schedule without needing an overnight stay. You'll find this journey is best characterized as a turn-heavy local drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Redwood Highway | 8.7 mi | 11m |
| CA 299 | 5.1 mi | 5m |
| Walnut Drive | 3 mi | 5m |
| Harrison Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Ridgewood Drive | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Blue Lake Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Myrtle Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Redwood Highway
— 8.7 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elk River, CA and Blue Lake, CA.
1
Start on Elk River Road
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Elk River Road
2
At end of road, turn right onto Ridgewood Drive
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Ridgewood Drive
3
Continue on Walnut Drive
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Walnut Drive
4
At end of road, turn right onto Hemlock Street
235 ft
·
6 sec
·
Hemlock Street
5
Continue on Dolbeer Street
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Dolbeer Street
6
Turn right onto Manzanita Avenue
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Manzanita Avenue
7
Turn left onto Harrison Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Harrison Avenue
8
At end of road, turn left onto Myrtle Avenue
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Myrtle Avenue
9
Turn right onto West Avenue
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
West Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on V Street
204 ft
·
4 sec
·
V Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto US 101
8.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Redwood Highway
Use the straight lane.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward CA 299 East: Blue Lake, Willow Creek
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on CA 299
5.1 mi
·
5 min
·
CA 299
14
Take the exit
160 ft
·
3 sec
15
Continue on 5
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
5
16
Keep slight right at fork onto 5
406 ft
·
10 sec
·
5
17
Continue on Blue Lake Boulevard
409 ft
·
11 sec
·
Blue Lake Boulevard
18
Enter roundabout onto Blue Lake Boulevard
83 ft
·
2 sec
·
Blue Lake Boulevard
19
Continue on Blue Lake Boulevard
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Blue Lake Boulevard
20
Arrive at destination
Blue Lake Boulevard
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 15.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Ridgewood Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Ridgewood Drive
Navigation decision point
5
4.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
Hemlock Street
At end of road, turn right onto Hemlock Street
Navigation decision point
5
4.6 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
Manzanita Avenue
Turn right onto Manzanita Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
6.7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
West Avenue
Turn right onto West Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
15.7 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward CA 299 East: Blue Lake, Willow Creek
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.
Toward CA 299 East: Blue Lake, Willow Creek
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.08 one way
$10.16 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $5.23 | $10.47 |
| premium | $6.18 | $5.37 | $10.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.88 | $9.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.32 | $1.06 |
| Efficient EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.93 | $0.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.09 | $1.41 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Blue Lake, CA
Morning in Blue Lake on Tuesday
Local time
10:08 AM
PDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1 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
34m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a dynamic driving experience on this route, which features a 23% highway share. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 8.7 miles on the Redwood Highway, so be prepared for frequent turns and adjustments. This drive is best described as a turn-heavy local drive, meaning you'll navigate through more intricate local roads rather than long, open highways. The character of the road will likely change as you transition between the main highways and the local Walnut Drive, requiring your attention throughout the 34-minute journey.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.7 mi on Redwood Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Ridgewood Drive.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 22.1 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Ridgewood Drive): Navigation decision point; at 4.4 miles (Hemlock Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.6 miles (Manzanita Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Elk River, CA to Blue Lake, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Willow Creek along the way.
Willow Creek
15.7 mi in
|
~25m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 22.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.7 miles on Redwood Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Blue Lake, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Ridgewood Drive): Navigation decision point; at 4.4 miles (Hemlock Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.6 miles (Manzanita Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Blue Lake, CA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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