Drive or Fly: Elk River, CA to Blue Lake, CA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for ACV–ACV. At 22 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

34m

Distance

22.1 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

2h 42m

2m in the air

Air Distance

14 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elk River, CA → ACV 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ACV → Blue Lake, CA 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Elk River, CA ACV — California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

Blue Lake, CA ACV — California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ACV and ACV. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

1h 28m

28m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elk River, CA → Eureka Amtrak Bus Stop 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 28m

Arrival 10m

Arcata → Blue Lake, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Eureka Amtrak Bus Stop 4 mi, ~10m drive

To Arcata 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	34m	2h 42m	1h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$1
Carbon footprint	9 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	0 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

22.1 mi 34m

via US 101, CA 299

Shortest (+0 min)

21.4 mi 34m

via US 101, CA 299

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Elk River, CA to Blue Lake, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.