This place is such a beautiful place to go hiking, to take your four legged friend, or to go…read morehorseback riding. There are the Ma-le'l Dunes North and the Me-le'l Dunes South, both of which have lots of different trails. We hiked around in the the sand dunes on a trail that led to the beach and it was a beautiful hike. It was nice to hang out on the beach and watch the waves. You can walk along the beach and it's nice that there isn't many people around. We also hiked up the dunes to where the spruce trees met the forest. It was fascinating to see trees in the sand and where the dunes and the forest meet up close. This was such a fun place to explore! There is plenty of parking. There is a bathroom near where you park and doggy bags. Please bring your own doggy bags and leave no trace! This is a beautiful place worth exploring!

We went to the South dunes. North dunes was closed…read more It was pretty nice where my kids rolled around the sand. Unable to sled down with a cardboard box though.

Absolutely magical. Old growth redwoods, tons of banana slugs, and really great hiking trails.read more

wow...a literal redwood forest on the campus of Cal Poly Humboldt! we were visiting my kid and he…read morewas showing us around campus. adjacent to the baseball field we saw multiple paths that led into the forest. we dove in and explored..wow just wow!!! first of all we stumbled upon a disk golf course....no real path at this point. some people arrived who were playing so we got out of the way and found a body of water. green but gorgeous! there was a pathway at this point and we followed it ....eventually after so much Beauty we ended up at a grass clearing surrounded by giant trees. it was a park with so many people picnicking and playing lawn sports. then found another forest pathway back to campus. I'm not sure if we actually left campus or not but having this as a backyard is astonishing!

I don't think there's a city park that could ever amount to anything more than a reminder of this…read moreone. The scenery is reminiscent of scenes from the movie Excalibur (1981) in that it captures this sense of the ethereal and divine. Thick, lush foliage covers every inch of the hilly trails and you're surrounded on all sides by towering redwoods. Throughout the trail you hear a babbling brook and bird song unlike any I've heard in my life. The experience then ends nearby one of the most beautiful parks I've ever seen in my whole life that sits upon a well tended field that's also surrounded by redwoods and ferns.

What a great park. It sits next to Poly-Tech Humbolt so you'll get a range of people from kids…read moreplaying in the playground to college students taking a break on the green lawn surrounded by redwoods. Great spot for a walk in the redwoods.

So. Many. SAND DOLLARS!! It's mind blowing - every few feet there's another one, and another one,…read moreand another one!! And this is probably the first California beach I've ever had all to myself! I think I saw 1-2 other people and that was it...fantastic!! I visited in March as part of my Redwoods trip...it's easy to get to along the Redwoods Coast - highly recommend if you're in the area. It was cloudy, cold, and windy - but that made it even more gorgeous! Very cozy...I loved it! The colors were dramatic and waves were angry - such a mood!! To get to the beach, you have to walk over a stretch of sand dunes dotted with clumps of beach grass. And then it's wide open beach after that. Lots of shorebirds, sand dollars, and shells to keep you occupied. There are looming mountains off in the distance. So photogenic! There's a small-ish parking lot (I didn't see any bathrooms) with a gate that indicates the entrance to the beach walk. Before you get to the parking lot, there's a yellow sort of gate area that they close at a certain time every evening - there are plenty of signs to tell you what time it closes and don't get caught behind it after hours or you'll have to call the cops and get towed! Apparently, down the other road to the right of the gate takes you to a boat ramp and horse staging area. Be sure to make a stop at the nearby Mad River Bridge too - you can miss it!! Totally worth it - especially since you're already in the area (see my bridge review - it has a cool history and views)!

This beach hold many memories of bon fire nights with friends along with star gazing nights…read more Beware this beach is open sunrise to sunset so make sure to park outside the fenced area if you want to stay after closing. Also be careful when waking in the areas where folks have bon fires by the beach, there are many sharp objects such as construction nails and such especially since people prefer to use wood pallets for bon fires. Back in the day there way no fenced area so it was fairly easy to stumble on rocks or sharp grass back to the car especially if a friend had too much to drink. Once in awhile you will see dark objects bobbing their heads in the water. Don't be too alarmed it might be a seal. I wasn't sure at first but I made sure to zoom in on my camera ;-)

The Azalea State Natural Reserve is an area protecting Azalea plant species…read more.. From their web site: "A reserve for western azalea (Rhododendron occidentale). Each spring, a profusion of pink and white blossoms scents the air. There is a picnic area available. Plan to visit in April and May when azaleas are in bloom." http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=420 So you want to plan your visit in the April/May time frame - if you want to have a chance of experiencing the Azaleas when they are in bloom. Other times, of the year, it's a nice, peaceful place for a hike! #AzaleaStateNaturalReserve

