Discovering Northern California
Humboldt County California

Humboldt County: Redwoods Country

Rough and ready Humboldt County - with its mighty rivers, Redwood forests, historic Victorian villages, and the Avenue of the Giants - sits on the coast of Northern California, just south of Del Norte County.

Formerly a center for logging, trapping, and railroad industries, Humboldt is now better known for its dairy farms and products, budding wine regions, and burgeoning marijuana industry and the associated Bay Area counter-culture scene.

Humboldt lays claim to rugged coastline and beaches, handcrafted wines and beers, guided and unguided nature adventures, historic parks, Redwoods adventures, dairy farming, white water, marijuana grows, and the Lost Coast.

From genteel Victorian settings to rumpled backwoods roughness, Humboldt combines the best of the beauty and the beast.

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The Redwoods of Humboldt County

The county of Humboldt lays host to forest after forest after forest of some of the tallest trees in the world. There's no mistaking you're in Redwood Country!

Here you'll find Redwood National Park, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Avenue of the Giants, and four or more regional parks where you can tour, hike, explore, camp, take a scenic drive, fish, kayak, fly through the canopy, and - in some cases - drive through a tree.

Take the Rhododendron Trail in Prairie Creek Redwood State Park during Spring to discover thick concentrations of wild Pacific Rhododendrons in bloom.

Or hike the Redwood Creek Trail in Redwood National and State Parks for magnificent views of Redwood forests and Roosevelt Elk-inhabited meadows.

Discover the albino Redwoods of Humboldt Redwoods State Park - naturally occurring Redwoods that have no pigmentation so that their needles are snow-white, even in Summer.

And, of course, drive along the Avenue of the Giants, the largest and most beautiful remaining stand of virgin Redwoods in the world.

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The Towns of Humboldt County

Eureka California on Humboldt Bay, is Humboldt's county seat. Humboldt Bay is California's second largest natural bay, and it's a working port with a fishing fleet that goes out every day of the season.

Nearby Arcata California is a college town, home to Humboldt State University and the Arcata Bay Oyster Festival.

On the northeast shore of the Eel River sits the city of Fortuna, known largely for its sunny disposition and the number of events and festivals that it sponsors.

One of our favorite towns is Ferndale, the northern gateway to the Lost Coast and a tiny little city (just over 1,000 residents) that's chock full of ornate and beautiful Victorians and kitschy little shops.

Another favorite is Samoa, site of the Samoa Cookhouse, one of the last remaining lumber-camp-style cookhouses where you can still get a good and plentiful meal served up family style.

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The Wilds of Humboldt County

Humboldt shares the Lost Coast  - 90 miles of Northern California coastline between Ferndale and Rockport, where there are essentially no roads - with Mendocino County.

It's a land of "wild landscapes - shipwrecked steamers, battered Sea Stacks, jagged cliffs, pristine beaches, talus pipes - and tons of solitude to go with your hiking, fishing, backpacking, beachcombing, and camping."

Add to that more than 40 National, State, and local parks, forests, reserves and recreation areas in Humboldt, outdoor activities of the rough and rugged type abound: Redwood forests; ziplining through the canopy; scenic drives; river trips and kayaking; sports fishing and more.

The county of Humboldt is a place where you can lose yourself, away from your everyday life, everyday chores, and everyday stresses.

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We'll have more to share with you about Humboldt County in the coming weeks - things like:

• Humboldt Attractions
  From North to South and West to East!
• Humboldt Beaches
  All along the coast and beyond!
• Humboldt Communities
  From the biggest to the smallest!
• Humboldt Parks and Preserves
  State Parks, Nature Preserves, and drive-through trees!

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