Inland Mendocino Sightseeing
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Inland Mendocino Sightseeing
Stretching south to north, the inland towns of Navarro, Philo, Boonville and Yorkville in the beautiful Anderson Valley, and Hopland, Ukiah, Willits, Laytonville Covelo and Leggett along Hwy 101, offer spectacular scenery, outstanding recreational opportunities, fine dining and superb lodgings.
Anderson Valley
Anderson Valley, located between Cloverdale and the Mendocino Coast, stretches along Hwy 128. Yorkville marks its eastern end, Boonville and Philo are located in its center, and Navarro sits at its western terminus. The main highway is busiest on the weekends as tourists head to and from Mendocino Village and Fort Bragg on the North Coast. The valley is sparsely populated on mostly large parcels, with Boonville leading Anderson Valley in activity and population. The valley is filled with rolling hills, shaded with oak and madrone trees, and home to apple orchards, vineyards and colorful wildflowers. Some 1,000 acres of wine grapes are produced in the area, and many local wineries with tasting rooms are found there, primarily along Hwy 128. According to Food & Wine magazine, “Anderson Valley may be one of the best places in the country to grow Pinot Noir.”
Anderson Valley Wineries
photo by John Alves
The Anderson Valley Wine region, best known for its production of rich Pinot Noirs and smooth, dry, Alsatian-style Gewürztraminers, is the home of beautiful scenery as well as superb wines. The region is full of family-owned wineries that produce small batches of excellent handcrafted wines showing off the characteristic qualities that have made Anderson Valley a famous growing region. In this area you can even find méthode champenoise sparkling wines that originated in the Champagne region of France. The area has a wide variety of tasting room atmospheres that range from the rustic aura of a former chicken coop to an elegant, French-inspired experience. Wine, art and beautiful natural scenery blend seamlessly in this fascinating region of Mendocino County. There is an established driving route that takes you past all of the region’s many highlights. If you are more fast paced, Hwy 128, which runs east of Elk, splits the region right down the center.
Hendy Woods State Park
For an awe-inspiring experience, gaze at towering 1,500-year-old redwood trees in Hendy Woods State Park. Located in the middle of the fantastic Anderson Valley Wine District, the park is noted for two breathtaking groves: the Big Hendy, which is 80 acres and includes a self-guided discovery trail, and the Little Hendy, which covers about 20 acres. The park’s Upper Loop trail, which winds through the center of the Big Hendy, is a particularly beautiful route that leads through a towering cathedral of old-growth redwoods. A day use area near the Big Hendy offers gorgeous views and picnic sites. There are picnic sites throughout Hendy Woods with access to the Navarro River, which runs through the entire length of the park. In the summer, Hendy Woods State Park offers great swimming in the river for a respite from the heat of the summer sun.
WHERE: Off Greenwood Road Scenic Byway outside of Elk.
MORE INFO: 707-895-3141, 707-937-5804, www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=438
Hopland
Although only a few blocks long, the town of Hopland packs quite a bit into its short length. Its attractions include an old fashioned roadside café, a brew pub and a host of great winery tasting rooms, with more just outside of town.
Hopland’s focus is wine, boasting the area’s top-awarded wineries. It is home to 18 wineries, and there are eight tasting rooms in downtown Hopland alone, with more along Old River Rd. and Hwy 101. You can also sample organic olive oils and wildflower honey. Local wines can be paired with delicious food made from the freshest, local ingredients. Visitors can sample Mexican food from a nearby taco truck, or share tapas-sized small plates or tasty pizzas and farm-to-table salads.
Some local hotspots will waive the corkage fees on any wine bottle purchased from a Hopland wine tasting room. Several Hopland area winery tasting rooms offer special complementary food and wine pairings and one-day wine sales on the second Saturday of every month. Wineries in the greater Hopland area hold two great gatherings for wine and food lovers each year, a spring and a fall Hopland Passport event.
Real Goods Solar Living Center
Specializing in education, inspiration and environmentally-friendly products, the 12-acre Real Goods Solar Living Center offers a great place on Hwy 101 to break up your road trip. The Center, just south of Hopland, features a picnic area, three different ponds, a children’s play area that’s fun and educational, tours and shopping. Children can burn off excess energy while learning a bit about solar power, or the whole family can just relax in the shade for a picnic lunch. For those who have a serious interest, take the 45-minute tour and learn how wind and the sun can be converted to clean, renewable energy. Check out the organic garden, permaculture landscape, the many types of eco-friendly building materials and the passive and active solar design incorporated into the architecture. There are many other interesting landscape features as well, like the bamboo pyramid and organic microfarm.
