The City of Blue Lake is located in the Mad River Valley 300 miles north of San Francisco in Humboldt County, California. Blue Lake incorporated in 1910 and has a current estimated population of 1135 living in an area of around .6 square miles. Shown in photo is the nearby city of Arcata.
The city has a small downtown business district as well as an industrial park, but most residents are employed outside of town, primarily in the nearby cities of Arcata and Eureka.
For visitors the city features a small cafe, bar, bed & breakfast inn, brewery, and spa with overnight accommodations. In addition, there is a well-maintained park with modern children's play area.
The city is a gateway to the Mad River Fish Hatchery 2 miles southwest of town. Due to the construction of a levee, the Mad River no longer floods the adjacent lowlands so the "Lake" in Blue Lake has been reduced to a seasonal pond of 1 acre or so in size.