Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park

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Redwood National ffi and State Parks isitors to Del Norte Coast Redwoods A Legacy of Logging State Park experience the grandeur of an This area once contained some of the world's old-growth redwood forest on California's oldest, tallest trees. The Del Norte coast's rugged coast. The park's steep cliffs, flat river redwoods are part of the largest remaining canyons and rocky beaches invite hikers, contiguous section of ancient coast redwood mountain bikers, equestrians and anglers. forest. Abundant natural resources on the This area has the state's heaviest rainfall, remote Del Norte coast drew new settlers averaging 70 inches annually. Year-round in the 1850s. Logging quickly became the temperatures vary from 30 to 80 degrees. foremost industry; by the 1930s, many old- Summer days bring morning fog to thirsty growth redwoods had been cut down. redwoods and the ferns at their feet. Parts of the Mill Creek watershed were logged off by a succession of mill owners. PARK HISTORY Hobbs, Walland Company established a Native People mill on Mill Creek's upper watershed in The Tolowa and Yurok are the original the 1920s. They built the Del Norte and Redwood National Park have ioined forces, inhabitants of the area now known as Del Southern Railroad to transport logs to mills cooperatively managed as Redwood National Norte Coast Redwoods State Park. The in Crescent City. Constructing a railroad and State Parks (RNSP) by California State Tolowa derive from Athabascan-speaking through the mountains was considered the Parks and the National Park Service. peoples whose aboriginal lands extend North Coast's most ambitious undertaking. In 1980, the United Nations Educational, north into Oregon and east along Mill Creek To save remaining old-growth redwoods, Scientifi c and Cultural Organization and the Smith River. The Yurok language Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park was (UNESCO) listed RNSP as a World Heritage has Algonquian roots; their aboriginal lands added to the State Park System in I 925. The Site; UNESCO named RNSP an International extend south to the Little River and east Save the Redwoods League collaborated Biosphere Reserve in 1983. along the Klamath River. with funding partners to acquire 25,000 Both the Tolowa and Yurok utilize the NATURAL HISTORY additional acres of the Mill Creek watershed ocean. They also hunt and gather Geology bountiful in 2002-making Del Norte Coast Redwoods from inland mountain ranges and free- Offshore and beneath the forest lies a California's fifth-largest state park. The Mill flowing rivers. Their important foods include mixture of twisted rocks. Over 20 million Creek addition opened in 2007. Removing salmon, steelhead, smelt, clams, deer, elk, years, more than eight miles of sandstone, roads and restoring the forest and streams is berries and acorns. shale, serpentine, chert, and greenstone (a returning the watershed to its former glory. The region's native people suffered blend called Franciscan complex) have built Redwood National and State Parks enormous losses from genocide and disease up from the original ocean floor in layers. Four North redwood parks preserve upon the arrival of Euro-Americans in the Coast These sediment layers resulted from more than 105,000 acres of old and second- lgth century. Today's Tolowa and Yurok repeated tectonic plate collisions. Three growth forest for posterity. Del Norte Coast descendants flourish in a thriving society- tectonic plates-North American, Pacific, and Redwoods, Smith Redwoods and continuing their cultural Iife ways, language Jedediah Gorda-all meet offshore at the Mendocino Prairie Creek Redwoods State Parks and programs, and tribal governments. Triple function south of Eureka. hawks fly overhead. Watchful hikers may PLEASE REMEMBER spot a Roosevelt elk, mountain lion, bobcat, . Stay on established trails; use a detailed coyote or black bear on the trails. Banana trail map or GPS to avoid getting lost on slugs, snakes, lizards and salamanders unmarked logging roads. slither All naturaland cultural features are Coho Salmon among ferns. protected by law and may not be RECREATION Particles from each plate collision disturbed or removed. Fishing-Licensed anglers may catch only float along the ocean floor until they are Do not feed wildlife; secure food and chinook salmon and cutthroat trout. Mill deposited. Sea stacks-rock towers that scented items in bear-resistant containers. Creek is closed to fishing part of the year. have broken off from the main land mass- Except for service animals, pets are not For fishing regulations and details, visit protrude from offshore waters. allowed on hiking trails. www. df g. ca. gov/fi shing. Dogs must be on a leash no more than Plants Trails-The Damnation Trail and the six feet long during the day and must be Sitka spruce hug the cliffs. Ferns, azaleas and California Coastal Trail are steep and orchids forest confined to tents or vehicles at night. carpet the floor in lush colors strenuous. South of Wilson Beach, a half- Hidden Beach is rocky, steep and unsafe and textures. Rhododendrons may reach 30 mile trail leads Beach pools to Hidden tide for swimming. feet. Tanoak, madrone, red alder, big leaf at False Klamath Cove. Old logging roads maple, Douglas-fir and California bay trees form easy loops and out-and-back trails from NEARBY STATE PARKS add to the dense overhead canopy formed the mill site parking lot. MillCreek's former . fedediah Smith Redwoods State Park by redwoods as tall as 350 feet. mill site area is for day use only. Observe all 1440 Highway 199, Crescent City 95531 Coast redwoods thrive in an ideal mix posted trail-use and "closed-dte,d" signs. (707) 465-7335 or (707) 458-3496 of soils, nutrients, temperatures and Camping-Mill Creek Campground's two . Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park humidity. Scientists believe that increasing loops have 143 sites without hookups. l270ll Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway temperatures and decreasing fog from For details and site-specific camping Orick 95555 (707) 465-7335 global pose climate change could a threat to reservations, call (800) 444-7275 or visit . Tolowa Dunes State Park the coast redwoods and the life forms that www.parks.ca.gov. 1375 Elk Valley Road, Crescent City 95531 depend on them. (707) 465-7]35 ACCESSIBLE FEATURES (h Wildlife The coastal cliffs are reachable only by The scenic Mill and Rock creeks flow through This park receives support in part steep trails. Seven accessible campsites the park. Chinook and endangered coho through the nonprofit have paved pads with nearby accessible Redwood Parks Association and chum salmon attract great blue herons restrooms with showers. I I I I Second Street, Crescent City, CA 95531 and dippers. Federally threatened marbled Accessibility is continually improving. (707) 645_9150 murrelets northern owls nest and spotted www. redwoodparksassociation. org For updates, call (916) 445-5949 or visit high in the redwoods. Steller's iays and http://access. parks. ca. gov. t/J JEDEDI ooD RED WO OD AL Del Norte ESCENT Coast Redwoods .S,tat.e \\ i ,. 1 \\.e-l \Whabr 1.1 \. ,_i- '--* lslmd ;:i \\/'\ :* ^..J' i SUrpnr t 11 lrr r-'rxr

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A 201 1 California State Parks Map by Eureka Calographv Berkele\ CA nT-E; aSru..N3-z;=Tri Our Mission The mission of California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration, and O" rugged California education of the people of California by helping J to preserve the state's extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and coast, scenic river cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. canyons, dense

forests and steep cliffs

create a mosaic of inte rde p e nde nt h abitats California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who in the Del Norte region. need assistance should contact the park at (707) 465-7335. This publication can be made available in alternate formats. Contact [email protected] or call (916) 654-2249.

CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 9 4296-000 I For information call: (800) 777-0369. (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. 7l l, TTY relay service www.parks.ca.gov Discover the many states of California.'n' * =:_a€=_= ,faoeThe Redutoods L E AG U E SaveTheRedwoods.org/csp

Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park 7 miles south of Crescent City on Hwy. I0l Crescent City, CA 95571 (7071 465-777'

O 201 1 California State Parks $ rr,n,"o on Recycled Paper