The Redwood Empire
The Redwood Empire |
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If location is everything, this privately operated campground rates high for salmon and steelhead anglers in the fall. It is set near the mouth of the Smith River, where salmon enter and school in the deep river holes in October. The fish are big, often in the 20-pound range, occasionally surpassing even 40 pounds. Year-round this is a good layover for RV cruisers looking for a spot near the Oregon border. It is actually an RV parking area with hookups, set within a mobile home park. Salmon Harbor RV Resort overlooks the ocean, with good beachcombing and driftwood and agate hunting nearby. Note that most sites are filled for the entire summer, but several sites are kept open for overnight campers. Restaurants are within walking distance and golfing only 20 minutes away.
Campsites, facilities: There are 93 sites for tents or RVs up to 40 feet; most sites have full hookups (30 and 50 amps) and some are pull-through. Picnic tables and fire grills are provided. Drinking water, restrooms with flush toilets and showers, cable TV, coin laundry, storage sheds, Wi-Fi (some sites) and modem access, and a recreation room are available. A grocery store, ice, gas, propane, a restaurant, boat ramp, fish cleaning station, RV storage, snack bar, and a bar are available within three miles. Leashed pets are permitted with a pet walk on the beach. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(800)332-6139. Sites are $38 per night, $3 per person for more than two people. Monthly rates are available. Open year-round.
This is a famous spot for Smith River anglers in late fall and all through winter, when the tales get taller as the evening gets late. In the summer, the resort has become quite popular with people cruising the coast on U.S. 101. The park is set on five acres of land adjacent to the lower Smith River. Note that in addition to the 120 RV sites, another 80 sites have mobile homes. The salmon and steelhead seem to come in one size here - big - but they can be as elusive as Bigfoot. If you want to hear how big these fish can be, just check into the Captain's Galley restaurant any fall or` winter evening. Salmon average 15-25 pounds, occasionally bigger, with 50-pounders caught each year, and steelhead average 10-14 pounds, with bigger fish occasionally hooked as well.
Campsites, facilities: There are 200 sites for RVs, and a separate area for 10-15 tents. Most RV sites have full hookups (30 amps); some sites are pull-through. Two houses and motel rooms are also available. Picnic tables are provided. Restrooms with flush toilets and showers, boat dock, boat ramp, coin laundry, propane, and a restaurant are available. A grocery store is two miles away. Leashed pets are permitted, with a maximum of two pets. Reservations, fees: Reservations are not accepted. Tent sites are $16 per night; RV sites are $26 per night, $2.50 per person per night for more than two people, additional fee for cable TV. Weekly rates available. Some credit cards accepted. Open year-round.
This is one of the prettiest spots along U.S. 199, where Patrick Creek enters the upper Smith River. It is also a historic California Conservation Corps site that was built in the 1930s. This section of the Smith looks something like a large trout stream, rolling green past a boulder-lined shore, complete with forest canopy. There are small cutthroat trout in summer and salmon and steelhead in fall and winter. A big plus for this camp is its nearby access to excellent hiking in the Siskiyou Wilderness, especially the great day hike to Buck Lake. It is essential to have a map of Six Rivers National Forest, both for driving directions to the trailhead and for the hiking route. You can buy maps at the information center for the Smith River National Recreation Area on the north side of U.S. 199 in Gasquet. Patrick Creek Lodge, on the opposite side of the highway from the campground, has a restaurant and bar. A paved trail connects the campground to Patrick Creek Lodge.
Campsites, facilities: There are 13 sites for tents or RVs up to 35 feet (no hookups). Picnic tables and fire grills are provided. Drinking water and flush toilets are available. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible, including a fishing area. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted for individual sites and are required for group sites at 1(877)444-6777 or www.recreation.gov ($9 reservation fee). Sites are $14 per night, $5 per night for each additional vehicle. Open May through September.
This is one in a series of three easy-to-reach Forest Service camps set near U.S. 199 along the beautiful Middle Fork of the Smith River. It's a classic wild river, popular in the summer with kayakers, and the steel-head come huge in the winter for the crafty few. The camp itself is set directly across from a CalTrans waste area, and if you hit it when the crews are working, it can be noisy here. Most of the time, however, it is peaceful and quiet.
Campsites, facilities: There are 15 sites for tents or RVs up to 30 feet (no hookups) and four walk-in tent sites. Picnic tables and fire grills are provided. Drinking water and vault toilets are available. Propane gas and groceries are available nearby. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(877)444-6777 ($10 reservation fee) or www.recreation.gov ($9 reservation fee). Sites are $10 per night, $5 per night for each additional vehicle. Open June through September.
This is an ideal alternative to the often-crowded Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. The park provides easy road access since it is set right along U.S. 199, the two-laner that runs beside the Smith River. This is one of the featured campgrounds in the Smith River Recreation Area, with excellent prospects for salmon and steelhead fishing in the, fall and winter respectively, and outstanding hiking and backpacking in Redwood Empire 493 the summer. A 0.25-mile interpretive trail and viewing area is one mile north of the campground, off U.S. 199. A great nearby hike is Stony Creek Trail, an easy walk along the North Fork Smith River; the trailhead is in nearby Gasquet on Stoney Creek Road. Redwood National Park is a short drive to the west. The Siskiyou Wilderness is a short drive to the southeast via forest roads detailed on Forest Service maps. The wild and scenic Smith River system provides fishing, swimming, sunbathing, kayaking for experts, and beautiful scenery.
Campsites, facilities: There are 38 sites for tents or RVs up to 40 feet (no hookups). Picnic tables and fire grills are provided. Drinking water, restrooms with flush toilets and coin showers, a visitors center, and horseshoe pits are available. Propane gas, groceries, and coin laundry are nearby. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(877)444-6777 ($10 reservation fee) or www.recreation.gov ($9 reservation fee). Sites are $15-30 per night, $5 per night for each additional vehicle. Open year-round.
This remote and primitive camp is a put-in for rafting and kayaking the North Fork Smith River in winter. Since there is no dam it can only be run in the rainy season, but this is a sensational Class III rafting trip in a rainstorm, including a spot at an overhanging rock along the northern shore where you can raft right through a waterfall. In the summer, the flows on the North Fork turn into a trickle and you can virtually walk down the stream. The campsites are primitive, open, and located within view of the river - not in the forest. Though there is space for RVs at the camp, the road in can be impassable for RVs during wet weather.
Campsites, facilities: There are five sites for tents or RVs up to 18 feet (no hookups). Large RVs are not advised. Picnic tables and fire rings are provided. Vault toilets are available, but there is no drinking water. Garbage must be packed out. Reservations, fees: Reservations are not accepted. Sites are $8 per night, $5 per night per additional vehicle. Open year-round.
