Origin
Elk River, CA
Afternoon in Elk River on Thursday
Local time
4:14 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elk River, CA to Fortuna, CA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
21m
Distance
15.6 mi
25 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elk River, CA
Dick Hoskins
Fortuna, CA
Ivett M
Trip Overview
This short 15.6-mile drive from Elk River, CA to Fortuna, CA takes about 21 minutes and is a perfect addition to any Pacific Coast itinerary. With a minimal fuel cost of around $4, it's an easy addition to your budget. The route primarily utilizes Redwood Highway and Elk River Road, with a small portion on US 101 Business, offering a turn-heavy local feel. Since it's a quick trip, it's ideal as a single-day excursion, allowing you to easily incorporate it into your travels within California's Pacific Coast region. You won't need to worry about overnight stays for this segment.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 15.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (6%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this 15.6-mile journey, with only 6% of the route being on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 12.6 miles on Redwood Highway. This road's personality is more about navigating local roads than covering long distances quickly. You'll likely experience a varied driving experience, shifting between different road types as you make your way from Elk River to Fortuna.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 9 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Redwood Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 12.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Elk River Road.
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 21m drive. You will face about 7 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 (Elk River Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (Herrick Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles (US 101 / Redwood Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Elk River Road
At end of road, turn left onto Elk River Road
Navigation decision point
4
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Herrick Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Herrick Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 101 / Redwood Highway
Merge onto US 101 / Redwood Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
14.6 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
US 101 Business
Take the exit onto US 101 Business toward US 101 Business: Main Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 101 Business: Main Street
5
15.6 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Redwood Highway | 12.6 mi | 14m |
| Elk River Road | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| US 101 Business | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Herrick Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 9th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Redwood Highway
— 12.6 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elk River, CA and Fortuna, CA.
1
Start on Elk River Road
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Elk River Road
2
At end of road, turn left onto Elk River Road
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Elk River Road
3
At end of road, turn left onto Herrick Avenue
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Herrick Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
5
Merge onto US 101
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit onto US 101 Business
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
US 101 Business
Toward US 101 Business: Main Street
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn left onto 9th Street
148 ft
·
8 sec
·
9th Street
8
Turn right
80 ft
·
5 sec
9
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.59 one way
$7.17 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $3.69 | $7.39 |
| premium | $6.18 | $3.79 | $7.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.44 | $6.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.64 | $0.75 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Fortuna, CA
Afternoon in Fortuna on Thursday
Local time
4:14 PM
PDT
Current temp
46°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
21m 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 Elk River, CA to Fortuna, CA covers 15.6 miles and takes about 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Redwood Highway, Elk River Road, US 101 Business. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.8 miles from Elk River, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.59 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 21m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Elk River Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (Herrick Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles (US 101 / Redwood Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Elk River, CA to Fortuna, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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