Hiking

Why You Should Visit Humboldt County

/ N.Pearson / 3 Comments

Humboldt County is a wonderful place to visit because of its rich history, abundant wildlife, artists, cannabis industry, casinos, and community. After taking the 101 or 299 into Humboldt from San Francisco, or Reno, the drive during the day can relax the mind with picturesque rolling mountains, lakes, and deep forests. Don’t forget to stop by the Legend of Bigfoot to get the gist of the lore or Confusion Hill where things go up when they should go down. When coming from Oregon or Crescent City down the 101 you might find Humboldt a change of pace, an exciting city life, or maybe you decide to take the off-the-grid paths to Shelter Cove or King Range Wilderness to hike the PCT. You may pass by a giant statue of Paul Bunyan and the Blue Ox at the Mystery of Trees. And Eris, forbid, you took a flight in and you find your next flight weeks out or canceled due to bad weather, then you have plenty of time to view the amazing art displayed in the ACV (Arcata Aiport).

Humboldt Country is home to the Redwood trees, some of the oldest and tallest trees in the world. Hiking through the Emerald Triangle includes trails in Trinity, Avenue of the Giants, and Fern Canyon. These trails will bring you to the brink of the otherworld where magical creatures wander and you find the little lost forest, feeling in unity and in tune with nature. Fishing in the Eel River or the Mad may take some experience but they are frequently replenished with fish. Ocean fishing is also a sport that can be done by the daring. Don’t forget to get your California fishing license and read up on the laws. Hiking the Headwaters Reserve or Manila trails you will find an array of mushroom species and moss-hung trees. Make sure to not pick the mushrooms without identifying them first and only as many as you need. Canoe down the rivers and enjoy your time basking in the sun during the summer months. 

Eureka and Arcata are abundant in night light. Arts Alive fills the street with music, art, and vendors. Friday markets in Eureka and Saturday Markets in Arcata. Irish punk shows at the Shanty, and Fetish Nights at Sirens Song. The Jam hosts headliners like local DJ Ahee and the Arcata Theater Lounge recently featured Mike Love. There is endless music, art, and craft beer for those who know where to find it. Music Festivals like Northern Nights, Hog Farm, and Festival of Dreams bring the fairies and elves out of the woods. For a good laugh check out Savage Henry’s Comedy Club or for symphonies, opera and plays at the Eureka Theater. 

Cal Poly Humboldt has exceptional forestry, social work, nursing, basketball team, and ceramics programs for BA. While College of the Redwoods offers general ed, creative writing, volleyball, and an amazing art department. What you really want to take advantage of is the great classes and gatherings hosted at businesses like Erica Brook’s Paint Out at the Winery, High Body Pole Dance workouts, Joe’s veteran ceramic class at CR, Bella Vita Fire spinning, Belly Dancing by Zeta Fusion, The Thing’s Ecstatic Dance, and Life Drawing at the RAA.

Humboldt has a long history of outlawed cannabis growers and the infamous Murder Mountain. You can find your leafy greens at dispensaries and smoke lounges on many street corners. Hit the gravity bong at EcoCann or if you’re in a rush drive through Humboldt Premium. Maybe you are further south and want to check out Cookie’s Lounge or for a nightlife environment there is Crisp! in Eureka! Live rosin cartridges, edibles, bubble hash, and premium cannabis are on the shelves, calling all adults. For an overnight experience check out Riverbar Pharms for good food and cannabis-friendly rooms.

The casinos are popular stops for great music, drinks, food, card games, and slot machines. Bear River Casino is located in Loleta and is a Rohnerville Rancheria to the Mattole and Wiyot Tribes, as well as other surrounding tribes. Blue Lake Casino is a Rancheria to the Wiyot tribe and is notarized by the white house as the “Climate Action Champion.” To learn more about the native tribes visit Clarke Museum currently showcasing a history of the Wigi, also known as the Humboldt Bay. Or you can stop in at the NCIDC American Indian Art and Gift Shop to see the beautiful Native art displayed.

It is impossible for me to list all the amazing things to do in Humboldt County, but I welcome you to come visit and check out the festivities happening in my town!