This KOA camp is on the edge of a recreation wonderland, a perfect jump-off spot for a vacation. The park covers 17 acres, with 10 acres of redwood forest. A few farm animals live here, and guests are allowed to feed them. In addition, there are three golf courses nearby. The camp is only two miles from Redwood National Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, and the Smith River National Recreation Area. It is also only 10-minute drive to the beach and Tolowa Dunes Wildlife Area to the east, and to Crescent City Harbor the south.
Campsites, facilities: There are 12 sites for tents and small RVs with partial hookups, 28 sites with full hook (30 and 50 amps) including some pull-through sites for RVs of any length, and 35 sites with no hookups. seventeen cabins and one lodge are also available. Picnic tables and fire grills are provided. A dump station, restrooms with flush toilets and showers, a coin laundry, Free Wi-Fi, cable TV, playground, propane, convenience more, ice, firewood, recreation room, pool table, table tennis, horseshoes, go-carts, and volleyball are available. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations for RV sites are accepted at 1(800)562-5754 or online at www.cresntcitykoa.com. RV sites are $30-45 per night, tent resv are $25-35, $3-4 per person per night for more than two people. Some credit cards accepted. Open March-midNovember.
This is a beautiful park set along the Smith River, where campsites are sprinkled amid a grove of old-growth redwoods. Reservations are usually a necessity during the summer. This park covers 10,000 acres on both sides of the Smith River, a jewel and California's last major flowing river. There are 20 miles of hiking and nature trails. The park has hiking trails that lead right out of the campground; one is routed along the beautiful Smith River, and another heads through forest, across S. 199, and hooks up with Simpson-Reed Interpretive Trail. In the summer, interpretive programs are available. There is also a good put-in spot at the park for river access in a drift boat, canoe, or raft. The fishing is best for steelhead from mid-January through March. In the summer, a seasonal footbridge connects the campground with more extensive trails. The best hikes are on the south side of the Smith River, accessible via Howland Hill Road, including the Boy Scout Tree Trail and Stout Grove (for access, see listing for Hiouchi RV Resort). Note that in winter, 100 inches of cumulative rainfall is common.
South Fork Road provides an extended tour into Six Rivers National Forest along the South Fork Smith River, with the option of visiting many of the largest trees in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. The turnoff is on U.S. 199 just northeast of the town of Hiouchi. Turn right, cross two bridges, and you will arrive at a fork in the road. Turning left at the fork will take you along the South Fork Smith River and deep into Six Rivers National Forest. Turning right at the fork will take you to a series of trailheads for hikes into redwoods. Of these, the best is the Boy Scout Tree Trail.
Campsites, facilities: There are 86 sites for tents or RVs up to 36 feet (no hookups) and trailers up to 31 feet, five hike-in/bike-in sites, and one group site for up to 15 vehicles and 50 people. Picnic tables, fire grills, and food lockers are provided. Drinking water, showers, flush toilets, and a dump station are available. There is a visitors center with exhibits and a nature store. Propane gas and groceries are available within one mile. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted only in the campground and on roads. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted May through early September at 1(800)444-PARK or www.reserveamerica.com ($8 reservation fee). Sites are first-come, first-served September through May. Sites are $35 per night, $8 per night for each additional vehicle, $300 per night for the group site, and $5 per person per night for hike-in/bike-in sites. Open year-round.
This camp is out of the wind and fog you get on the coast and set instead in the heart of the forest country. It makes a good base camp for a steelhead trip in winter. Insiders know that right next door, the fried chicken at the Hamlet's market can be good for a quick hit. An excellent side trip is to drive just east of Hiouchi on U.S. 199, turn right, and cross over two bridges, where you will reach a fork in the road. Turn left for a great scenic drive along the South Fork Smith River or turn right to get backdoor access to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and three great trailheads for hiking in the redwoods. My favorite of the latter is the Boy Scout Tree Trail. Note that about one-fourth of the RV sites are filled with long-term renters, and many other sites fill up quickly with summer vacationers.
Campsites, facilities: There are 120 sites with full hookups (30 and 50 amps) for RVs of any length, six tent sites, and one yurt. Some sites are pull-through. Two park-model cabins and six furnished apartments are also available. Restrooms with flush toilets and showers, a dump station, coin laundry, Wi-Fi, high-speed modem hookups, cable TV, recreation room, fish cleaning station, horseshoe pits, basketball court, grocery store, propane, and deli are available. A motel and café are nearby. A golf course is available within four miles. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(800)722-9468. RV sites are $34-45 per night, $2 per person per night for more than two people; tent sites are $19-25 per night; and a yurt is available. Some credit cards accepted. Open year-round.
Woods and water, that's what attracts visitors to California's north coast. Village Camper Inn provides nearby access to big woods and big water. This RV park is on 20 acres of wooded land, about a 10-minute drive away from the giant redwoods along U.S. 199. In addition, you'll find some premium beachcombing for driftwood and agates a mile away on the spectacular rocky beaches just west of town. Note that about half of the sites fill up for the entire summer season.
Campsites, facilities: There are 135 sites for RVs of any length, and a separate area for tents. Most RV sites have full hookups (30 and 50 amps); some sites are pull-through. A one-bedroom vacation cottage is also available. Picnic tables are provided. Drinking water, a dump station, restrooms with flush toilets and showers, coin laundry, pickleball court, Wi-Fi, and cable TV are available. Leashed pets are permitted, with certain restrictions. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(800)470-3544. Sites are $31.50-36.50 per night, $2 per person per night for more than two people. Monthly rates available. Some credit cards accepted. Open year-round.
People camp here with their RVs to be close to the action in Crescent City and to the nearby harbor and beach frontage. For starters, drive a few minutes to the northwest side of town, where the sea is sprinkled with gigantic rocks and boulders, for dramatic ocean views and spectacular sunsets. For finishers, go down to the west side of town for great walks along the ocean parkway or south to the harbor and adjacent beach, which is long and expansive. About half of the sites are filled with long-term renters.
Campsites, facilities: There are 69 sites with full hookups (30 and 50 amps) for RVs up to feet. No tents. Picnic tables are provided at some sites. Restrooms with flush toilets and showers, cable TV, Wi-Fi, coin laundry, recreation room, boat storage, and banquet hall are available. A grocery store is available nearby. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted, and a spacious dog run is available. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted. Sites are $28-31 per night, $3 per person per night for more than two people. Monthly rates are available. Some credit cards accepted. Open year-round.
If you are towing a boat, you just found your personal heaven: This RV park is directly adjacent to the boat docking area in Crescent City Harbor. There are several walks in the immediate area, including exploring the harbor and ocean frontage. The Crescent City Harbor provides views of seals and sea lions lounging on floating docks. For a quick change of scenery, it is only a 15-minute drive to Redwood National Park and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park along U.S. 199 to the north. Note that about 20 sites are filled with long-term renters, and most of the spaces book up for the entire season.