The heart of the 12-acre site is the straw bale retail store which features perhaps the best selection of English-language green books available anywhere, plus organic clothing and housewares, green alternatives for a clean and healthy home, great toys and gifts for children, solar consultants for your on- or off-grid solar projects, and much, much more. Real Goods is open seven days a week year-round, from 10am to 6pm. The friendly and knowledgeable staff are always there to help, or just to say hello while you browse. Call ahead to arrange a tour, or just drop in. There is a requested entry donation of $2 per vehicle.
WHERE: 13771 S. Hwy 101, Hopland
MORE INFO: 707-472-2403, SolarLiving.org
Ukiah
Ukiah is the Mendocino County seat and its largest city. First settled by people of European descent around 1845, Ukiah began to grow significantly in 1889 with the arrival of the railroad. Today its population is approximately 16,000, while that of the greater Ukiah area numbers about 35,000. Framed in a deep mountain valley (its name was derived from the Pomo Indian word “yokayo,” meaning either “deep valley” or “south valley”), Ukiah is a beautiful destination that combines a wealth of natural resources with an independent character. Off the beaten path, Ukiah’s unique setting, spirit and people inspire you to explore further.
For those seeking to escape urban angst and experience life in a more relaxed environment, Ukiah offers a getaway rich with activity, creativity and small town charm. With countless opportunities for outdoor recreation, good food and drink, year-round events and cultural attractions, Ukiah has something for everyone. And, unlike any city with any other name, Ukiah spelled backwards is “haiku.”
There are city parks within Ukiah with playgrounds, picnic areas and other services. Todd Grove Park, located on Park Blvd., features a public swimming pool, playground and picnic areas amid tall redwoods. Enjoy Sundays in the Park Free Concert Series at Todd Grove Park during the summer, CityOfUkiah.com/sundays-in-the-park.
For more musical enjoyment, Ukiah offers Mendocino Ballet, Ukiah Civic Light Opera, Ukiah Community Concert Association, Ukiah Symphony and the Ukiah Players Theatre. Mendocino College Center Theater also has a 400-seat theater in its state-of-the-art performing arts facility. Parducci Wine Cellars and Rivino Winery offer live music in the summer.
Grace Hudson Museum
The Grace Hudson Museum features the best of the region’s art, history and anthropology. Exhibits in the museum range in subject matter from Native American culture and Northern California coast history to the works of contemporary artists.
The primary focus of the museum is the magnificent work of Grace Carpenter Hudson. She painted some of the most brilliant oil paintings of the Pomo Indians that have ever graced a canvas. The museum features over 30,000 related objects, including historical photographs and Pomo Indian artifacts. The building sits on a beautiful four-acre park with shaded picnic areas and a basket garden that grows all of the materials that the Pomo Indians used for their basket making. Also located on the grounds is the Sun House, the former Hudson residence. It was originally designed by Grace Hudson and her husband, and is still furnished with their unique collection of furnishings and décor. Guided tours of the Sun House are offered and depart from the museum. Admission fees are nominal, and entry is free on the first Friday of every month. There is also a delightful gift shop. Open Wednesday through Saturday 10am to 4:30pm and Sunday noon to 4:30pm. Closed major holidays.
WHERE: 431 S. Main St., Ukiah
MORE INFO: 707-467-2836, GraceHudsonMuseum.org
Ukiah Municipal Golf Course
Since 1931 the Ukiah Valley Golf Course has provided countless rounds of golf and numerous tournaments set amid the majestic hills and sloping terrain of Mendocino County. Ukiah is a regulation 18-hole municipal golf course with an “open to the public” policy. It also offers annual memberships, tournaments and instruction.
From the back tees it offers 5,850 yards of golf at a par 70. With many trees and criss-crossed by sparkling streams, this is a gem of a course. Its signature hole is the 192-yard, par three, third hole. This challenging tee shot dares you to hit the green, despite the bunkers that provide heavy protection and a gully on the right side of the fairway.
This is a wonderful golf course that will not disappoint.
