If you're visiting Mad River Beach along the Redwoods Coast, you can't miss the Mad River Bridge!! It's got a great aesthetic - perfect for budding photographers. It's easy to access - and if you're there in the spring season, there's a fantastic wildflower field right across from the bridge entrance!
Not to mention that it's a hotspot area for birds that migrate seasonally from the Arctic! I had no idea - was a very welcome surprise! The bridge is actually part of the California Coastal Trail - it's at the start of the Hammond Coastal Trail portion.
And it's got an interesting history too! This area is know as the "Arcata Bottom" and apparently the area was widely used for dairy farming back in the late 1800s and is largely unchanged since those days! It's very bucolic!
People have been crossing the Mad River at this location since 1905. There are several fun info signs around the bridge entrance and even trail maps. There's even a small parking area to the right of the bridge entrance. It's unpaved but in good condition at the time of our visit. read more