Campsites, facilities: There are 110 sites for RVs up to 34 feet. Most sites have full hookups (30 amps) and/or are pull-through. No tents. Picnic tables are provided. Restrooms with flush toilets and showers, cable TV, Wi-Fi, and a coin laundry are available. A restaurant is adjacent to the park. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(800)446-9482 or at www.baysidervcc.com/reservations. Sites are $28-33 per night, $5 per person per night for more than two people. Open year-round.
This camp provides an ideal setting for those who know of it, which is why it gets quite a bit of use for a relatively remote camp. Set along Hurdygurdy Creek, near where the creek enters the South Fork of the Smith River, it provides nearby access to South Kelsey Trail, an outstanding hiking route whether you are walking for a few hours or backpacking for days. In the summer, it is a good layover for rafters or kayakers paddling the South Fork of the Smith River.
Campsites, facilities: There are 23 sites for tents or RVs up to 22 feet (no hookups). Picnic tables and fire grills are provided. Vault toilets and food lockers are available. There is no drinking water and garbage must be packed out. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are not accepted. Sites are $8 per night, $5 per night for each additional vehicle. Open May through mid-September.
The campsites are set in a series of loops in the forest, so while there are a lot of camps, you still feel a sense of privacy here. In addition to redwoods, there are also good stands of alders, along with a rambling stream fed by several creeks. It makes for a very pretty setting, with four loop trails available right out of the camp. This park covers 6,400 acres, featuring 50 percent old-growth coastal redwoods and eight miles of wild coastline. Topography is fairly steep, with elevations ranging from sea level to 1,277 feet. This range is oriented in a north-to-south direction, with steep cliffs adjacent to the ocean. That makes most of the rocky seacoast generally inaccessible except by Damnation Trail and Footsteps Rock Trail. The best coastal access is at Wilson Beach or False Klamath Cove, where there is a half-mile of sandy beach bordered by excellent tide pools.
The forest interior is dense, with redwoods and tanoaks, madrones, red alders, bigleaf maples, and California bays. One reason for the lush growth is what rangers call the "nurturing" coastal climate. Nurturing, in this case, means rain like you wouldn't believe in the winter - often more than 100 inches in a season - and lots of fog in the summer. Interpretive programs are conducted here. Insider's note: Hike-in and bike-in campers beware, There is a 900-foot elevation changeover the course of two miles between the U.S. 101 access road and the campground.
Campsites, facilities: There are 145 sites for tents or RVs up to 31 feet (no hookups). Hike-in/bike-in sites are also available. Picnic tables, fire pits, and food lockers are provided. Drinking water, a dump station, and rest-rooms with flush toilets and coin showers are available. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted only in the campground. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(800)444-PARK or www.reserveamerica.com ($8 reservation fee); search for Del Norte Coast Redwoods. Sites are $35 per night, $8 per night for each additional vehicle, $5 per person per night for hike-in/ bike-in sites. Open May through September.
The park features gravel roads, redwood trees, and grassy sites amid a 50-acre park designed primarily for RVs with a separate area for tents. Set in a unique natural environment, campsites are nestled among the redwoods and RV sites are on open grass (no blacktop). A bonus here is the 18-hole miniature golf course. The Trees of Mystery is less than a mile away and features a nearly 50-foot-tall Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe. (In the winter of 2008, you may recall the tale of Babe's head falling off in a storm. Have no fear - Babe again has a head.) The park is about 1.5 miles away from the ocean and 3.5 miles from the Klamath River. Jet-boat tours are available on the Klamath River.
Campsites, facilities: There are 30 sites with full hookups (30 amps) for RVs of any length and 14 tent sites. Some of the RV sites are pull-through. Picnic tables and fire rings are provided. Drinking water, rest-rooms with flush toilets and showers, Wi-Fi, cable TV, playground, recreation room, horseshoes, miniature golf, a coin laundry, convenience store and gift shop, group facilities, and firewood are available. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted. RV sites are $34 per night, tent sites are $20 per night, $4 per person per night for more than two people. Group rates available. Some credit cards accepted. Open year-round.
The camping area at this park consists of grassy RV sites that overlook the Klamath River. Chinook RV Resort is one of the more well-known parks on the lower Klamath. A boat ramp and fishing supplies are available.
Campsites, facilities: There are 70 sites with full hookups (30 and 50 amps) for RVs of any length and a grassy area for tents. Some RV sites are pull-through. An apartment is also available. Picnic tables and fire grills are provided. Restrooms with flush toilets and showers, cable television, Wi-Fi, coin laundry, fish cleaning station, recreation room, horseshoes, propane, convenience store, RV supplies and storage, boat ramp, boat rentals, and a tackle shop are available. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 866/482-3511. RV sites are $30-35 per night, tent sites are $20 per night, $3 per person per night for more than two people, $3 per night for each additional vehicle. Some credit cards accepted. Open year-round.
This 50-acre resort offers 3,000 feet of Klamath River frontage, grassy tent sites, berry picking, access to the ocean, and hiking trails nearby. And, of course, in the fall it has salmon and steelhead, the main attraction on the lower Klamath. A boat launch is about 1.5 miles from the resort. Nature trails are on the property, and there is room for bike riding. River swimming is popular in summer. A nightly campfire is usually available. Organized recreation is available in summer. A free pancake breakfast is offered to campers on Sundays.
Campsites, facilities: There are 134 sites for RVs of any length and 50 tent sites. Many RV sites have full or partial hookups (30 amps) and are pull-through. Picnic tables and fire rings are provided at the tent sites. Drinking water, restrooms with flush toilets and showers, seasonal heated swimming pool, recreation hall, general store, playground, dump station, coin laundry, cable TV, ice, firewood, bait and tackle, fish-cleaning station, fishing guide service, group facilities, arcade, basketball, volleyball, badminton, shuffleboard, horseshoes, table tennis, croquet, and tetherball are available. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(800)701-7275. RV sites are $32.50-39.50 per night, tent sites are $24.50-29.50 per night; $4 per night for each additional vehicle, $4 per person per night for more than two people. Weekly and monthly rates are available. Some credit cards accepted. Open April through October.
This RV park is situated near the Terwer Riffle, one of the better shore-fishing spots for steelhead and salmon on the lower Klamath River. You'll find grassy sites, river access, and some fair trails along the Klamath. When the salmon arrive in late August and September, Terwer Riffle can be loaded with fish, as well as boaters and shore anglers - a wild scene. Note that at this park, tent campers are separated from the RV park, with tent camping at a grassy area near the river. Some sites are taken by monthly renters.
Campsites, facilities: There are 35 sites with full hookups (30 amps) for RVs up to 34 feet, and a separate tent area. Several sites are pull-through. Five cabins are also available. Picnic tables are provided. Restrooms with flush toilets and showers are available. A pulley boat launch is nearby. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted. RV sites are $25 per night, tent sites are $20 per night, $5 per night for each additional vehicle. Weekly and monthly rates available. Open April through October.