WHERE: 599 Park Blvd., Ukiah (about a mile from the center of town)
MORE INFO: 707-467-2832, UkiahGolf.com
Vichy Springs Mineral Hot Springs
Mendocino County boasts some of the best natural hot springs in the world. Particularly notable are the carbonated hot springs at Vichy Springs Mineral Hot Springs Resort, which was established in 1854. Just two hours north of downtown San Francisco, these unique, historic hot springs are the only naturally warm and carbonated “Vichy” mineral baths in North America. Its soothing 90-degree sparkling waters have drawn famous names throughout the decades. Mark Twain, Jack London, Robert Louis Stevenson, Teddy Roosevelt and Ulysses S. Grant have all enjoyed the relaxing and clarifying properties of its unique waters. More recent guests have included Gov. Jerry Brown, actor Dustin Hoffman, and sports great Sandy Koufax.
Vichy Hot Springs Resort is open every day from 8am until 8pm and includes the naturally carbonated mineral baths, hot pool, Olympic size swimming pool, and the property. Massage therapy, facials and hot stone massage are available from 8am to 8pm.
WHERE: 2605 Vichy Springs Rd., Ukiah
MORE INFO: 707-462-9515, VichySprings.com
Lake Mendocino
Set amid the scenic rolling hills of Coyote Valley, Lake Mendocino was formed in 1958 by the construction of the Coyote Valley Dam on the Russian River. Groves of oak mixed with manzanita and pine trees forest the area, offering intermittent shade and premium bird and wildlife habitat. The 1,900+ acre lake and its environs offer a wide variety of recreational opportunities including boating, swimming, water-skiing, fishing, hiking, camping and horseback riding. Anglers will find sunfish, largemouth and smallmouth bass, striped bass, crappie, white and channel catfish, bluegill, and perch.
Several miles of trails wind around Lake Mendocino. The Lake Mendocino Disc Golf Course offers 18 holes between its north and south courses. There are playgrounds for children at the Bushay and Chekaka campgrounds, and a horse staging area is located near the Kaweyo Trailhead.
WHERE: 8 miles northeast of Ukiah off Hwy 101 on Hwy 20 (Bushay) or 5 miles northeast of Ukiah off North State Street on Lake Mendocino Drive (Chekaka).
MORE INFO: 707-467-4200, 707-462-7581, recreation.gov/camping/gateways/483
Low Gap Regional Park
Low Gap Regional Park is a multi-use public park covering more than 80 acres. It is situated along Orr Creek, an important tributary of the Russian River and one of three major streams that run through the city of Ukiah. Because access to all of these streams is extremely limited, access to Orr Creek is one of the most noteworthy features of this park, along with its extensive recreational development.
The upper reaches of Low Gap Regional Park serve as a woodland preserve. Here you will find nature trails that allow you to explore and enjoy the beauty of the area in its natural state. One of the trails will take you past a vernal pool (a small seasonal wetland). You may observe the pool from the trail, but please stay out of it; it is a very fragile and special environment.
The developed part of the park includes tennis courts, playgrounds, an archery range, horseshoe pits, a disc golf course, a covered picnic area, and an amphitheater for small concerts, plays and other performances. There is also a one-acre community dog park, a fenced area designated for off-lease use by residents and visitors and their dogs. It offers shade, benches, water and disposal facilities for dog waste, and allows well-mannered canine citizens to exercise and play in a clean and safe environment without endangering or annoying people, property or wildlife.
WHERE: In the hills west of Ukiah, just across Low Gap Rd. from Ukiah High School.
MORE INFO: mendocinocounty.org/government/cultural-services-agency/parks/low-gap-park
Montgomery Woods State Reserve
Probably the most remote of California’s 31 redwood parks, this jewel of a natural reserve is a beautiful fern forest that is home to five separate redwood groves that have never been logged. You can access them by walking along a 2-mile loop trail that follows Montgomery Creek. The really dramatic old-growth scenery begins about one third of a mile into the park.
Montgomery Woods is a rarity in that it is home to both of California’s main redwood species, the Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and the Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendrons giganteum). The former grow along the coast and are the tallest trees in the world; the latter grow at higher altitudes and are older and more massive, though not as tall as the Coast Redwoods. The tallest known tree in the world from 1996 to 2000 grew in Montgomery Woods. Called the Mendocino, it has since been edged out by more recently discovered trees, but remains in the top 10 of the world’s tallest known trees.
Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve is off the beaten track, but once you get there you will experience one of the world’s true natural wonders. Parts of the reserve are somewhat marshy, so it’s not a bad idea to bring along mosquito repellent if you’re visiting during the summer. The park is open for day use only, and there is no fee.
WHERE: Located about 13 miles west of Ukiah on Orr Springs Rd. Allow 30 to 45 minutes for the drive along this picturesque but steep, winding road.
