Rio Dell, California
Rio Dell is a city of 3,349 people in Humboldt County, California, founded in February 23, 1965.
Why visit Rio Dell
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 4 parks and trails, 6 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Scotia Fisheries Museum.
September is the warmest month, with average highs of 72°F; December lows average 42°F.
Weather in Rio Dell
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Rio Dell
Rio Dell (Spanish: Río Dell, meaning "river," with English "dell," meaning small valley in a woodland) is a city in Humboldt County, California, United States. It is located on the west bank of the Eel River 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Scotia at an elevation of 161 feet (49 m). The population was 3,379 at the 2020 census, up from 3,363 at the 2010 census.
From the Wikipedia article Rio Dell, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks1
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes6
DJ's Burger Bar
Fast food · Burger · 0.5 mi
509 Wildwood Avenue, Rio Dell
Tu-Sa 10:00-19:00
History
Rio Dell was founded and named by businessman Lorenzo Painter, who devised the name as a merging of Spanish río ("river") and English dell ("small wooded valley").
Originally settled on the territories of the Wiyot, Nongatl, and Mattole tribes, Rio Dell was reportedly first dubbed "Tokemuk" by native inhabitants of the land who were thought to be of multiple regional tribes and who uniquely spoke at least two different regional languages. The native presence was greatly diminished following the 1860 Wiyot massacre on Indian Island that extended south to the Eel river valley where Rio Dell is located. From there, the area became known as Eagle Prairie and finally as Rio Dell.
From the History section of Rio Dell, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship1
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Healthcare2
Map of Rio Dell
34 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 43°F | 8.6 in |
| Feb | 58°F | 43°F | 7.8 in |
| Mar | 59°F | 44°F | 6.9 in |
| Apr | 62°F | 45°F | 3.9 in |
| May | 64°F | 49°F | 1.9 in |
| Jun | 67°F | 51°F | 0.6 in |
| Jul | 70°F | 54°F | 0.1 in |
| Aug | 72°F | 54°F | 0.1 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 52°F | 0.5 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 48°F | 2.4 in |
| Nov | 61°F | 45°F | 5.2 in |
| Dec | 55°F | 42°F | 9.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Scotia (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Humboldt County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Murray Field (EKA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 21 miles away.
- Hydesville 5 mi north, about 7 min by car
- Fortuna 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Ferndale 10 mi northwest, about 15 min by car
- Humboldt Hill 16 mi north, about 26 min by car
- Pine Hills 17 mi north, about 27 min by car
- Cutten 19 mi north, about 30 min by car
- Bayview 19 mi north, about 30 min by car
- Eureka 21 mi north, about 34 min by car
- Arcata 25 mi north, about 41 min by car
- McKinleyville 32 mi north, about 51 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Rio Dell CA Wildwood Drive 2012, Ellin Beltz, Public domain
- Rio Dell CA City Hall, Ellin Beltz, Public domain
- Rio Dell CA RTA Transit Kiosk, Ellin Beltz, Public domain
- Rio Dell CA Redwood Stump, Ellin Beltz, Public domain
- Rio Dell CA Bocce Courts, Ellin Beltz, Public domain
- Rio Dell CA Library & Chamber, Ellin Beltz, Public domain
- Rio Dell CA Wildwood Drive 2014, Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rio Dell CA Wildwood Drive.jpg 2018, Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rio Dell CA Eagle Prairie Bridge, Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ISS057-E-86950 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS059-E-39257 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS053-E-300575 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS053-E-300574 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS057-E-86949 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS045-E-45076 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS045-E-45077 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS045-E-45078 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Abandoned railroad car in Scotia, October 2023, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Abandoned trackside building in Scotia, October 2023, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Scotia Houses, Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Scotia House Blue, Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Scotia House Gold, Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Scotia Fireplug, Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Scotia Mill Pond, Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Scotia Hardware, Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Scotia Winema Theater Door, Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Scotia Winema Theater, Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Scotia Inn, Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Scotia Lodge - December 2021 - Sarah Stierch 06, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Scotia Lodge - December 2021 - Sarah Stierch 02, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Scotia Lodge - December 2021 - Sarah Stierch 01, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Scotia Lodge - December 2021 - Sarah Stierch 08, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Scotia Lodge - December 2021 - Sarah Stierch 03, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Scotia Lodge - December 2021 - Sarah Stierch 09, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Scotia Lodge - December 2021 - Sarah Stierch 05, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Scotia Lodge - December 2021 - Sarah Stierch 04, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Scotia Lodge - December 2021 - Sarah Stierch 10, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
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