The campsites here are set in a sandy, exposed area with windbreaks and with a huge, expansive beach on one side and a backdrop of 100- to 200-foot cliffs on the other side. You can walk for miles at this beach, often without seeing another soul, and there is a great trail routed north through forest, with many hidden little waterfalls. In addition, Fern Canyon Trail, one of the best 30-minute hikes in California, is at the end of Davison Road. Hikers walk along a stream in a narrow canyon, its vertical walls covered with magnificent ferns. Sturdy hikers can continue heading north on the Coastal Trail and its pristine woodlands and fantastic expanses of untouched beaches.
There are some herds of elk in the area, often right along the access road. These camps are rarely used in the winter because of the region's heavy rain and winds. The expanse of beach here is awesome, covering 10 miles of huge, pristine ocean frontage. (See Elk Prairie in this chapter for more information about Prairie Creek Redwoods.)
Campsites, facilities: There are 26 sites for tents or RVs up to 24 feet (no hookups). There is one backcountry site (#25). No trailers or vehicles wider than eight feet. Fire grills, food lockers, and picnic tables are provided. Drinking water and restrooms with flush toilets and showers are available. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are not accepted. Sites are $35 per night, $8 per night for each additional vehicle. The backcountry site is $10 per night; a free permit is required. Open year-round, weather permitting.
A small herd of Roosevelt elk wander free in this remarkable 14,000-acre park. Great opportunities for photographs abound, including a group of about five elk often found right along the highway and access roads. Where there are meadows, there are elk; it's about that simple. An elky here, an elky there, making this one of the best places to see wildlife in California. Remember that these are wild animals, they are huge, and they can be unpredictable; in other words, enjoy them, but don't harass them or get too close.
This park consists of old-growth coastal redwoods. prairie lands, and 10 miles of scenic, open beach (Gold Bluff Beach). The interior of the park can be reached by 70 miles of hiking, biking, and nature trails, including a trailhead for a great bike ride at the visitors center. There are many additional trailheads and a beautiful tour of giant redwoods along the Drury Scenic Parkway. A visitors center and summer interpretive programs with guided walks and junior ranger programs are available. On the James Irvine Trail (trailhead near the visitors center), you can see world-class redwoods, Sitka spruce, western hemlock and Douglas fir in the span of a few miles. The forest understory is very dense due to moisture from coastal fog. Western azalea and rhododendron blooms, peaking in May and June, are best seen from the Rhododendron Trail. November through May, always bring your rain gear. Summer temperatures range 40-75*F; winter temperatures range 35-55*F.
Campsites, facilities: There are 75 sites for tents or RVs up to 27 feet (no hookups), and one hike-in/bike-in site. Picnic tables, fire rings, and bear-proof food lockers are provided. Drinking water and restrooms with flush toilets and coin showers are available. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted January- September at 1(800)444-PARK or www.reserveamerica.com ($8 reservation fee). Sites are first-come, first-served September-January. Sites are $35 per night, $8 per night for each additional vehicle, $5 per person per night for hike-in/bike-in site. Open year-round.
This is a remarkable, huge lagoon that borders the Pacific Ocean. It provides good boating, excellent exploring, fair fishing, and good duck hunting in the winter. It's a good spot to paddle a canoe around on a calm day. A lot of out-of-towners cruise by, note the lagoon's proximity to the ocean, and figure it must be saltwater. Wrong! Not only is it freshwater, but it provides a long shot for anglers trying for rainbow trout. One reason not many RV drivers stop here is that most of them are drawn farther north (another eight miles) to Freshwater Lagoon.
Campsites, facilities: There are 25 sites for tents or small RVs (no hookups). Picnic tables and fire grills are provided. Drinking water and restrooms with flush toilets and showers are available. A boat ramp is also available. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are not accepted. Sites are $20 per night per vehicle (10 people per site); bike/walk-in sites are $8 per person per night; children 12 and under free with adult; $5 per night for additional vehicle, $2 per pet per night. Maximum stay is 10 days. Open year-round.
This pretty park covers 640 acres of coastal headlands and is filled with Sitka spruce, dramatic ocean lookouts, and several beautiful beaches, including one with agates, one with tidepools, and another with an expansive stretch of beachfront leading to a lagoon. You can see it best on the Rim Trail, which has many little cut-off routes to the lookouts and down to the beaches. The campground is sheltered in the forest, and while it is often foggy and damp in the summer, it is always beautiful. A Native American village, constructed by the Yurok tribe, is also here. At the north end of the park, a short hike to see the bizarre "Octopus Trees" is a good side trip, with trees that are growing atop downed logs, their root systems exposed like octopus tentacles; the trail here loops through a grove of old-growth Sitka spruce. In addition, there are several miles of pristine beach to the north that extends to the lagoons. Interpretive programs are available. The forest here is dense, with spruce, hemlock, pine, fir, and red alder covering an ocean headland. Night and morning fog are common almost year-round, and there are periods when it doesn't lift for days. This area gets 60 inches of rain per year on average. For camping, plan on making reservations.
Campsites, facilities: There are 85 sites for tents or RVs (no hookups), 39 sites for RVs up to 31 feet, and two group sites for up to 100 people. Fire grills, storage lockers, and picnic tables are provided. Drinking water and restrooms with flush toilets and coin showers are available. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted at campsites, but not on trails or beaches. Reservations, fees: Site-specific reservations are accepted at 1(800)444-PARK or www.reserveamerica.com ($8 reservation fee). Abalone and Penn Creek sites are $35 per night, Agate Campground sites are $35-45 per night, $8 per night for each additional vehicle, $300 per night for the group sites. Open year-round.
The Trinidad area, about 20 miles north of Eureka, is one of the great places on this planet. Nearby Patrick's Point State Park is one of the highlights, with a Sitka spruce forest, beautiful coastal lookouts, a great easy hike on the Rim Trail, and access to several secluded beaches. To the nearby south at Trinidad Head is a small harbor and dock, with deep-sea and salmon fishing trips available. A breezy beach is to the immediate north of the Seascape Restaurant. A bonus at this privately operated RV park is good berry picking in season.
Campsites, facilities: There are 52 sites with full hookups (30 and 50 amps) for tents or RVs of any length; some sites are pull-through. RV rentals and four park-model cabins are also available. Picnic tables and fire rings are provided at most sites. Restrooms with showers, cable TV, Wi-Fi, exercise room and indoor spa (fee), dump station, coin laundry, convenience store, gift shop, propane, firewood, and ice are available. Leashed pets are permitted with certain restrictions. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(877)489-6360. RV sites are $33-45 per night, tent sites are $33-38 per night, $3-5 per person per night for more than two people. Some credit cards accepted. Open year-round.