MORE INFO: 707-937-5804, www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=434
Cow Mountain Recreation Area
Named for the wild longhorn cattle that once roamed there, the 52,000-acre Cow Mountain Recreation Area offers a wide range of recreational opportunities. The terrain is rugged, with steep, chaparral-covered slopes and scattered stands of fir, pine and oak. The elevation varies from 800 to 4,000 feet, and the area offers spectacular views of Ukiah and Clear Lake. Over 30 miles of streams and more than a dozen wildlife reservoirs help make Cow Mountain premium wildlife habitat. The Recreation Area is divided into three very different management sections:
South Cow Mountain OHV Recreation Area emphasizes off-highway vehicle use. Over 120 miles of vehicle trails cross 23,000 acres, and offer challenges to motorcycle, ATV, and four-wheel drive enthusiasts. There are two developed campgrounds and two OHV staging areas.
North Cow Mountain Recreation Area is managed primarily for such non-motorized activities as hunting, hiking, camping, horseback riding and mountain bicycling. There is one developed campground, a designated rifle range and a 17 mile network of hiking trails.
Sheldon Creek Recreation Site is a detached area offering primitive recreational opportunities. It is located near Hopland. North and South Cow Mountain are closer to Ukiah, and are accessed off Talmage Road from Hwy 101 South. There are several entrances. The access roads going into all of these areas are narrow and winding, and travel trailers and large RVs are not recommended.
MORE INFO: 707-468-4000, blm.gov/visit/cow-mountain
Willits
Willits, the third largest town in Mendocino County, is located on Hwy 101 approximately 22 miles north of Ukiah. Willits calls itself “Heart of Mendocino County — Gateway to the Redwoods,” and was incorporated in 1888. In 1911, tracks were extended from the California Western Railway’s Skunk Train to reach Willits. The former logging train still connects Willits with Fort Bragg on the Mendocino coast, and is a favorite attraction for visitors to the area. Willits features excellent retail stores, restaurants, lodging, business and service establishments. Most of the businesses line Hwy 101, but a few can be found on quiet side streets. The town itself is set amid the beautiful rolling hills and forests of central Mendocino County.
Willits Center for the Arts
The Willits Center for the Arts was created to support and showcase the local art scene in and around Willits, providing low-cost art and art-related activities to the community. It holds publicly-sponsored and locally-grown art shows throughout the year.
Work on renovating the historic 1926 Women’s Improvement Club building that would house the WCA began in 1993, and by 2000 the center was finally opened. Another milestone was reached in 2008 with the opening of the upstairs “Great Room,” which increased available exhibit space and provided a venue for music, dance performances and community events.
The Willits Center for the Arts is regularly open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 6pm in the summer, and 11am to 5pm in the winter. An updated listing of current shows and events can be found on its website.
WHERE: 71 E. Commercial St., Willits
MORE INFO: 707-459-1726, WillitsCenterForTheArts.org
The Historic Skunk Train,
Willits Depot
For a glimpse of days gone by, take a trip on Mendocino County’s famous Skunk Train. From the restored historic rail cars to the dramatic views of majestic redwood forests, scenic upland meadows, and the pristine mountain waters of Northern California, what you will experience is largely unchanged from the way things were in the late 1800s.
The Skunk Train offers a wide selection of rides, including half-day trips, overnight trips, a sunset BBQ excursion, trips that include camping or kayaking, and even — if you make your reservations early enough — a chance to ride in the engine’s cab with the engineer and the fireman! There are also special event trips, some of them holiday-themed. Excursions begin in Willits or Fort Bragg, and depending on which trip you choose, will either bring you back to your starting point or all the way to the end of the line. Departing from Willits and traveling to Northspur (the midway point), your train will climb the Eastern slope of the California Coast Range, cutting through it at Tunnel No. 2 (Summit) before descending into the Noyo River Canyon. This is the mountainous part of the railroad line, in which 8.5 miles of track cover a straight-line distance of less than one mile. If you continue through to Fort Bragg, your train will snake along the Noyo River, zigzagging through the redwood forests of Noyo River Canyon, down to Pudding Creek estuary, where you might sight blue heron, egrets, osprey, ducks, and the occasional lounging turtle.
WHERE: Skunk Train Willits Depot, 299 E. Commercial St., Willits
MORE INFO: 707-964-6371, SkunkTrain.com
Willits’ Family-Friendly City Parks
Recreation Grove Park, the largest park in Willits, sits at the corner of Commercial and South Lenore Streets. It includes a stage, arena, covered picnic tables, restrooms, barbecues, a food service building and a playground.
