Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WORTH A TRIP
SMITH RIVER NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
West of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, the Smith River, the state's last remaining
undammed waterway, runs right beside Hwy 199. Originating high in the Siskiyou Moun-
tains, its serpentine course cuts through deep canyons beneath thick forests. Chinook
salmon (October to December) and steelhead trout (December to April) annually migrate
up its clear waters. Camp (there are four developed campgrounds), hike (75 miles of
trails), raft (145 miles of navigable white water) and kayak here, but check regulations if
you want to fish. Stop by the
Six Rivers National Forest Headquarters
( 707-457-3131;
www.fs.fed.us/r5/sixrivers
; 10600 Hwy 199, Gasquet; 8am-4:30pm daily May-Sep, Mon-Fri Oct-
Apr) to get your bearings. Pick up pamphlets for the
Darlingtonia Trail
and
Myrtle Creek
Botanical Area
, both easy jaunts into the woods, where you can see rare plants and learn
about the area's geology.
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
The northernmost park in the system of Redwood National & State Parks, the dense stands
at
Jedediah Smith
( 707-464-6101, ext 5112; day use $8)
are 10 miles northeast of Crescent
City (via Hwy 101 east to Hwy 197). The redwood stands are so thick that few trails pen-
etrate the park, but the outstanding 11-mile
Howland Hill scenic drive
cuts through other-
wise inaccessible areas (take Hwy 199 to South Fork Rd; turn right after crossing two
bridges). It's a rough road, impassable for RVs, but if you can't hike, it's the best way to
see the forest.
Stop for a stroll under enormous trees in
Simpson-Reed Grove
. If it's foggy at the coast
it may be sunny here. There's a
swimming hole
and picnic area near the park entrance. An
easy half-mile trail, departing from the far side of the campground, crosses the
Smith
River
via a summer-only footbridge, leading to
Stout Grove
, the park's most famous
grove. The
visitor center
( 707-464-6101; 10am-4pm daily Jun-Aug, Sat & Sun Sep-Oct &
Apr-May)
sells hiking maps and nature guides. If you wade in the river, be careful in the
spring when currents are swift and the water cold.
Sleeping