View Crest Lodge is one of the premium spots in Trinidad, with pretty cottages available as well as campsites for RVs and tents. A bonus here is the remarkable flights of swallow, many of which have nests at the cottages. Recreation options include deep-sea and salmon fishing at Trinidad Harbor to the nearby south, and outstanding easy hiking at Patrick's Point State Park to the nearby north.
Campsites, facilities: There are 36 sites with full hookups (20 and 30 amps) for RVs of any length and a separate area for 12 tent sites. Some sites are pull-through. Twelve cottages are also available. Picnic tables and fire rings are provided. Restrooms with showers, cable TV, Wi-Fi, a coin laundry, fish cleaning station, and firewood are available. Leashed pets are permitted only in the campground. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted. RV sites are $27-38 per night, tent sites are $27, $3 per person per night for more than two people over age 12. Monthly rates available. Some credit cards accepted. Open year-round.
This campground is set on 12 acres of redwoods, often dark and wet, with the ocean at Trinidad Head only about a five-minute drive away. The campground owners emphasize that they are a vacation and overnight park only, and not a mobile home or long-term park.
Campsites, facilities: There are 46 sites with full or partial hookups (30 amps) for RVs up to 45 feet and 30 tent sites. Some sites are pull-through. There are also 19 cabins. Picnic tables, fire rings, and barbecues are provided. Restrooms, showers, free cable TV in RV sites. playground, convenience store, ice, firewood, coin laundry, group facilities, fish-cleaning station, dump station, propane, telephone and modem hookups, Wi-Fi. volleyball, horseshoes, badminton, bicycle rentals, and video arcade are available. Leashed pets are permitted. except in the tent sites or cabins. Reservations, fees: Reservations are recommended in the summer. RV sites are $28-46 per night, $3 per person per night for more than two people; tent sites are $28-34 per night. Winter rates available. Some credit cards accepted. Pets are permitted in RV sites only. Open year-round.
This park is designed as an RV park and fish camp, with cleaning tables and canning facilities available on-site. It is a short distance from the boat hoist at the Trinidad pier. Beauty surrounds Sylvan Harbor on all sides for miles. Visitors come to enjoy the various beaches, go agate hunting, or look for driftwood on the beach. Nearby Patrick's Point State Park is an excellent side-trip getaway. This is one of several privately operated parks in the Trinidad area, offering a choice of shaded or open sites. (For more information about recreation options nearby, see Sounds of the Sea RV Park listing.)
Campsites, facilities: There are 73 sites with full hookups (30 amps) for RVs up to 35 feet. No tents. A storage shed and cable TV are provided. Three cabins are available. Restrooms with showers, fish-cleaning stations, fish smokers, canning facilities, coin laundry, and propane are available. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted for cabins only. Sites are $34.25 per night, $3 per person per night for more than two people. Weekly and monthly rates available during the summer. Open year-round, weather permitting. Cash or checks only; no credit cards.
To tell you the truth; there really isn't much hidden about this RV park, but you might be hard-pressed to find year-round Parker Creek. Regardless, it is still in a pretty location in Trinidad, with the Trinidad pier, adjacent harbor, restaurants, and beach all within a drive of just a minute or two. Deep-sea fishing for salmon, ling-cod, and rockfish is available on boats out of Trinidad Harbor. Crab and albacore tuna are also caught here, and there's beachcombing for agates and driftwood on the beach to the immediate north. Note that half of the sites are filled with long-term renters.
Campsites, facilities: There are 56 sites with full or partial hookups (30 and 50 amps) for RVs up to 40 feet, and a grassy area for tents. Six park-model cabins are also available. Picnic tables are provided. Cable TV, restrooms with showers, fish-cleaning station, ice, picnic area, and a dump station are available. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are recommended in the summer. RV sites are $30 per night, tent sites are S20 per night, $2 per person per night for more than two people. Villas and cabins are available. Long-term rates available. Open year-round.
Here awaits a beach that seems to stretch on forever, one of the great places to bring a lover, dog, children, or, hey, all three. While the campsites are a bit exposed, making winds out of the north a problem in the spring, the direct beach access largely makes up for it. The park gets its name from the fair clamming that is available, but you must come equipped with a clam gun or special clam shovel, and then be out when minus low tides arrive at daybreak. Most people just enjoy playing tag with the waves, taking long romantic walks, or throwing sticks for the dog.
Campsites, facilities: There are nine tent sites and a parking lot for nine RVs of any length (no hookups). Picnic tables and fire rings are provided. Drinking water and vault toilets are available. Propane gas, grocery store, and a coin laundry are available in McKinleyville. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are not accepted. Sites are $15 per night per vehicle, $5 per night for one additional vehicle, $8 per person per night for hike-in/ bike-in, $2 per pet per night. Maximum stay is three days. Open year-round.
This park is near the farmlands on the outskirts of town, in a pastoral, quiet setting. There is a great bike ride nearby on a trail routed along the Mad River, and it is also excellent for taking a dog for a walk. Nearby Arcata is a unique town, a bit of the old and a bit of the new, and the Arcata Marsh at the north end of Humboldt Bay provides a scenic and easy bicycle trip, as well as an excellent destination for hiking, sightseeing, and bird-watching. About half of the sites are filled with long-term renters.
Campsites, facilities: There are 92 sites with full hookups (30 and 50 amps) for RVs of any length; some sites are pull-through. Picnic tables are provided. Fire grills are provided at two sites. Cable TV, Wi-Fi, a dump station, restrooms with showers, a recreation room, tennis courts, fitness room, playground, basketball courts, jogging trail, arcade, billiards, table tennis, horseshoe pits, heated seasonal swimming pool, spa, group facilities, restaurant and bar, convenience store, RV supplies, and coin laundry are available. A motel is adjacent to the park. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(800)822-7776. Sites are $36-45 per night, $3 per night per additional vehicle, $3 per person per night for more than two people. Some credit cards accepted. Weekly and monthly rates available. Open year-round.
This is a year-round KOA camp for U.S. 101 cruisers looking for a layover spot in Eureka. A bonus here is a few of those little KOA Kamping Kabins, the log-style jobs that win on cuteness alone. The closest significant recreation option is the Arcata Marsh on Humboldt Bay, a richly diverse spot with good trails for biking and hiking or just parking and looking at the water. Another option is excellent salmon fishing in June, July, and August.
Campsites, facilities: There are 140 sites with full or partial hookups (30 and 50 amps) for RVs of any length, 30 tent sites, and eight hike-in/bike-in sites. Most RV sites are pull-through. Ten camping cabins and two cottages are also available. Picnic tables and fire pits are provided. Drinking water, restrooms with flush toilets and showers, cable TV, playground, recreation room, seasonal heated swimming pool, two spas, convenience store, coin laundry, horseshoe pits, volleyball and basketball court, mini golf, dog run/park, dump station, propane, ice, firewood, fax machine, and Wi-Fi are available. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(800)562-3136. RV sites are $40-45 per night, tent sites are $28-35 per night, $3 per person per night for more than two people, $17 per person per night for hike-in/ bike-in sites, $3 per pet per night, $2 per night for each additional vehicle. Some credit cards accepted. Open year-round.
