My first PT travel contract was located in Eureka, CA. We spent 3 months exploring the area, enjoying the majestic Redwoods and the sandy, deserted beaches. We were there from beginning of January to the beginning of April in 2021 which was plenty of time to scout out the area and take in the wonderful treasures of the Redwood forest. We highly recommend visiting this area if you are an outdoorsy person as it has a variety of fun out activities for all ages.

When to Visit

We were in Eureka from January to April, which according to the locals is not the best time to visit. They recommend visiting in the spring, summer or fall as the temperature increases and the rainfall diminishes.

As we spent 3 months there in the winter, the temperature was always 50’s to low 60’s during the day with the nighttime temps in the high 30’s to low 40’s. The 50-60 degree weather was perfect for hiking, which worked out well for us since that is how we spent most of our weekends.

The wind, however, was more than we had anticipated. Every day the winds were ranging from 15-25mph, picking up to 30-40 mph at night. Less than 10mph winds were a rare treat. We didn’t mind the winds in the beginning but after 3 months, it was starting to wear on us and we were looking forward to moving to a less windy location.

During the winter months, the rainfall increases quite a bit. The average precipitation rate is about 5-6 inches/month in January, February and March. Then it decreases to 2-3 inches in April.

As for the spring, summer and fall, we’re told the weather is much better so when planning a trip to the Redwoods, I would recommend anytime other than winter to ensure you have good weather for being outdoors.

Where to Stay

Shoreline RV Park

We stayed at Shoreline RV Park in Eureka. It was basically a parking lot with 3-4 feet of grass separating each site so privacy was basically non-existent, but that was what we had expected for a basic RV park.

It was the cheapest RV park in the area that had availability, costing about $750/month plus utilities. We were consistently paying about $100/month for utilities, not including what we spent to refill our propane tanks. There was a U-haul within 5 minutes where we would bring our tanks to refill the LP.

Along with being the cheapest park in the area, it was also the most convenient. It’s close to the main strip where the stores and restaurants are located. We could even easily walk to Target in 5 minutes, taking the bike path that ran along the side of the RV park. Because of its close proximity to town, Ryan was able to drop me off at work so he could take the truck to run errands, making this a very convenient location for 1 vehicle households.

The RV park also had coin-operated laundry machines onsite with a few nearby laundromats that accepted credit cards.

Redwood Coast and Cabins RV Resort- owned by the same company as Shoreline so comparable pricing, but a little further from town. It also has amenities that are not offered by Shoreline such as a playground, mini-golf, and kids’ bike rentals.
 

Mad River Rapids RV Park- located in Arcata CA so there are plenty of shops and restaurants in the area. The monthly rate is $775/month with utilities included, making it an even better deal than Shoreline. They didn’t have any availability when we were there so they seem to book up far in advance. Amenities include a seasonally heated pool and hot tub, game room, and on-site laundry facility.
 

Sounds of the Sea- located in Trinidad. You can hear the waves crash against the rocky shore. In the early morning, you can hear the sea lions bark. This park is definitely pricier, but it’s a great location as it is close to the beach and to Patrick’s Point State Park. 

Safety Tip

Eureka has a bad rep because of the high homeless population. There were are few packages stolen from Shoreline RV Park while we were there. We bought a heavy duty bike lock to prevent our bikes from being stolen because we heard that there had been previous issues. This lock works great. Its a heavy chain that can only be broken by sawing into it so it will definitely lower the chances of a quick and easy theft from occurring. See the link below if you are interested in purchasing. It’s $100, but definitely worth the money.

Outdoor Activities

Hiking
 

Humboldt County is filled with great hiking trails as there are numerous parks and forests nearby. To the north of Eureka is Redwood National Park along with three State Parks, Prairie Creek Redwoods, Del Norte Coast Redwoods and Jedediah Smith Redwoods. To the south of Eureka is the Avenue of the Giants. There is also a great community forest in Arcata that has a network of family friendly hiking trails.

Walking into these forested areas was mind-blowing. Seeing these massively large trees encompass the forest was astonishing. Not only were we intrigued by the Redwood trees, but we also found the luscious green ferns to be quite captivating. The bright green coloring drew us in immediately and with the mist in the air from all the rain, the forest had a magical quality to it. Springtime is supposedly even more stunning as the flowers bring color to the forested area.

During our time here, we went on many hikes. Below is a list of our favorites.