Willits City Park is downtown across from City Hall. Under a canopy of trees you’ll find a playground and the Centennial Monument, the latter dedicated in 1988 in celebration of Willits’ 100 years as an incorporated city. This park is also the location for the weekly Farmers’ Market during summer.
Babcock Park, the smallest park in Willits, is off Hwy 101 adjacent to the Frank Howard Memorial Hospital. There you can stretch your legs under the trees by the fountain, and, should you wish, enjoy a picnic lunch.
Frank Grasse Dog Park, located on E. Commercial St. next to the Willits Skate Park, is a free, off-leash dog park. It is fully fenced, open from dawn until dusk, and offers shade and water.
MORE INFO: 707-459-4601, Willits.org
Mendocino County Museum
The Mendocino County Museum opens a window onto the past of the people and places that make up Mendocino County. There are new exhibits every year highlighting specific aspects of the region’s history, as well as the museum’s popular permanent exhibits. Be sure to visit such enduring favorites as an authentic “hippie” van replete with trippy hippie decor from the 1960s, real stagecoaches, a recreated old time creamery, Pomo Indian baskets, relics from the ill-fated clipper ship Frolic, Seabiscuit’s friends, and a great museum shop featuring locally made gift items. Next door is Roots of Motive Power and its collection of steam-powered trains and machines.
The Mendocino County Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10am to 4:30pm. Admission is free on the first Wednesday of each month, and extremely reasonable the rest of the time.
WHERE: 400 E. Commercial St., Willits, across from Recreation Grove Park and the Willits Rodeo Grounds.
MORE INFO: 707-459-2736, MendocinoMuseum.org
Covelo
A scenic turn off Hwy 101 northeast onto Route 162 will bring you to one of California’s prettiest pockets of nature. The drive takes you along the old Northwestern Pacific Railroad and the ancient waters of the Eel River into a land that Native Americans venerate to this day. Covelo and the Round Valley, with its breathtaking mountains, the majestic Eel River, and groves of conifers and valley oaks, offer a rare glimpse of the wilderness to share and remember. The air is fresh, crisp and clean, and the view is literally panoramic.
The oldest known inhabitants of Round Valley were members of the Native American Yuki tribe, who lived there for thousands of years. Tragically, in the late 1850s they were driven onto a small remnant of their land that had been designated an Indian reservation, and eventually seven other California tribes were forcibly relocated there as well. Over the past century, the area around the reservation became populated with small settlements. Industry did pass through briefly, but today the natural beauty of the landscape is essentially unscathed, as over time many of the scars slowly healed. Even the old railroad line with its turn-of-the-century designed trestles and tunnels now seems almost a natural work of art.
Today the little town of Covelo at the middle of Round Valley is a unique cultural enclave set in the heart of the natural world. Close to half of its population is Native American. The town has a vibrant artistic community and a Community Radio Station, KYBU 96.9 FM. With a large number of talented artists who specialize in a many different media including ceramics, basket-making, drumming, photography, painting, Japanese textiles, quilting and sculpture, Covelo is a culturally rich and artistically exciting town. It is an exceptional place to stop for gallery-browsing and purchasing unique local items.
Scenic Drive to Covelo
Ten miles north of Willits, State Route 162 runs east from Hwy 101. Known at that point as Covelo Road, it meanders through the Mendocino National Forest all the way to Glenn County and Willows. It is one the most beautiful back roads in California. A 45-minute drive over its first 30 miles will take you from Hwy 101 through Dos Rios and on to Covelo. You will travel back to the past and into the heart of unspoiled nature. Your odyssey will follow the tracks of the historic Northwestern Pacific Railroad with its majestic tunnels, trestles and tracks cutting through the hills and river canyons. Opened in 1914, with its final run in the 1990s, the NWP railroad that once ran the length of the Eel River from Willits to Eureka is itself a man-made wonder. Built by hard-working, mostly immigrant labor at the turn of the century, it is a remarkable sight. The remaining glory of the railroad invokes a sense of history and nostalgia for a time no longer here.
Covelo Road will transport you through mixed conifer forests, oak woodlands, grass glades, canyons and wet meadows. In fall and winter, the forests and the majestic Eel River are the stars of the journey. The road follows the course of both the main branch of the Eel and its middle fork for a time. See a wild, natural waterway in motion, waxing and waning through the seasons, perpetually refreshing. In spring and summer, California poppies, penstemon, shooting stars, wild iris, Indian paintbrush, dogwood, wild lilac and several varieties of lupine steal the show with breathtaking explosions of color.