Camping with Young Ones

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Last month I went on three camping trips with the kids, to the Summer Music and Arts Festival, Grizzly Creek campsite, and with my partner to Ruth Lake. We had a great time and no one got sunburned! Here are a few quick tips on how I made it camping for a month with my kiddos!

The Sumer Music and Arts Festival was the hardest of the trips. We were vending and had a fairly large pop-up behind our booth but it’s not easy keeping a ten-month old in the shade. He enjoyed walking around and listening to music. I brought ear muffs for the kiddos so they could enjoy the stage and a wagon to pull the baby in. We were placed next to a yoga dome that was never built so there was less traffic our way. My daughter got poison oak in her eye on Sunday and we had to rush to the ER and they dosed her with steroids. I’d say we reacted properly and got her help as soon as it was obvious the swelling wasn’t going to go down with over-the-counter drugs. I came back to pack up without the kids. We brought lots of water to this event and had friends camping with us to help along the way.

Grizzly Creek Campsite we were able to cook on the fire. Check-in took a little while but the kids played with the freshwater spickets. Friends came and went and our dog Zed protected the campsite. Halaya set up her first tent which was a huge accomplishment. I took the kids swimming and Malakai had a blast in the water. He wasn’t a fan of his LifeVest but we had a lot of fun in the shallow area. I didn’t bring enough formula and the surrounding stores didn’t have any but I was able to contact a friend to bring it before it was too late! Camping with the kids isn’t nearly as hard as it might seem. The baby wakes up twice a night and I have extra bottles made. I made the bottles with hot water but I might have made a bottle or two during the day without making a fire and heating it. We brought baby sunscreen and a little sun hat. Halaya read to me at night and wrote a haiku in her journal. On Sunday we went hiking and explored the forest and river. I used my Ergobaby backpack to comfortably hike with the baby. It was a path off the road that doesn’t look like it gets a lot of foot traffic and leads to a beautiful clover field.

My husband got jealous of all our camping and wanted to come with us on an excursion. He loves to fish, so we went to Ruth Lake. Ruth Lake is beautiful. You can see the trees on the hilltop are burned from recent fires and have a white tint. The valley had come back, with lots of greenery and life. We wanted to camp at Boy Scout Camp but so did everyone else because it was full. I would recommend getting a reservation for that one, word says it has great fishing. Instead, we settled for the first campsite Fir Cove Campsite. The sites were more spread out than the other sites, there was easy access to the water and hiking trails. We brought both the dogs on this one and they did great! Halaya and I walked the trail closest to the water and it lead to the next campsite. We swam in the water which was mushy and full of tall grass. I swam pretty far out and the weeds continued to tickle my body. We cooked hot dogs and let the dogs swim after the beach was clear of other guests. We drove around looking for the perfect fishing spot but couldn’t find it. I recommend reserving a boat, fish are released into the lake seasonally.

Overall camping with the kids is magical. In the forest, no work and time spent together. I loved every moment I got with my children, friends, dogs, and husband. I appreciate everyone that was a part of my camping excursion. The biggest tip is not to forget sunscreen, lots of water, and formula. Don’t be scared to sleep in the tent with the kids and spend time under the stars.

Till next time!

Foraging Mushrooms in Humboldt County

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If you’re familiar with my blog, you might have read my post “Places to Hike in Humboldt County.” Headwaters Reserve. This beautiful salmon spawning preserve has more to offer than meets the eye. Take a trip along the dirt paths that branch from the cement road, and a trained eye will see a whole ecosystem full of mushrooms.

Stropharia ambigua (left), Hygrocybe sp. waxy cap (center), Clavaria fragilis fairy fingers (right)

Why forage mushrooms? Mushrooms are a fungus that grows from mycelium. There are miles of mycelium under the forest floor, a massive white fiber that communicates with trees and the rest of the duff. Mycelium grows mushrooms for different purposes, from decomposing dead material to forming partnerships with plants. Mushrooms vary in characteristics and design. Some are poisons, some induce hallucinations, and others are great in meals. When picking your mushrooms, be careful which you touch, which you eat, and which you use for medical purposes.

Are you interested in mushroom foraging but don’t know where to begin? There are a few simple steps you can take to start your mushroom adventures!

