Easy parking and much easier walk to the beach then other ones in the area. Great location and our…read moredogs loved to run and dig!

I had a few free hours to myself during a recent trip to Arcata so I searched for a beach near me…read more Mauren Beach was less than a 10 minute drive from my rental house, so I set off. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to find, how short the walk is from my parking space and how clean the beach is. There were a few people along the beach as well as a few surfers in the water. Polite dogs and their walkers would stroll by on occasion. I thoroughly enjoyed lounging in my chair and reading while the sound of the waves calmed my soul. I look forward to returning on my next visit to the area.

This State maintained beach, just north of Clam beach at exit 725 on the 101, just north of…read moreMcKinleyville has maintained trails and paths, as well as horseback riding trails everywhere. Roadside parking at both the south and north trail heads - you have about a 5-10 minute leisurely stroll through the dunes out to the beach and ocean. This north humboldt bay beach has some serious waves and some of the roughest water around. Great for viewing and walking, riding horses, etc. but it does not look like a great place to swim or surf. Very aggressive waters here. You can access this beach from either traveling to the north end of Clam beach drive or taking the 725 exit off the highway - the beach is located immediately to the west as you exit - just circle back towards to ocean (west) and parking is right there on the corner - this is the entrance to the north trail head. A half a mile or so down the road is the south trail head entrance and road side parking. There are literally miles upon miles of trails - some marked others not, an amazing view of the north Humboldt bay, Camel rock and Trinidad are all had from this vantage point. A nice state beach, very often overlooked and driven right past. Worth the effort to pull off and explore - I often find I am the only one out there. Its peaceful, serene and very much back to nature on this beach. Awesome views of the rugged north coast . Little River State Beach - open basically from sunrise to sunset - is a day use beach. Give it a try - a lot of folks never do. 4 Star beach area, 00165

What a lovey little beach! And totally vacant the last time I was there unbelievably. A hidden gem…read moreapparently.

Rare and wild dunes north west of Arcata. Lanphere Dunes are accessible only by permit or guided…read moretours. To obtain a permit visitors must first attended a guided tour. Lanphere Dunes on the Samoa Peninsula near Arcata is the northernmost dunes unit that is managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The beach at Lanphere is open during daylight hours for those who are walking north from Ma-le'i Dunes. The beach here runs continuously in both directions so once on the beach it is hard to tell where separate dunes unit boundaries are. Pets are not allowed. Contact Friends of the Dunes for a guided tour schedule (707) 444-1397 or visit www.friendsofthedunes.org.

Another hidden gem on the dunes thats rarely accessed or used, this was true on the afternoon of my…read morevisit. Literally unoccupied the whole area was mine unto myself. Permits required for access, the Friends of the Dunes are the caretakers of this natural refuge that is maintained by the US Fish and Wildlife Servuce aa a part of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The solitude, sernenity, the sandy dunes rolling towards the ocean, the brisk winds blowing off the Pacific Ocean made for a moment where you realize how immense, beautiful and powerful mother nature truly is. This pristine area spans several miles in both directions, and there are no boundaries from one dune area to the next so make a note as to where you enter or you may exit a substantial distance from where you began. A guided tour is available through the FotD if you prefer can be schduled as well. Another great hidden gem far behind the Redwood Curtain and one more reason this place is the unique place it is on the far north coast in northern California. 4.5 Stars - rounded up for the sheer beauty this area holds on the Pacific Ocean 00715

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.

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

This beautiful trail runs along the coast starting on the border of North Arcata and South…read moreMcKinleyville towards Trinidad! I used to bike it many years back but now I prefer to walk from Mad River beach until I get to McKinleyville/Trinidad sometimes. I love the ocean view along with the pastures of cows, blue herons, white cranes and various other random lizards, snakes, birds and insects walking around. Recently I have witness a Jerusalem cricket , blue herons, white cranes, a fox, peacocks etc

Little close to the road and 30.00 is a bi steep o camp on your own land. (Public)…read more But is Perfect for a one nighter.

