Humboldt County (map)
- Redwood National Park
- Prairie Creek Redwoods Park & Murrelet State Wilderness
- Humboldt Lagoons Park (which includes Big Lagoon, Stone Lagoon, Freshwater Lagoon, Dry Lagoon), just north of Patricks Point
- Patricks Point/ Sue-meg Park (beach)
- Eureka (Carson Mansion, Victorian homes, historic district, murals, the coast guard building in Samoa island)
- Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge (birdwatchers paradise) with the Ma-le'l Dunes (only open to vehicles friday through monday) and the Hookton Slough loop (5 kms roundtrip)
- Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation (California's largest reservation)
- Ferndale (historic district and cemetery)
- Avenue of the Giants (or "route 254", a 50-km scenic drive with some of the tallest trees in the world), especially Founders Grove and "Big Trees Area" (click here for the map)
- Lost Coast (unspoilt coast with Shelter Cove, King Range, etc)
- Arcata (Azalea State Natural Reserve)
- McKinleyville (Hiller Park, Pierson Park)
- Kinetic Sculpture Race from Arcata to Ferndale on Memorial Day Weekend
- Fortuna
- Six Rivers national forest
Modoc County
- Lava Beds: Cave Loop (eg Garden Bridges, Paradise Alley, Catacombs, Blue Cave), Devil's Homestead (lava beds) and the wildlife lookout at Tula Lake (map)
Lassen County
- Lassen Volcanic Park: Lassen Peak (4km hike to the summit of 3,187 meters), Bumpass Hell (2km hike), Lake Helen, Kings Creek Falls, Manzanita Lake (map)
Shasta County
- Mount Shasta
- Shasta Lake (largest commercial houseboat fleet in the world)
- Redding: Turtle Bay Exploration Park, +Sundial Bridge
Mendocino County
- Cape Mendocino (westermost point in California)
- Mendocino
- Wharf Rock Beach (see Mendocino)
- Skunk Train Wolf Tree Turn Train Ride (a 2-hour train ride for a whopping $70 each in 2023)
Howdy's description of the Kinetic Sculpture Race (founded by metal sculptor Hobart Brown in 1969):
The start of the race has the most festival atmosphere with a
lot of people and machines crowding the Arcata plaza before the noon
whistle start on Saturday. Shortly after, the main action is on the
beach between Manila and Samoa where we have to go through sand dunes
and the "dead man's drop" down a slope of sand.
On Sunday the main
interest is the water entry (splash, sink or float?) and you can see a
lot of the sculptures well from the water front along the harbor. The
rest of Sunday is spread out along the road. That night we camp on the
beach at the mouth of the Eel river.
Monday we cross the Eel and there
is some new mud hazard that they are adding this year on the other side
on the outskirts of Ferndale. Then there is the finish line in Ferndale.
The first sculptures to finish usually cross the line in the early
afternoon 1-2 (the finish in Ferndale is held up until after a more
traditional Memorial Day parade there in the morning). Most sculptures
are done by 3pm at the latest.
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Weather forecast for Prairie Creek Park
Weather forecast for Lassen
Weather forecast for Eureka
Avenue of the Giants attractions:
Founders Grove (take exit 663 of highway 101, approximately halfway into Avenue of the Giants, just south of the bridge over the creek, make sure you turn left into the bridge if you are coming from the north) with Dyerville Tree (a colossal fallen tree)
The "Big Tree Area" (7 kms into Bull Creek Flats Road which starts just north of the bridge, an area located after the Rockefeller Grove and before the Albee Creek Campground, but note that you may have to wade the creek if the bridge is out, and on the other side there's a well-marked trail to the two trees, Giant Tree and Flat Iron Tree)
Bolling Grove
Williams Grove
Shrine Drive Thru Tree (a tourist trap in Myers Flat).
There are three campgrounds in the Avenue of the Giants area:
Albee Creek campground (on a side road that starts approximately where Founders Grove is), Burlington Campground (south of Founders Grove) and Hidden Springs Campground (further south). They always show as full but i found campsites at the last minute, notably at Hidden Springs.
In 2021 all the tent sites were $35 plus a $8 reservation fee = $43. The nearby hotels may be better deals (and more quiet). Needless to say, cash only if you show up without a paid reservation.
Map
The Lagoons
Humboldt Lagoons Park (which includes Big Lagoon, Stone Lagoon, Freshwater Lagoon, Dry Lagoon), just north of Patricks Point. You can hike the coastal trail from either then OREQ picnic area in the north or the Dry Lagoon picnic area in the south, or, better, from the parking lot south of Freshwater and north of Stone Lagoon. Camping at Dry Lagoon.
If you have to break the trip near Garberville coming from southern California: Richardson park is at exit 285, Benbom at 286, Dean Creek Resort at 295 (Redway exit). Before these ones, Standish-Hickey Park that has three campgrounds: Hickey Campground, Rock Creek Campground, Redwood Campground (which is also the best)
In 2021 all the tent sites were $35 plus a $8 reservation fee = $43. The nearby hotels may be better deals (and more quiet). Needless to say, cash only if you show up without a paid reservation.
Cheapest gasoline as of 2022 is at the casino off exit 692.
Six Rivers national forest:
Mad River is 1.5 hours east of Fortuna or 2 hours east of Garberville, Willow Creek is 50 minutes east of Arcata.
Camping:
Bailey Canyon campground on the shores of Ruth Lake,
Boise Creek campground east of Willow Creek along the Trinity River.
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