Skunk Cabbage Trail- 

A peaceful out and back trail leading through the forest to a secluded beach. According to AllTrails, the trail is 7.3 miles with 1295 feet of elevation with a difficulty rating of moderate. Based on my watch it was more than 8 miles. Either way, it’s not a challenging hike, it may just take a little more time than you anticipated.

There is a good sized parking lot that was empty both times we went so there is no need to rush here (at least in the winter). There are toilets available at the trail head.

This trail is in Redwood National Park, but there are actually more Douglas firs, Spruce trees and ferns featured on this hike than Redwood trees. It may not be what you’d expect when going out to Redwood National Park, but the scenery was no less magnificent.

We loved this trail so much that we hiked it 2 times during our stay in Eureka. The first time we hiked it was in the middle of the winter so the skunk cabbages hadn’t bloomed yet, but the second time we went out there in April we got to see them. It was a good time to see them, too, since it was early in the season they hadn’t been touched or damaged by the hikers so they were still in pristine condition. The reason for their name is when they are harmed, they release an unpleasant odor. Luckily, we got to see the beauty without the smell. They live near water so when crossing the little streams make sure to keep an eye out for them.

About ¾ of the way into the hike, there is a bench overlooking the ocean. It’s a nice resting point for a quick snack. As you approach this overlook you can hear the ocean sounds grow louder. Once you continue on the trail you turn back into the forest and the sounds of the ocean fade away. Then the trail changes directions again leading you back towards the coast, bringing the sounds back into earshot. It was fascinating to us at how much the trees could block the sounds of the waves crashing against the shore. After making the short descent to the beach, you can walk as far as you’d like along the deserted shoreline.

We were there in the cooler months so maybe it was just the time of year, but both times we hiked this trail, we came across 2-3 people the entire time out there. It was one of the reasons we loved this trail. It was peaceful and serene. Despite not being one of the trails with tons of redwood trees around, it was one of my favorites.

Bull Creek Flats- 

An enjoyable loop trail through the forest that features a river with 2 river crossings. This is an 8.6 mile trail with 666 feet of elevation gain that is rated as moderate difficulty.

It is located within Humboldt Redwoods State Park near the Avenue of the Giants. It was a great hike that allowed us to get out of the car during the scenic drive.

This is a loop trail with 2 river crossings. One crossing is near the parking lot and one is halfway into the hike. Both times we did this trail, we went clockwise around the loop. The first time we did the hike, we just picked a direction not knowing what to expect. We hadn’t seen the first river crossing on the other side of the parking lot, but by the end of the hike, we realized we inadvertently made the right decision.

The second time we hiked this trail we went the same direction as we wanted to save the river crossing for the end as a reward for completing the hike. Plus, when taking the clockwise approach you start the hike walking alongside the road for a short duration. We prefer to get the boring parts done in the beginning saving the anticipation of the fun parts left for the end so as we get tired we still have something to be excited about.

This trail is supposedly best used from May to October because the water level is much lower allowing for easier ability to cross the river. We hiked this trail in February and again in April. Both times the water level was very high from the accumulation of rain that season.

Both river crossings have fallen redwood trees that form a bridge allowing passageway. As long as you have good balance and aren’t too fearful, it is an easy cross over the water as the redwoods are so large in diameter.

We brought my parents on this hike during their visit and my dad enjoyed climbing the fallen trees. He easily climbed up the trees, not realizing how high he had accidentally gone, surprising himself when he looked down. You can have a lot of fun on this hike, but be careful with climbing the trees!

James Irvine Trail- 

A nice walk through the Prairie Creek Redwoods Park with scenic ferns, Spruce trees and Douglas firs. This is a 10.4 mile trail with 1404 foot elevation gain rated as moderate intensity level.

There are multiple ways to complete this trail. To begin the trail, the easiest place to park is at the visitor center. Parking can fill up quickly so get there early, but there is also additional parking along the side of the road before entering the parking lot. I recommend getting there before 9am.

The trail begins at the visitor center. Then you can decide on how long you want the hike to be. There are multiple other trails that intersect with this one so you can either make it an out and back or turn it into a loop. 

Fern Canyon- 

A unique hiking trail walking through a river at the bottom of a canyon. This is a 1.1 mile long trail with 118 feet of elevation gain rated as easy.

To begin this hike, you drive through a long scenic road leading you through the forest towards a beach. After getting through the forested portion of the drive, you continue driving through an open area and are required to cross multiple streams. It was interesting for us to drive through this area because it was during rainy season so the stream was maybe 1 foot high.

