Origin
Montague, CA
Afternoon in Montague on Thursday
Local time
2:43 PM
PDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Montague, CA to Etna, CA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
54m
Distance
35.1 mi
56 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Montague, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Etna, CA
pierre matile
Trip Overview
The drive from Montague, CA to Etna, CA covers 35.1 miles and takes about 54m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Fort Jones Road, N State Highway 3, Montague Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.9 miles on Fort Jones Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.07 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 35.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
The drive from Montague, CA to Etna, CA covers 35.1 miles and takes about 54m, 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 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Fort Jones Road is the longest continuous segment at about 13.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CA 3; A28 / South 11th Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 35.1 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (CA 3; A28 / South 11th Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.2 miles (773): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CA 3; A28 / South 11th Street
Turn right onto CA 3; A28 / South 11th Street
Navigation decision point
5
5.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
8.2 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
773
Take the exit onto 773 toward CA 3: Yreka
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward CA 3: Yreka
5
8.4 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
8.5 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
CA 3 / South Main Street
Turn left onto CA 3 / South Main Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Jones Road | 13.9 mi | 20m |
| N State Highway 3 | 10.7 mi | 15m |
| Montague Road | 5.5 mi | 9m |
| Cascade Wonderland Highway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| North Main Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Collier Way | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| South 11th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 773 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Fort Jones Road
— 13.9 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Montague, CA and Etna, CA.
1
Start on West Webb Street
35 ft
·
3 sec
·
West Webb Street
2
Turn right onto CA 3; A28
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
South 11th Street
3
Turn right onto CA 3
5.5 mi
·
9 min
·
Montague Road
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 5
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Cascade Wonderland Highway
6
Take the exit onto 773
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
773
Toward CA 3: Yreka
7
Keep slight right at fork
113 ft
·
2 sec
8
Turn right onto I 5 BUS; US 99 Hist
276 ft
·
6 sec
·
Moonlit Oaks Avenue
9
Turn left onto CA 3
158 ft
·
2 sec
·
South Main Street
10
Continue on CA 3
14 mi
·
20 min
·
Fort Jones Road
11
Continue on CA 3
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
North Main Street
12
Continue on CA 3
11 mi
·
15 min
·
N State Highway 3
13
Continue on Collier Way
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Collier Way
14
Turn right onto Pig Alley
394 ft
·
17 sec
·
Pig Alley
15
Arrive at destination
Pig Alley
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.5 mi from Montague, CA · 27m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Arriving in Etna, CA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Etna, CA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.07 one way
$16.13 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.31 | $16.63 |
| premium | $6.18 | $8.54 | $17.07 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.75 | $15.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.69 | $1.68 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.07 | $1.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14 | 0 | $4.91 | $2.25 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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
Etna, CA
Afternoon in Etna on Thursday
Local time
2:43 PM
PDT
Current temp
36°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
54m 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 Montague, CA to Etna, CA covers 35.1 miles and takes about 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Fort Jones Road, N State Highway 3, Montague Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.5 miles from Montague, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.07 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 35.1 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CA 3; A28 / South 11th Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.2 miles (773): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Montague, CA to Etna, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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