This is a good base camp for salmon fishing during the peak season - always call, since the season changes each year as set by the Department of Fish and Game. Mooring for private boats is available, a nice plus for campers trailering boats. Other recreation activities include beachcombing, clamming, and perch fishing from shore. The owners have run this place since 1948. Note that a number of sites are filled with long-term renters, usually anglers who come for the season. So when the fishing is good, more space is tied up.
Campsites, facilities: There are 53 sites with full hookups (30 and 50 amps) for self-contained RVs up to 38 feet. There are no toilets or showers. Coin laundry and a boat dock are available. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted. Sites are $30 per night, $1 per person per night for more than two people. Open year-round.
In July and August, big schools of king salmon often teem just west of the entrance of Humboldt Bay. E-Z Landing provides a good base camp for salmon fishing, with a nearby boat ramp with access to Humboldt Bay. It's not the prettiest camp in the world, with quite a bit of asphalt, but most people use this camp as a simple parking spot for sleeping and getting down to the business of the day: fishing. This spot is ideal for ocean fishing, clamming, beachcombing, and boating. There are a few long-term and seasonal renters here.
Campsites, facilities: There are 45 RV sites with full hookups (30 amps); some sites are pull-through. Restrooms with flush toilets and showers, marine gas, ice, coin laundry, bait, and boat slips are available. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted. RV sites are $20.40 per night. Some credit cards accepted. Open year-round.
The nearby vicinity of the boat ramp, with access to Humboldt Bay and the Pacific Ocean, makes this a star attraction for campers towing their fishing boats. Near the campground you'll find good beachcombing and clamming at low tides, and a chance to see a huge variety of seabirds, highlighted by egrets and herons. There's a reason: Directly across the bay is the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Adjacent to the park is the Samoa Dunes Recreation Area, which is popular with ATV enthusiasts who are allowed to ride on the beach. This park is set near the famed all-you-can-eat, logger-style Samoa Cookhouse. The park is on the bay, not on the ocean.
Campsites, facilities: There are 25 sites for tents or RVs of any length (no hookups). Overflow camping for tents or RVs of any length is also available in a parking lot. Picnic tables and fire grills are provided. Drinking water and restrooms with flush toilets and coin showers are available. A boat ramp, grocery store, propane, and a coin laundry are available in Eureka (about five miles away). Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are not accepted. Sites are $20 per night with one vehicle, $5 per night for each additional vehicle, $8 per person per night for hike-in/bike-in, $2 per pet per night. Maximum stay is seven days. Open year-round.
This campground is set near the headwaters of the Van Duzen River, one of the Eel River's major tributaries. The river is subject to tremendous fluctuations in flows and height, so low in the fall that it is often temporarily closed to fishing by the Department of Fish and Game, so high in the winter that only fools would stick their toes in. For a short period in late spring, it provides a benign run for rafting and canoeing, putting in at Grizzly Creek and taking out at Van Duzen. In October, you'll find an excellent salmon fishing spot where the Van Duzen enters the Eel.
Campsites, facilities: There are 30 sites for tents or small RVs; some sites have partial hookups (30 amps). Picnic tables and fire grills are provided. Drinking water and restrooms with flush toilets and coin showers are available. A grocery store and coin laundry are available nearby. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted in the campground, but not on the beach. Reservations, fees: Reservations are not accepted. Sites are $20 per night, $8 per person per night for hike-in/bike-in, $5 per night for each additional vehicle, $2 per pet per night. Maximum stay is 10 days. Open year-round.
Most summer vacationers hit the campgrounds on the Redwood Highway, that is, U.S. 101. However, this camp is just far enough off the beaten path to provide some semblance of seclusion. It is set in redwoods, quite beautiful, with fair hiking and good access to the adjacent Van Duzen River. The park encompasses only a few acres, yet it is very intimate. There are 4.5 miles of hiking trails, a visitors center with exhibits, and a bookstore. The Cheatham. Grove in this park is an exceptional stand of coast redwoods. Fishing is catch-and-release only with barbless hooks. Nearby attractions include the Victorian village of Ferndale and Fort Humboldt to the north, Humboldt Redwoods State Park to the south, and Ruth Lake to the more distant east. Insider's tip: Half of the park borders Highway 36, and you can hear highway noise from some campsites.
Campsites, facilities: There are 10 tent sites, nine sites for tents or small RVs, 11 sites for RVs up to 30 feet or trailers up to 24 feet, one hike-in/bike-in site, and one group site. No hookups. Picnic tables, food lockers, and fire grills are provided. Drinking water and restrooms with flush toilets and showers are available. A grocery store is available within 3.5 miles. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted in the campground, but not on trails or beach area. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(800)444-PARK or www.reserveamerica.com ($8 reservation fee); the group site may be reserved by calling 707/777-3683. Sites are $35 per night. $8 per night for each additional vehicle, $5 per person per night for hike-in/bike-in site, $90 per night for the group site. Open year-round.
Humboldt Redwoods State Park is a massive sprawl of forest that is known for some unusual giant trees in the Federation Grove and Big Tree Area. The park covers nearly 53,000 acres, including more than 17,000 acres of old-growth coast redwoods. It has 100 miles of hiking trails, many excellent, both short and long. The camp is set in a redwood grove, and the smell of these trees has a special magic. Nearby Albee Creek, a benign trickle most of the year, can flood in the winter after heavy rains. Seasonal interpretive programs, campfire talks, nature walks, and junior ranger programs are available.
Campsites, facilities: There are 37 sites for tents or RVs up to 33 feet and trailers up to 24 feet (no hookups); five environmental sites; and a hike-in/bike-in site. Picnic tables, fire grills, and food lockers are provided. Drinking water, restrooms with flush toilets and showers, and firewood are available. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(800)444-PARK or www.reserveamerica.com ($8 reservation fee). Sites are $35 per night. Open Memorial Day weekend through mid-October.
This is a horse camp set within Humboldt Redwoods State Park near the South Fork Eel River. The site is woodsy and far enough away from other camps in the park to often make it feel all your own. Though it is primarily a camp set up for equestrians, you can also use it as a base camp for kayak trips on the nearby South Fork Eel, or for hiking and biking trips nearby.
Campsites, facilities: There are five individual (environmental sites) and two group sites for tents and RVs for up to 25 and 65 people, with parking space for horse trailers. Picnic tables and fire rings are provided. Drinking water, coin showers, and flush toilets are available. There are water troughs and corrals for horses. Some facilities are wheelchair accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted May-September at 1(800)444-PARK or www.reserveamerica.com ($8 reservation fee). Individual sites are $35 per night, $8 per night for each additional vehicle, $135-200 for group sites. Open mid-April to mid-October.