I didn't get to spend a lot of time here. But I needed to kill an hour as I was headed to…read moreCalifornia Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport. This beach is off the 101 and really close to the airport. The facilities are minimal and they allow camping on the beach here at Clam Beach. It is also dog friendly. I enjoyed taking a moment to walk around and take in some fresh ocean air before heading out on my flight home.

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 .

I am a total beginner and just starting target shooting two months ago. I took the Beginner to…read moreFirearms class and I loved this course! I can't begin to list all of the things I learned. My instructor was very well versed and accredited to teach the course. He was also extremely patient with us newbies and took into account that we each had different body types and physical abilities. I especially appreciated the philosophy of the importance of safety at every moment. There were certainly little nuances I would not have thought of on my own. Best of all, it was REALLY FUN! I got to shoot 21 different firearms and it facilitated my understanding of what works for me and what I'd like to explore more. I recommend this course for anyone who is new to the sport or even the old dogs with rusty skills. I'm now an old dog with new skills and appreciation.

Making reservations was easy the folks were nice and the per night price is fair…read more The bad news is concerning because there is nothing worse than a company advertising a great place with all the amenities but they don't exist. The internet well there is no internet. That's right there is no cable and no internet. Oh wait they say they have the best internet ever. So we try to get internet and there is none. Call the office no answer. Read the full page of rules and regulations and guess what. Wi-fi : " We offer WiFi service , but do not guarantee its availability or security at any time". Ok guess what I'll guarantee I won't come back. Asta la vista!

Came to Eureka to visit relatives. Stayed a the Mad River Rapids RV Park for 8 days. It is…read moreactually in Arcata right next to Eureka. Very nice park, safe and easy to get to right off the 101 highway. Full hooks ups, pull thru level pads, grass all around the site. They have a pool and hot tub, Good laundry room, along with a good Mexican Restaurant in walking distance to the park. We will stay here again when we are in the area. Eureka and Arcata are nice, but they both have some bad elements, be aware of the areas you are in. This RV park is safe and in a good safe area. While there we visited the Redwood Nation Park, Trees of Mystery, Avenue of the Giants, town of Ferndale and lots of Ocean hikes.

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.

**** Ask for driving directions. Address does not show up appropriately on apple maps. ****…read more GREAT EXPERIENCE.... Even for beginners. Our group was age 10 - 64 and everyone survived :-) *** request Chris *** I guess I didn't realize how potentially dangerous it was until a couple of our teenagers fell out of the raft during a rapid.... But they were ok... Only bruises and some scrapes. They would do it all over again.... Falls and all. We went on a Class III tour which included Class I - III rapids. It's sort of "medium adventurous". If you have a lot of younger or older people in your group, you are probably good sticking with a Class I - II tour. But you will be safe during a Class III if you tell your guide that you can't swim, don't want to be thrown from the raft, etc. TIPS: DRINK A LOT OF WATER, show up early, expect to be exhausted the next day, expect to do a little hiking / climbing during lunch, Bring sunscreen, get one of those things that help your sunglasses stay around your neck because you will lose them, wear a visor or a cap under your helmet, bring cash to tip your guide because they do a hell of a job and they only make $100/day. IT'S A LOT OF FUN and the owners are really nice people.

Just finished my second weeklong stay here and everything was absolutely perfect! The cottage is…read morebeautiful, wonderfully decorated (I wish my own place looked so nice) and in such a great location in Arcata. It's just up the street from Wildberries (a gourmet grocery store) and so easy to get to from any location in Arcata/Eureka/McKinleyville. The kitchen has everything you need, and it was so nice to be able to make my own breakfasts every morning. Elly always makes renting the place so easy and I'm delighted to be able to stay there instead of renting a nondescript hotel room. So happy that this lovely cottage exists!

From the owner: We provide a beautiful, clean, comfortable vacation home located in the heart of Arcata.read more