Amanita muscaria

The best time to look for mushrooms is during the rainy season. Mushrooms grow in different habitats. Some thrive on trees, while others can be underneath ferns or in the dunes and your backyard. In Humboldt, Porcinis form close relationships with pine trees. You may find these and Chanterelles also under spruces. Oyster mushrooms like to expand on dead and dying alder trees. Ways to identify mushrooms is by using a book such as Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast by Noah Siegel. Other ways to identify mushrooms are taking pictures and using an app or a Facebook group. At first, it might be overwhelming. I don’t recommend searching for a specific species unless you know that it will be growing in a particular area. In identifying mushrooms it is also important to recognize the surrounding trees.

Humboldt County is a mecca for mushroom foraging. There are many trails and forests where you can find all types of shrooms! The mushroom community is supportive and will help guide you in safe foraging. While mushroom hunting, you should only take what you need, don’t take all the mushrooms (!), and leave no trace. It is bad ju-ju to sell natural resources, including mushrooms, so do it for fun and your community! My neighbor blessed me with chanterelles that we put on our steak, and it was the best meal I ever had! These kinds of actions not only put a smile on someone’s face but create memories that are not easily forgotten. Mushrooms foraging is a family sport, so grab your loved ones and head to the woods to see what you can find! You are continuing the mushroom life cycle just by walking through the terrain.

Lactarius aestivus

Please follow habitat guidelines. It is strictly noted not to walk off-trail at the headwaters preserve. Stick to the dirt trail!

Places to Hike in Humboldt County

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Episode One

by Natascha Pearson

May 5, 2021

This week I have explored three new locations to hike in Humboldt County.

I started in Sunny Brae, where I hiked trailhead 1, the Beith Creek Loop Trail. I came upon two beautiful creeks during a moderate hike followed by an intermediate upslope. This hike is full of giant redwoods and immerses its participants in a forest experience. In addition, this trail has a bike-friendly accomplice. Unfortunately, this trail gets some traffic since it is so close to Arcata and College of the Redwoods. Nevertheless, my dog and I thoroughly enjoyed this hike. It is the most challenging of the three listed. This is a dog friendly trail.

  • Sunny Brea, Trailhead 1
  • Sunny Brea, Trailhead 1
  • Sunny Brea

Next is Headwaters Forest Reserve, which is full of history and plant life. This 11-mile hike (to the end and back again) is a day’s mission—5 1/2 miles to the end and back again. The first mile is on a paved road that follows a stream. Along the way, there are signs posted to educate people passing by about salmon spawning and how the forest reserve came to be once an old logging road. There is a beautiful, wooden education building in the first stretch. Once the paved road turns to dirt, I find the path less crowded and have yet to pass another person after this point. There are some uphill sloops, but overall, the hike is an easy one to make. The path is pristine. Running water and the songs from the birds fill the forest. I worked on training my dog on this path because it is a beginners hike and I can communicate with her easily compared to the rough terrain of the forest. I recommend this hike for someone looking for an easy-going day hike. This is a dog friendly trail.

  • Headwaters Forest Reserve
  • Headwaters Forest Reserve
  • Headwaters Forest Reserve

I also made it to Agate Beach in Trinidad this week, a 32-minute drive from Eureka. We paid $8 for parking and drove through a rather large campsite to a parking lot on the coast. A beautiful view of the ocean awaited us when we got out of the car. From there, we hiked down a beautiful steep hill with gorgeous plants with a rather attractive texture. The trail was a little wet from running water. When we reached the bottom, there is a stream to your right where I left an offering of used tea herbs in thanks for any pebbles that we collect on the coast. Next, we walked down the nearly empty beach surrounded by redwood trees. The ocean seems to have less aggressive waves than on the beach in Eureka, but the tide comes in fast, so you have to watch out while collecting stones. We all got our shoes soaked. The stones are small in size but are what I was looking for during our walk. I brought some home to craft with for my Little Lost Forest store. This wasn’t a dog friendly trail.

  • Agate Beach
  • Agate Beach
  • Agate Beach
  • Agate Beach
  • Agate Beach
  • Agate Beach