This camp is one of the centerpieces of Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Humboldt is California's largest redwood state park and also includes the largest remaining contiguous old-growth coastal redwood forest in the world: the Rockefeller Forest. The trees here are thousands of years old and have never been logged; they are as pristine now as 200 years ago. The park has hundreds of miles of trails, but it is little 0.5-mile Founders Grove Nature Trail that has the quickest payoff and requires the least effort. The average rainfall here is 65 inches per year, with most occurring between October and May. Morning and evening fog in the summer keeps the temperature cool in the river basin.
At Burlington, you get shady sites with big redwood stumps that kids can play on. There's good hiking on trails routed through the redwoods, and in winter, steelhead fishing is often good on the nearby Eel River. However, this camp is often at capacity during the tourist months and sites tend to be packed close together with plenty of RVs and road noise from Avenue of the Giants a few feet away.
Campsites, facilities: There are 58 sites for tents or RVs up to 33 feet (no hookups) and trailers up to 24 feet, and three hike-in/bike-in sites. Picnic tables, fire grills, and food lockers are provided. Drinking water, restrooms with flush toilets and showers, and firewood are available. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(800)444-PARK or www.reserveamerica.com ($8 reservation fee). Sites are $35 per night, $8 per night for each additional vehicle, $5 per person per night for hike-in/bike-in sites. Open year-round.
The Lost Coast is often overlooked by visitors because of the difficulty in reaching it; your only access is via a slow, curvy road through the Mattole River Valley, past Petrolia, and out to a piece of coast. The experience is like being in suspended animation - your surroundings peaceful and pristine, with a striking lack of people. One of the best ways to capture the sensation is to drive out near the mouth of the Mattole, then hike south on the Coastal Trail long enough to get a feel for the area.
This is a little-known camp set at the mouth of the Mattole River, right where it pours into the Pacific Ocean. It is beautiful and isolated. An outstanding hike leads to the Punta Gorda Lighthouse. Hike from the campground to the ocean and head south. It's a level walk, and at low tide, there's a chance to observe tide-pool life. Perch fishing is good where the Mattole flows into the ocean, best during low tides. In the winter, the Mattole often provides excellent steelhead fishing. Check the Department of Fish and Game regulations for closed areas. Be sure to have a full tank on the way out - the nearest gas station is quite distant.
Campsites, facilities: There are 14 sites for tents or RVs up to 16 feet (no hookups). Picnic tables and fire rings are provided. Drinking water and vault toilets are available. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Sites are $8 per night. Open year-round
This camp gets heavy use from May through September, but the campsites have been situated in a way that offers relative seclusion. Side trips include good hiking on trails routed through redwoods and a touring drive on Avenue of the Giants. The park has more than 100 miles of hiking trails, many of them amid spectacular giant redwoods, including Bull Creek Flats Trail and Founders Grove Nature Trail. Bears are occasionally spotted by mountain bikers on rides out to the park's outskirts. In winter, nearby High Rock on the Eel River is one of the better shoreline fishing spots for steelhead. (For more information on Humboldt Redwoods, see Albee Creek and Burlington listings.)
Campsites, facilities: There are 155 sites for tents or RVs up to 33 feet (no hookups) and trailers up to 24 feet. Picnic tables, fire grills, and food lockers are provided. Drinking water, restrooms with flush toilets and showers, and firewood are available. A grocery store and coin laundry are available within one mile in Myers Flat. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(800)444-PARK or www.reserveamerica.com ($8 reservation fee). Sites are $35 per night, $8 per night for each additional vehicle. Open mid-April through Labor Day weekend.
This secluded camp provides a home for visitors to the "Lost Coast," the beautiful coastal stretch of California far from any semblance of urban life. The highlight here is the Mattole River, a great steelhead stream when flows are suitable between January and mid-March. Nearby is excellent hiking in the King Range National Conservation Area. For the great hike out to the abandoned Punta Gorda Lighthouse, drive to the trailhead on the left side of Lighthouse Road (see the Mattole listing in this chapter). This area is typically bombarded with monsoon-level rains in winter.
Campsites, facilities: There are 30 sites for tents or small RVs (no hookups). Overflow camping is also available. Picnic tables and fire grills are provided. Drinking water, restrooms with flush toilets, and coin showers are available. A grocery store, coin laundry, and propane gas are available nearby. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are not accepted. Sites are $20 per night, $8 per person per. night for hike-in/bike-in, $5 per night for each additional vehicle' -$2 per pet per night. Maximum stay is 10 days. Open year-round.
This privately operated park is set in a grove of redwoods and covers 23 acres, much of it fronting the Eel River. Trip options include the scenic drive on Avenue of the Giants.
Campsites, facilities: There are 26 tent sites and 55 sites for RVs of any length. RV sites have full or partial hookups (50 amps) and some are pull-through. Picnic tables and fire rings are provided. Restrooms with showers, free Wi-Fi, cable TV, a convenience store, ice, coin laundry, playground, volleyball court, tetherball, horseshoe pits, boat launch, dog "freedom area," and a recreation room are available. A camp host is on-site. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are recommended in the summer. RV sites are $35-49 per night, tent sites are $35 per night, $20 hike and bike per night, $3 per person per night for more than three people, $5 per night for additional vehicle. Discounted winter rates. Weekly rates available. Some credit cards accepted. Open year-round.
This little known and little used camp is located on Honeydew Creek, a tributary to the Mattole River in California's "Lost Coast." In summer, it's a hideaway that you can use as base camp to explore the Lost Coast and the King Range. In late winter, steelhead fishing can be good on the Mattole River between Honeydew and Petrolia, providing for good access and stream flows. One problem is rain. It can pound here and the river can get too high to fish; winters with 100 inches of rain are typical in average-to-wet years.
Campsites, facilities: There are five sites for tents or RVs (no hookups). Picnic tables and fire rings are provided. Vault toilets are available, but there is no drinking water; creek water is available but must be purified before drinking. Some facilities are wheelchair accessible. Reservations, fees: Reservations are not accepted. Sites are $8 per night.
This year-round RV park is set on the South Fork of the Eel River. This is a very family-oriented resort. In the summer, it makes a good base camp for a redwood park adventure, with Humboldt Redwoods State Park (well north of here) providing 100 miles of hiking trails, many routed through awesome stands of giant trees. In the winter heavy rains feed the South Fork Eel, inspiring steelhead upstream on their annual winter journey. Fishing is good in this area, best by shore at nearby High Rock. Bank access is good at several other spots. Note that there is catch-and-release fishing only; check fishing regulations. Contact information for fishing guides is available at the resort, and they offer winter steelhead fishing specials. An excellent side trip is to drive three miles south to the Avenue of the Giants, a tour through giant redwood trees. The campground also offers volleyball, shuffleboard, badminton, and horseshoes. You get the idea.
