Parks in and near Eureka, California. There are over 40 different parks, forest reserves, beaches and other public lands in the county. There are over 40 different parks, forest reserves, beaches and other...
There are over 40 different parks, forest reserves, beaches and other public lands in the county. In terms of size there are three major parks. To the north of Eureka is Redwood National Park. It's one of the newest of the national parks because it was created in 1968 and is a pristine coastal redwood preserve full of hiking trails, trails for mountain biking, beach camping, wild life viewing, bird watching, and anything to do with nature.
To the south of Eureka, a 45-minute drive, is Humboldt Redwood State Park. It is 54,000 acres and is the largest of the Redwood Parks. It has an incredible growth of virgin forest never touched by man. It is home to the world famous Avenue of the Giants, which most people have heard about, a 31-mile scenic drive right through the Redwoods. Again it is a great place for camping, outdoor sports activities, horseback riding and re-connecting with nature.
To the east of Eureka, running nearly the entire length of the county because it's over a million acres, is Six Rivers National Forest. This is not Redwood territory, this is more mountainous, and is also called the Land of Six Rivers. There are six major rivers that run from southeast to northwest and it makes an incredible place for fishing, white-water rafting and other water sports. In the winter there are snow sports and it is just a great place for getting away from it all. It has great biological diversity, good scenic drives, and hunting as well.
We also have 110 miles of unspoiled coastline from in the county; Eureka is right in the middle of that all. There are beaches within five minutes of my office, just go over the bridge to the north peninsula that forms the north part of the Humboldt Bay I can be at Black Sand Beach. It's got beautiful black sands that are not volcanic just naturally black. Last Coast itself is a section just south of Eureka. It is the only coastal wilderness in California. No major roads approach the ocean there, so it's very inaccessible except for those who are quite adventurous, but there are some four-wheel drive-outs and you can go backpacking right along the coastline there. Heading north the river comes out into a broad valley where the town of Ferndale is, which is a beautiful little original Victorian town very famous for its cows and dairy products. That's just 15 minutes south of Eureka.
