Origin
Willow Creek, CA
Night in Willow Creek on Saturday
Local time
9:36 PM
PDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Willow Creek, CA to Blue Lake, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
32.2 mi
52 km
Drive Score
5/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
6 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Willow Creek, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Blue Lake, CA
Roman Lukyanenko
Trip Overview
Connecting Willow Creek to Blue Lake, this 32.2-mile journey is a quick trip that takes roughly 38 minutes to complete. Because of the manageable distance, it serves perfectly as a simple day trip that requires no overnight stay. You can expect to spend about $7 on fuel for the trek, making it an affordable local outing. The route keeps you entirely within the Pacific Coast region, transitioning you between these two California towns. It is a straightforward drive that works well if you are looking for a quick change of scenery without the hassle of a long-haul journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Trinity Highway | 31.5 mi | 35m |
| Blue Lake Boulevard | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| Bigfoot Scenic Byway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Trinity Highway
— 31.5 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Willow Creek, CA and Blue Lake, CA.
1
Start on CA 96
69 ft
·
5 sec
·
Bigfoot Scenic Byway
2
Turn right onto CA 299
32 mi
·
35 min
·
Trinity Highway
3
Turn left onto Blue Lake Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Blue Lake Boulevard
4
Continue on Blue Lake Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Blue Lake Boulevard
5
Arrive at destination
Blue Lake Boulevard
Heads-up: tricky spots
2 of 22 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 31.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CA 299 / Trinity Highway
Turn right onto CA 299 / Trinity Highway
Navigation decision point
3
31.6 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
Blue Lake Boulevard
Turn left onto Blue Lake Boulevard
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.40 one way
$14.80 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $7.63 | $15.25 |
| premium | $6.18 | $7.83 | $15.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.11 | $14.22 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.38 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.82 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.51 | $2.06 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Blue Lake, CA
Night in Blue Lake on Saturday
Local time
9:36 PM
PDT
Current temp
45°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
13 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
38m 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 turn-heavy local drive as you navigate the transition between Willow Creek and Blue Lake. You will spend your time on the Trinity Highway, the Bigfoot Scenic Byway, and Blue Lake Boulevard rather than high-speed interstates. In fact, this route features a 0% highway share, meaning you will be focused on local roads for the duration of the trip. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on the Trinity Highway, which spans 31.5 miles of the total distance. Be prepared for a winding experience that demands your attention behind the wheel more than a typical highway cruise would.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
5 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.5 mi on Trinity Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CA 299 / Trinity Highway.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Willow Creek, CA to Blue Lake, CA is easy. At 38m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CA 299 / Trinity Highway): Navigation decision point; at 31.6 miles (Blue Lake Boulevard): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
2,635 ft
130 ft
Total Climb
3,226 ft
Total Descent
3,688 ft
Highest Point
2,635 ft
~9.2 mi in
Elevation Range
2,505 ft
Notable High Points
2,258 ft at ~20.7 miles
+671 ft prominence
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 32.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m 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
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.5 miles on Trinity Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (CA 299 / Trinity Highway): Navigation decision point; at 31.6 miles (Blue Lake Boulevard): 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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