You will park at Gold Beach, costing $8.

You have access to the beach from here where there are picnic tables to enjoy a nice lunch. Then you can set off down a short path towards the river. This was a fun hike traversing through the water, negotiating fallen trees.

Fun Fact: This is the location for filming of Jurassic Park 2: Lost Worlds

Tip: Combine James Irvine and Fern Canyon- Combining the trails would offer a unique experience with a variety of scenic points. 

Combination Trail Recommendation- 

If you wish to combine the trails, you could do a point to point trek by parking one car at the beach and one at the visitor center and make your way from one vehicle to the next. The other option is doing an out and back by parking your vehicle at one location, hike both trails and ending at the same starting point. 

We only have one vehicle so we made a loop out of multiple trails that would lead us back to our vehicle at the starting point. We started on James Irvine at the visitor center, connected with Fern Canyon, backtracked on James Irvine until we connected with Clintonia trail which brought us to Miner’s Ridge heading back towards the last section of James Irvine where we ended at the visitor center. This loop was 20.6 miles with 2939 feet of elevation and is rated as moderate. It took us about 7-8 hours to complete it with an hour spent at the beach for lunch. 

If you are interested in hiking the James Irvine trail to the beach, but are not interested in trekking through Fern Canyon, there is an alternative section that would allow easier access from the forest to the beach. You still have to cross through the river, but it’s only about 10-15 feet in width rather than walking the 1.1 miles through the bottom of the canyon. The water was about 1 foot high in the winter and is probably much lower in the summer months.

This is such a great area to hike because of the vastly different scenic sections of this region. It’s also nice to be able to customize your hike to however best fits your needs. I definitely would recommend exploring this specific region if you are ever in the area.

Scenic Drives

As we drove to different hiking trails, we made scenic drives out of the trip to get an even better experience. There are a number of scenic drives in this area.

Here is a list of the drives we took in order of our favorite to least favorite.

Howland Hill- 

located in Crescent City about an hour and 45 minutes from Eureka. The drive to the start of the scenic drive is along route 101, which was a very easy drive (except for when there’s a landslide).

We started the scenic drive at the southwest entrance and headed northeast along Howland Hill Road. This road extends about 6 miles through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. 

There are numerous hiking trails along the route allowing for breaks to get out and stretch your legs. Some of the trails are short and easy and others are a bit longer. We stuck with shorter, easier hikes so we could cover more trails in the area. I strongly recommend stopping at these trails and getting out to explore. Stout Grove trail was our favorite as it lead down to the river and had lots of fallen trees we could climb on.

The end of the scenic drive crosses over the Smith River. Before crossing over the bridge to head back towards Crescent City, there is a nice place on the side of the road to quickly pull over. We were able to get out of our truck and walk onto the bridge to get a better view of the river.

The bridge is wide with plenty of space to walk along the sides and there isn’t a lot of traffic, but you still have to be careful and watch out for cars. You will get a quick glance of the river as you drive over the bridge so you don’t have to stop, but it is definitely worth a few extra minutes to the day by getting out of the vehicle to admire the beauty of the surrounding scenery.

If you are headed back towards Crescent City, make sure you plan some time to check out the beach. There are a few places to pull over and enjoy the sunset. Grab some dinner to go and eat from the car or picnic tables to enjoy the view before heading home for the night.

Newton B Drury- 

10 mile scenic drive through the redwoods, Prairie Creek Redwoods to be exact. There are several hikes of different lengths and intensity levels found in this area so it can easily become a whole day trip. If you are short on time, you can complete the drive in about 20 minutes without stops, but it’s definitely worth getting out to explore a bit so I was recommend at least an hour. There are plenty of pullouts to stop so you can get out to take pictures or to explore along the way.

From November to May, the road is closed down to vehicles on the first Saturday of every month to allow for hiking and biking. No vehicles can drive down the road, leaving it wide open for bikers and walkers to enjoy without having to look out for cars. Plan your trip accordingly to avoid this road closure from messing with your plans if you visit during these months.

Avenue of the Giants-

A 31 mile scenic drive through Humboldt Redwoods State Park. It is a 2 way road that winds its way through the redwoods. Some of the giant redwoods are so close to the road that you feel like you could reach out and touch them.

There are 8 auto tour stops along the way with plenty of room to pull over to stop. Plan to take it slowly through this drive as there are plenty of hiking trails in the area. They are mostly short and easy trails that are very kid friendly.

