At the southern edge of Humboldt County along Highway 101, you can walk through the trunk of a giant redwood tree at Richardson Grove State Park. Since 1922, outdoor enthusiasts have come here for the steelhead and salmon fishing in winter and hiking and camping year-round. This is an especially family-friendly camping spot, with summer campfire programs after the sun goes down, guided tours of the park's habitat and other educational opportunities for kids. The Oak Flat campground on the east side of the river is a wide-open spot in an oak grove with picnic tables and fire rings that is open for camping from mid-June through mid-September. The Huckleberry and Madrone family campsites are popular with anglers and are open year-round. California fishing licenses are required. All campsites have access to showers, restrooms and food lockers to keep the local bears out of your chow. Make online reservations at parks.ca.gov.
North of Richardson Grove, as the Eel River winds away from the highway and around the small town of Redway, the Dean Creek Resort offers camping along the river, RV sites and a motel for those in your party who want a room instead of a tent. Pull-through RV sites for vehicles up to 80 feet long include barbecue grills, picnic tables, fire rings and TV hookups; areas of the resort are designated for tent campers as well. A playground and miniature golf course keeps those less inclined to study the wonders of the great outdoors occupied while river hounds can fish, collect rocks or take a canoe trip along the Eel.
A must for lovers of the ancient, giant redwood trees, the Humboldt Redwoods State Park includes more than 17,000 acres of old-growth coastal groves. The 32-mile-long Avenue of the Giants runs along the park's most majestic groves and includes eight pull-off points for a vehicle tour. Don't drive away, though, before spending a night or more at one of the park's 250 campsites.
The Burlington Campground, open year-round, requires a bit of driving on a rough, narrow road to reach but is a nexus of hiking trails and offers a short path to the river. The Hidden Springs Campground, open from May through Labor Day, offers privacy with campsites scattered throughout the forest and is just a short hike from a popular swimming hole on the Eel River's south fork. Baxter and Hamilton Barn, two more secluded campgrounds open during the summer, are tucked away along Bull Creek, an Eel River tributary. Reservations are available through reserveamerica.com.
The Stafford RV Park in Scotia, between Humboldt Redwoods State Park and the town of Scotia off Highway 101, is an Eel River haven for summer camps and church retreats, but the park of 75 pull-through sites also allows tent camping. Sites have picnic tables and fire rings in a lush setting of redwoods and open fields. Cabin rentals are also available. If you need some fixings to finish off the salmon you caught in the Eel River, groceries and other services are just a few miles away.
