Origin
Rio Dell, CA
Morning in Rio Dell on Thursday
Local time
11:51 AM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rio Dell, CA to Elk River, CA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
29m
Distance
23.7 mi
38 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rio Dell, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Elk River, CA
Dick Hoskins
Trip Overview
The drive from Rio Dell, CA to Elk River, CA covers 23.7 miles and takes about 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Redwood Highway, Elk River Road, Wildwood Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.9 miles on Redwood Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.45 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 23.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m 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
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 29m drive with frequent turns across 23.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 10 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 20.9 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 early in the drive near Wildwood Avenue.
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 29m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Wildwood Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (US 101 / Redwood Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Wildwood Avenue
Turn left onto Wildwood Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m 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.
5
21.7 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward Herrick Avenue, Elk River Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Herrick Avenue, Elk River Road
4
21.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
Herrick Avenue
Turn right onto Herrick Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Redwood Highway | 20.9 mi | 24m |
| Elk River Road | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Wildwood Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Scenic Way | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Herrick Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Davis Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Redwood Highway
— 20.9 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rio Dell, CA and Elk River, CA.
1
Start on West Davis Street
84 ft
·
11 sec
·
West Davis Street
2
Turn left onto Wildwood Avenue
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
Wildwood Avenue
3
Continue on Scenic Way
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Scenic Way
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
5
Merge onto US 101
21 mi
·
24 min
·
Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward Herrick Avenue, Elk River Road
7
Turn right onto Herrick Avenue
250 ft
·
7 sec
·
Herrick Avenue
8
Turn right onto Elk River Road
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Elk River Road
9
Continue on Elk River Road
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Elk River Road
10
Arrive at destination
Elk River Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.45 one way
$10.89 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $5.61 | $11.23 |
| premium | $6.18 | $5.76 | $11.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.23 | $10.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Elk River, CA
Morning in Elk River on Thursday
Local time
11:51 AM
PDT
Current temp
47°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
8 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
29m 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 Rio Dell, CA to Elk River, CA covers 23.7 miles and takes about 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Redwood Highway, Elk River Road, Wildwood Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.8 miles from Rio Dell, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.45 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 29m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Wildwood Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (US 101 / Redwood Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Rio Dell, CA to Elk River, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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