This small state reserve in northern Humboldt county, off the 101, just below McKinleyville. Off…read moreNorth Bank Road, just about a mile or so down on the left hand side(north) of the blacktop. Is one of the top flower watching destinations in California. This state maintained reserve is loaded with western azaleas, and in the springtime it becomes alive with color and fragrance. Because of the temperate climate, blooms can be found year around. Walking trails are literally covered with pink and white blossoms from late April to June (depending on the weather) and the scent of these beautiful trees flowers can be smelled from yards away, lofting through the air - you find yourself lost in a maze of trails with millions of blooms all around. This unassuming little park is really a very amazing place to walk, look, relax and enjoy nature. There are picnic areas, and a couple different maintained low to medium grade walking trails - also a paved parking area. There is also a trail that crosses the roadway and leads into the far side of this cool place. The reserve is open from sunrise to sunset, year around. There are no dogs allowed in this fragile natural reserve, so please leave your fur friend at home or in the car. This natural state reserve, is one of the best places for blooms in the springtime in the entire state - and well worth the effort. A true 5 star gem on the north coast. 00154

Such a cool mix of dog park and open meadow that leads into a beautiful coastal trail. The views at…read morethe end overlooking the ocean are incredible.

Very relaxing and I felt my dog was very safe there. There was plenty of open space so dogs could…read morebe by themselves if they wanted to. We will return.

It's beautiful BUT choppy. Not a straight trail, some paved, some not and it doesn't connect the…read moretrail from the Interpretive trail over to Clam Beach. You have to drive to vista point to pick it up again or walk down side streets.

Beautiful coastal trail! I hiked a tiny portion of it while on my vacation…read more The path is well marked, and is accessible from multiple access points in the McKinleyville area! #HammondTrail

Great little trail behind a strip mall in McKinleyville. Great interpretive information, sweet…read morelittle trail with great views and park benches to sit and enjoy the views.

My daughter and I had a wonderful experience at Redwoods and Rivers. We arrived the evening of…read moreJune 6 and stayed in one of the tent cabins on the property. The owner, Michael, offered us a tour when we arrived. There was much to see...from the wonderful outdoor kitchen/classroom area, aviary, treehouse with swinging bridge, large vegetable garden, greenhouse made from repurposed materials, composting outhouse, etc...it was all very interesting! The large bed in our tent cabin was very comfortable and we loved the personal touches...cozy flannel sheets, soft cotton quilt, comfortable pillows, and even a candle burning on the nightstand upon our arrival. I wished I was staying for more than one night! The next morning we went out on the Trinity River for our rafting trip with our guide Ray. We did the Pigeon Point - Class III half-day trip. I have only rafted twice before and was a little nervous about falling out of the raft at the Hell Hole rapid, which I had read about. I told Ray that my goal was to stay IN the raft and he made it happen! The trip was thrilling, yet I felt safe, and Ray showed us a great time. We got some great (and laughable!) photos of us going through Hell Hole, taken from the river bank by Serendipity Snapshots. Great mementos of a really fun trip! If you go: Take mosquito repellant and watch out for poison oak. (We thought we got in it, but, fortunately, we did not break out.) Also, food is not available, so take your own. We were prepared with a French press for coffee, yogurt, and fruit for our breakfast. I hope that I can return to that part of California again and do a longer, possibly overnight trip, with Redwoods and Rivers. Thanks for the fun experience!

My cousin is a river guide for Redwoods and Rivers and when we wanted to do a multi-family,…read moremulti-day trip he hooked us up! We all had such a good time with them. Their site and cabins are comfortable, clean, and cozy. It's such a treat to have delicious breakfasts and dinners al fresco, under a canopy of tall trees. There are a variety of options for ingredients for your sandwiches on the river and delicious, homemade salsa. Michael and Wanda are great hosts making sure you have everything you need. The rafting equipment is well maintained. Our evenings were topped off sitting around a campfire. Anyone would be fortunate to spend time a couple of days with Redwoods and Rivers.

Hello, I took the Skill Builder I class on Jan 27, 2023…read more Our instructor, Cole, was very knowledgeable and had a lot of practical experience. He takes his time to make sure you understand the subject matter and answers your questions thoroughly. He communicates effectively, changing his methods to match the experience level of the student. This is the sign of a very competent teaching professional, in my opinion. I gained a lot more experience and confidence as a result of this training and would recommend it to anyone. John S.

Had a wonderful time. Big Foot made sure we had fun while maintaining high safety standards. If you…read moreare a first timer in kayaking would recommend Big Foot .