Laytonville
Named after Frank B. Layton, a blacksmith who settled there in 1875, Laytonville sits at 1,670 feet above sea level, giving it the highest elevation of any town along Hwy 101 in Mendocino County. Small yet lively, it is a federally designated Frontier Community and has a warm and friendly “Old West” feel to it. Home to the “Best Lil’ Rodeo Around,” the area also hosts the annual Kate Wolf Music Festival at a ranch 5 miles north of town. At one time a center of both the logging and ranching industries, today Laytonville’s economy relies primarily on service occupations and educational, community service and arts employment.
Surrounded by beautiful mountains, dramatic redwood forests and rich prairie land graced with beautiful, gnarled valley oaks and canyon live oaks dripping California Spanish moss, this is a sleepy little hideaway where the frantic pace of modern city life gives way to the measured cadences of nature.
Laytonville Farmers’ Market
Year-round on Monday afternoons from 2:30 to 5:30pm (June through October) and 3:30 to 5:30pm (November through May), local farmers set up shop at Harwood Hall on Willis Rd. in Laytonville. They bring glorious offerings of the best in local fresh fruits and vegetables, artisan goat cheeses, ranch meats, eggs, garden bouquets, handcrafted clothing and much more.
They also come to share their ideas and visions for future projects in their community. This is the Laytonville Certified Farmers’ Market (LCFM), in the heart of Mendocino County. The Laytonville Certified Farmers’ Market provides opportunities for people in rural Mendocino County to develop new businesses, and gives everyone a chance to visit with friends, enjoy local musicians, and purchase delicious, healthy food while supporting local farms.
MORE INFO: For Farmers’ Markets in Laytonville and throughout Mendocino County, visit MCFarm.org.
Leggett
Approximately 25 miles north of Laytonville is the town of Leggett, located at the junction of Hwy 101 and Hwy 1. The former logging town attracts campers and travelers during the summer months, and hordes of fishermen when the salmon swim upstream to spawn in the late fall. The population of Leggett fluctuates between 350 and 500 depending on the season. Summer temperatures can hover in the high 80s and 90s, but the Eel River is always nearby for cooling off. Piercy, about 9 miles northwest of Leggett and located on the South Fork of the Eel River, is an unincorporated area immediately below the Mendocino-Humboldt County line.
Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area
Here at the “gateway to the tall trees country,” weary travelers can refresh themselves with a dip in the South Fork of the Eel River, a quiet picnic, or a stroll through the beautiful redwoods. One of the last remaining stands of virgin, old-growth redwood in the area can be found on the Grove Trail.
There is great fishing here, too. Standish-Hickey also offers three campgrounds, with over 150 campsites available on a first come, first served basis.
Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area began as a Save the Redwoods League campground in 1922, and in the 1950s, 500 additional acres were donated by descendants of Miles Standish, one of the original pilgrims. The 1,200-year-old Captain Miles Standish Tree named after him is one of the park’s premier attractions. Additional acreage was acquired over the years, and now the park is over 1,000 acres. The second part of the park’s name was chosen in memory of Edward Ritter Hickey, the son of a local lumberman, who died of the Spanish influenza in 1918 while caring for victims of the pandemic. His family also donated some of the land.
WHERE: 1.5 miles north of Leggett on Hwy 101.
MORE INFO: 707-925-6482, www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=423
Smithe Redwoods State Reserve
Traveling north from San Francisco along the Redwood Highway (U.S. 101), the first old-growth redwoods you’ll encounter are in Smithe Redwoods State Natural Reserve. Here you’ll find the beautiful Frank and Bess Smith Grove of redwoods, as well as Dora Creek Falls, a lovely 60-foot waterfall. Because Smithe Redwoods is a natural reserve, the park is managed to minimize human impact, so there are no developed campgrounds or trails, or even a parking lot. There is, however, a paved pullout near it on Hwy 101 where you can pull over and park, and within the reserve you’ll find a picnic area and easy access to the South Fork of the Eel River for fishing and swimming. From about 1920 until the early 1960s it was a popular tourist resort called Lane’s Redwood Flat, owned by George W. Lane, one of the builders of the Redwood Highway. It was then purchased by the Save the Redwoods League, which deeded it to the State of California.
WHERE: 4 miles north of Leggett on Hwy 101.
MORE INFO: www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=427