Six Rivers National Forest- 

We drove from Eureka to Shasta Lake for a weekend trip. It was about a 3 hour drive (150 miles) along route 299. 

If staying on the coast of Northern California with no plans to head to Shasta Lake/Redding area, I would only plan to go part way along this route to enjoy the scenic views of the Trinity River. Heading east along 299 from Eureka, you will drive through the beautiful foresty area. No redwood trees are seen on this drive.

After about an hour of driving you will come across a small town called Willow Creek. There is not much here, but if you are interested you can stop at the Bigfoot Collection Museum. It was closed due to Covid so we didn’t get a chance to check it out.

Continuing east for another 10-15 minutes the road eventually meets the Trinity River. I recommend finding a spot to pull over so you can get out and take some pictures. Afterward, turn around and head back as there is not much else along this route.

The views of the Trinity River are similar to the views of the Smith River from the Howland Hill scenic drive so unless you plan to be in the area for a while I would recommend only doing 1 of these drives to avoid redundancy. Personally, I think Howland Hill would be a better bang for your buck as you can experience a multitude of scenery and activities including the river, hiking through the Redwoods and enjoying the sunset at a beach in Crescent City. 

Beaches
 

There are numerous beaches to hang out at and you can’t really go wrong with which you choose, but in northern California the temperature doesn’t typically get above mid-60s, not making it the best beach vacation location. Because the weather is not prime for lounging in the sun, the beaches were often deserted when we went. They get more activity during the summer months, but locals had told us even during the warmest months they aren’t usually crowded.

Despite the cool weather, we enjoyed going to the beaches to take long walks along the shore watching the sun set. Our favorite beaches were Trinidad State Beach and Moonstone Beach. 

There are a few hiking trails at Trinidad State Beach. We hiked the Trinidad Head Trail Loop which was 1.7 miles. It was an easy walk that provided beautiful views of the ocean and the town of Trinidad.

Moonstone Beach is a perfect place to take a leisurely stroll along the shore. It has beautiful views, especially at sunset. There is a river that cuts into the beach making it more interesting than typical beaches.

Other Fun Activities:

There are so many fun activities in Humboldt county. The list can go on and on. Here are a few other activities to check out when in the area.

Drive Thru a Redwood Tree- 

There are 3 drive thru trees in Northern California. Make sure to do some research to make sure your vehicle fits through the tree. We have a Ford F350 truck so we were unable to fit through 2 of these. Luckily, we successfully made it through the Klamath drive thru tree but it was a tight fit!

• Tour Thru Tree Klamath- $5 entrance fee, tunnel is 7.3 feet in width by 9.5 feet in height

• Shrine Drive Thru Tree- oldest drive thru tree, $10 entrance fee, more suitable for compact cars- angled tunnel is 7 feet wide by 7 feet height- the angled tunnel makes it the most narrowest of drive thru trees

• 3) Chandelier Drive Thru Tree- $10 entrance fee for autos, $5 for bikes/motorcycles/walk-ins, has a park with wooden sculptures, duck pond, and gift shop; tunnel is 6 feet wide by 7 feet height

Trees of Mystery-

Tourist attraction located in Klamath, California. This is a fun way for people of all ages to explore the Redwoods. There is a Redwood Canopy Trail that allows you to experience the Redwoods from 50-100 feet above ground while crossing over suspension bridges and walking along platforms that extend tree to tree. You can ride the SkyTrail shuttle that takes you on an adventure up the Redwood canopy to an observation deck that offers incredible views of the mountains, forests and coast. There is plenty to do at this attraction to keep you engaged in lots of fun for several hours.

Patrick's Point State Park- now known as Sue-Meg State Park

A beautiful state park located on the coast in Trinidad, CA with hiking trails leading to incredible views. See the waves crash against the large rock formations, explore tide pools or head down the Agate beach, a shoreline covered by polished stones.

- Tent and RV camping is allowed here

Arcata Community Forest- 

Offers a network of hiking trails in Arcata. There are about 20 trails with the shortest trail being about 0.1 mile and the longest about 2 miles. Most of the trails are fairly easy with some elevation. It’s a great place to go if you are looking for an easier walking path that gets you into nature.

Northern California is well worth the visit. There are so many amazing experiences to be had here. You can spend a whole week here and not see everything. If you are short on time and only have a day or two to visit, it is still worth it. You can't go wrong with the activities you choose for your adventure no matter how long you plan to be in the area. It's a wonderful experience that shouldn't be missed!