Campsites, facilities: There are 64 sites for tents or RVs of any length with full or partial hookups (30 and 50 amps); some sites are pull-through. Picnic tables and fire grills are provided. Restrooms with showers, recreation room, coin laundry, motel, convenience store, modem and Wi-Fi access, RV supplies, firewood, ice, giant spa, sauna, seasonal heated swimming pool, dump station, amphitheater, group facilities, arcade, basketball, tetherball, shuffleboard, volleyball, mini golf, and a playground are available. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are recommended in the summer at 1(877)923-2555. RV sites are $39-41 per night, tent sites are $32 per night, $5 per person per night for more than two people, $1.50 per night for each additional vehicle. Some credit cards accepted. Open year-round.
This remote camp is set at 1,840 feet, a short drive south of Horse Mountain. (For nearby side-trip options, see the listing for Horse Mountain in this chapter.)
Campsites, facilities: There are nine sites for tents or RVs up to 20 feet (no hookups). Picnic tables and fire rings are provided. Drinking water and vault toilets are available. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are not accepted. Sites are $8 per night. Open year-round.
This is an RV park with a pretty nine-hole regulation golf course set along U.S. 101 and the South Fork Eel River. It takes on a dramatically different character in the winter, when the highway is largely abandoned, the river comes up, and steelhead migrate upstream to the stretch of water here. Cooks Valley and Benbow provide good shore fishing access. Note that fishing restrictions for steelhead are extremely severe and subject to constant change; always check with DFG before fishing for steelhead.
Campsites, facilities: There are 112 sites for RVs or tents with full hookups (30 and 50 amps), including six "VIP" sites for RVs of any length. Many sites are pull-through. Cottages and park-model cabin rentals are also available. Picnic tables and cable TV are provided. Restrooms with showers, coin laundry, convenience store, snack bar, playground, recreation room, seasonal heated swimming pool, seasonal spa, Wi-Fi, fax and copy services, group facilities, organized activities, shuffleboard, table tennis, horseshoes, game room, RV supplies, and a nine-hole golf course are available. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted. A doggy playground and pet wash are available. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(800)562-7518. Sites are $55-73 per night, $5 per person per night for more than two people, $3 pet fee per night. Discounted rates fall-spring. Some credit cards accepted. Open year-round.
The highway cuts a swath right through Richardson Grove State Park, and everyone slows to gawk at the tallest trees in the world, one of the most impressive groves of redwoods you can drive through in California. To explore further, there are several campgrounds available at the park, as well as a network of outstanding hiking trails, and the Eel River runs through the park, providing swimming holes in summer. The best of these are the short Exhibit Trail, Settler's Trail, and Tourney Trail. Richardson Grove is one of the prettiest and most popular state parks, making reservations a necessity from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend. When arriving from points south on U.S. 101, this is the first park in the Redwood Empire where you will encounter significant old-growth redwood. There are nine miles of hiking trails, fishing in the winter for steelhead, and several trees of significant note.
Campsites, facilities: At Madrone Camp, there are 40 sites for tents or RVs up to 30 feet. At Huckleberry, there are 36 sites for tents or RVs up to 30 feet (no hookups). Dawn Redwood is a group camp (9-40 people) open in summer only. Picnic tables, food lockers, and fire grills are provided. Drinking water and restrooms with flush toilets and coin showers are available. Wi-Fi is available near the ranger station. A dump station is three miles away. Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible. Leashed pets are permitted at campsites only. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted January- September at 1(800)444-PARK or www.reserveamerica.com ($8 reservation 'fee). September-January sites are first-come, first-served. Sites are $35 per night, $8 per night for each additional vehicle. The group camp is $150 per night and a special-use permit is required. Open year-round, but subject to occasional winter closures.
This is a prime recreation area and a great oceanside spot to set up a base camp for deep-sea fishing, whale-watching, tidepool gazing, beachcombing, and hiking. Long-term renters occupy some of the campsites. A wide boat ramp makes it perfect for campers who have trailered boats and don't mind the long drive. Reservations are strongly advised here. The park's backdrop is the King Range National Conservation Area, offering spectacular views. The deli is well known for its fish-and-chips. The salmon, halibut, and rockfish fishing is quite good here in the summer; always call first for current regulations and seasons, which change every year. Clamming is best during winter's low tides; hiking is best in the King Mountain Range during the summer. Seasonal abalone diving and shore fishing for redtail perch are also available. There is heavy rain in winter. Insider's tip: Two miles north is one of the few black-sand beaches in the continental United States.
Campsites, facilities: There are 103 sites for tents or RVs; many have full hookups (30 amps); some sites are pull-through. Picnic tables and fire rings are provided. Restrooms with showers, dump station, coin laundry, grocery store, deli, propane, ice, and RV supplies are available. A boat ramp and marina are across the street. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are recommended. Sites are $36-46 per night, $10 per person per night for more than two people, $1 per pet per night, $1 per night for additional vehicle. Some credit cards accepted. Open year-round.
Oak Flat is on the eastern side of the Eel River in the shade of forest and provides easy access to the river. The campground is open only in the summer. (For side-trip information, see the listing for Madrone, Huckleberry, and Dawn Redwood in this chapter.)
Campsites, facilities: There are 94 sites for tents or RVs up to 24 feet (no hookups) and trailers up to 18 feet. Picnic tables, food lockers, and fire grills are provided. Drinking water, restrooms with flush toilets and coin showers, and Wi-Fi are available. A grocery store and propane gas are available nearby. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are accepted at 1(800)444-PARK or www.reserveamerica.com ($8 reservation fee). Sites are $45 per night, $8 per night for each additional vehicle. Open mid-June through mid-September, weather permitting.
This private camp provides a nearby alternative to Richardson Grove State Park, complete with cabin rentals. The state park, with its grove of giant redwoods and excellent hiking, is the primary attraction. The RV park is family-oriented, with volleyball and basketball courts and horseshoe pits. The adjacent South Fork Eel River may look like a trickle in the summer, but there are some good swimming holes. It also provides good steelhead fishing in January and February, with especially good shore fishing access here as well as to the south in Cooks Valley (check DFG regulations before fishing). This campground is owned and operated by the Northern California/Nevada District Assemblies of God.
Campsites, facilities: There are 98 sites for tents or RVs; some sites are pull-through and many have full or partial hookups (30 amps). Two log cabins are also available. Picnic tables and fire rings are provided. Restrooms with showers, dump station, Wi-Fi, playground, coin laundry, convenience store, group facilities, propane, and ice are available. Leashed pets are permitted. Reservations, fees: Reservations are recommended in the summer. RV sites are $30-40 per night, tent sites are $30 per night. Weekly, winter, and group rates available. Some credit cards accepted. Open year-round.