Origin
Arcata, CA
Morning in Arcata on Saturday
Local time
9:24 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arcata, CA to Glendale, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8m
Distance
6.5 mi
10 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 8m
★
6 AM
0h 9m
8 AM
0h 10m
10 AM
0h 9m
12 PM
0h 9m
3 PM
0h 9m
5 PM
0h 10m
8 PM
0h 8m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arcata, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Arcata, CA to Glendale, CA covers 6.5 miles and takes about 8m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on CA 299, Redwood Highway, Glendale Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 3.6 miles on CA 299. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.49 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 8m. Total distance: 6.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
The drive from Arcata, CA to Glendale, CA covers 6.5 miles and takes about 8m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 8 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
CA 299 is the longest continuous segment at about 3.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 101 / Redwood Highway.
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 8m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 101 / Redwood Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.9 miles (4): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
4 of 4 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 101 / Redwood Highway
Merge onto US 101 / Redwood Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
2 mi into trip
|
~2m 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
3
5.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
4
Take the exit onto 4
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
5
6.2 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
Glendale Drive
Turn left onto Glendale Drive
Navigation decision point
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 Arcata, CA to Glendale, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Willow Creek along the way.
Willow Creek
2 mi in
|
~2m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 299 | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| Redwood Highway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Glendale Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 4 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CA 299
— 3.6 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arcata, CA and Glendale, CA.
1
Start on this road
296 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Merge onto US 101
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Redwood Highway
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward CA 299 East: Blue Lake, Willow Creek
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Continue on CA 299
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
CA 299
5
Take the exit onto 4
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
4
6
Turn left onto Glendale Drive
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Glendale Drive
7
Continue on Glendale Drive
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Glendale Drive
8
Arrive at destination
Glendale Drive
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.49 one way
$2.99 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
2 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $1.54 | $3.08 |
| premium | $6.18 | $1.58 | $3.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.44 | $2.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2 | 0 | $0.68 | $0.31 |
| Efficient EV | 1.6 | 0 | $0.57 | $0.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.91 | $0.42 |
Gas CO2
2 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (50% 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
Glendale, CA
Morning in Glendale on Saturday
Local time
9:24 AM
PDT
Current temp
44°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
5 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
8m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Arcata, CA to Glendale, CA covers 6.5 miles and takes about 8m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are CA 299, Redwood Highway, Glendale Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 3.3 miles from Arcata, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.49 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 8m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 101 / Redwood Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.9 miles (4): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
On the drive from Arcata, CA to Glendale, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Willow Creek along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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