Patrick's Point

Our Mission Patrick’s Point State Park The mission of California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. In the springtime, herbs, grasses, and shrubs decorate the meadows, producing colorful wildflower displays and providing scenic views California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (707) 677-3570. If you need this publication in an alternate format, contact interp@parks.ca.gov. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 For information call: (800) 777-0369 (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. 711, TTY relay service www.parks.ca.gov SaveTheRedwoods.org/csp Patrick’s Point State Park 4150 Patrick’s Point Drive Trinidad, CA 95570 (707) 677-3570 www.parks.ca.gov /patrickspoint © 2007 California State Parks (Rev. 2016) of the shoreline and the rock outcrops. T hirty miles north of Eureka, a tree- and meadow-covered headland juts into the Pacific Ocean. This is Patrick’s Point State Park, with a shoreline that ranges from the broad sandy stretch of Agate Beach to sheer cliffs that rise high above the sea. A number of “sea stacks,” parts of the mainland that have been isolated by the pounding surf, stand offshore like fence pickets. Patrick’s Point is shrouded in fog much of the year. During the summer, sometimes fog does not burn off for days at a time. Crystal-clear days appear most frequently during spring and fall. Rainfall averages more than 60 inches a year  —  most of it falling between November and April. Temperatures are moderate much of the year, with only about a 10-degree difference in average temperatures between summer and winter. Summer highs average 62 degrees, with winter lows to 38 degrees. PARK HISTORY Native Americans Yurok people have lived in and around Patrick’s Point State Park for generations. The temperate climate and abundant wildlife of the North Coast promoted a culturally rich way of life that continues today. Yurok people built villages of redwood planks along the coast and major waterways. Traveling by dugout canoe, they fished for salmon. They also hunted elk, deer, and small game. Berries, roots, and many traditional plants are still harvested at Patrick’s Point; acorns are still gathered from the hillside areas east of the park. In 1850, when gold was found in the interior, the Yurok people were overwhelmed by an influx of settlers. Conflict over the land took many forms. The native people were hunted down; any who survived the attacks were forced onto reservations. Newly introduced diseases further decimated their numbers. Today, the Yurok have made a remarkable recovery. As the most populous tribe in California, nearly 5,500 Yurok live in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties. Tribal members are building a future by revitalizing their ancestral language and traditions based on the customs of the past. Europeans and Americans Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and Sir Francis Drake sailed along the coast of what is now Humboldt County as early as the 16th century, but it was a Spanish vessel captained by Bruno de Hezeta that braved the unpredictable winds and rocky shoreline to land in Trinidad Bay in 1775. The fur trade had come to the Trinidad Bay region by June of 1801. Captain Jonathan Winship arranged with Governor Alexandr Baranov of Sitka, Alaska, to take 100 native people from the Aleutian Islands to California on a successful sea-otter hunting expedition. With the discovery of gold in northern California’s Trinity River in the mid1800s, the local territory experienced a rush of miners, packers, and would-be entrepreneurs. Those who had come seeking adventure and wealth through trading and trapping gave way to gold miners and settlers. THE PARK The California State Park Commission purchased Patrick’s Point in 1929 after approval of the 1928 Park Bond. Additional land was acquired over several years, bringing the park’s total to 640 acres. From the beginning, the park was identified as a potential site for a traditional Indian village that would portray the rich culture of the northwest coast. and pine. Spring and summer wildflowers Sumêg Village include Douglas iris, fairy bells, trillium, In the 1800s, the Yurok world extended skunk cabbage, azalea, and rhododendron. from the mouth of the Klamath River Thimbleberries, salmonberries, and north to Wilson Creek, near Crescent huckleberries are found along meadow City, and south to Little River, near edges. Fall and early winter bring out a McKinleyville. The Yurok people lived wide variety of mushrooms, which may be in more than 50 villages, from the north viewed but may not be picked. at Big Lagoon to the south at Trinidad. Village sizes varied from two to two dozen houses. In 1990 an all-Yurok crew constructed Sumêg Village, which consists of three typical redwood plank family houses, a sweathouse, a dance pit, three changing houses, and a redwood canoe. All of these structures are made from boards split from redwood trees, using hazel bindings and local stone. The village was named Sumêg  —   which means forever in Yurok — in Sumêg Village. Above: Canoe and the hope that the village would plank house; Right: Sweathouse endure for generations to come. During the period The village site is used for cultural and from 1875 to 1925, this educational activities that preserve the area experienced largeheritage of several neighboring tribes: scale environmental Yurok, Karuk, and Hoopa. The park’s devastation. The forest native plant garden just south of Sumêg was logged, burned, Village features plants used by the Yurok and cleared to graze for basket-making, food, medicinal, and sheep and cattle, and to plant hay and ceremonial purposes. potato crops and apple orchards. Now the meadows in the park closely NATURAL HISTORY resemble the land prior to its acquisition Though the park is in the heart of as a state park in 1929. Maintained by California’s coast redwood country, the mowing and removal of sprouting trees, principal trees within the park are Sitka the park’s meadows are diverse with herbs, spruce, red alder, Douglas-fir, hemlock, grasses, and shrubs. They produce colorful wildflower displays and provide scenic views of the shoreline and rock outcrops. Agate Beach is a gently curving sand strip that can be reached by a short, steep trail from the Agate Beach parking lot. Semi-precious agates, for which the beach is named, are polished here by the constant movement of sand and water. Winter’s driving winds and high tides also deposit driftwood of many shapes and sizes on the shore. RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES Trails The Rim Trail is a two-mile walk that offers excellent views of the ocean and offshore rocks. Between Agate Beach and Palmer’s Point, four rather steep quarter-mile trails connect the Rim Trail to the shoreline. A couple of short, steep trails make it possible to reach the tops of Ceremonial Rock (rising 107 feet above the meadow) and Lookout Rock. These old sea stacks are evidence of ever-changing sea levels and geological uplifting. Camping   /  Picnicking There are about 120 family campsites spread among the Penn Creek, Abalone, Interpretive Activities The park visitor center contains exhibits highlighting the park’s natural and cultural history. Nature walks, campfire programs, and Junior Ranger programs are provided during the summer months. School programs and group tours may be scheduled all year round. and Agate Beach campgrounds. Each campsite has a table and a fire pit. Water faucets, restrooms, and coin-operated showers are located nearby. The Beach Creek and Red Alder Group Camps can each accommodate up to 100 people. A covered cook shelter, picnic tables, and fire pits are provided in group camps, with spigots, restrooms, and coinoperated showers nearby. Two group day-use picnic areas may be reserved. Sumêg holds up to 100 people and Bishop Pine up to 50. Picnickers at Sumêg will find a covered cook shelter, and Bishop Pine has fire pits. To reserve all campsites or group picnic areas for May through September, visit www.parks.ca.gov/patrickspoint or call (800) 444-7275. From October through April, camping and group picnic sites are firstcome, first-served. Viewing Wildlife You may see and hear California and Steller sea lions and harbor seals on the offshore rocks in the southern part of the park near Palmer’s Point. This is also an excellent place to explore tide pools. The species living in the tide pools have adapted to one of the harshest environments on earth, enduring pounding waves and howling winds. Depending upon the tides, they are exposed Tide pool life. Above: Ochre sea stars; Right: Gumboot chiton to salt water, fresh water in the form of rain, and fresh air, yet the intertidal zone is one of the richest areas of life in the ocean. Wedding Rock, Patrick’s Point, and Palmer’s Point offer viewpoints of the spring and fall migrations of the California gray whale. This annual migration along the west coast of North America is one of the world’s outstanding wildlife spectacles. While traveling between their summer feeding grounds in the Bering Sea and their winter breeding grounds on the Mexican coast, the forty-foot gray whales cover 10,000 miles in a year  —  the longest migration of any mammal. Some gray whales will summer in and around the Patrick’s Point coastline. Patrick’s Point is a popular spot for viewing a variety of shore birds that visit the park during their spring and fall migrations. Binoculars help to spy on murres, winter wrens, or red crossbills. Sometimes black-tailed deer and black bears are spotted. To avoid bear encounters, keep your campsite clean and your food wrapped and stored safely. ACCESSIBLE FEATURES Accessible campsites are available in both the Abalone and Agate Beach campgrounds. Accessible restrooms with coin showers are nearby. The visitor center is generally accessible, with designated accessible parking and restrooms nearby. PLEASE REMEMBER • Swimming is not advised. The ocean off Patrick’s Point is cold and dangerous. Children should not even be allowed to wade, as there are unexpected holes in the underwater sand, and the undertow can be very strong. “Rogue” waves appear periodically and usually unexpectedly, and can be much larger than ordinary waves. Never turn your back on the ocean. • Do not feed the animals. Though bears, raccoons, and Bald eagle skunks like “people” food, it is unhealthy for them. Feeding wild animals is unsafe for you and against park rules. Do not leave anything edible out overnight or when you are away from your campsite. Store food in locked vehicles or metal food lockers, and dispose of garbage in proper containers. • Plants, animals, and archaeological features are protected. Do not pick wildflowers or mushrooms. • Dogs must be on a leash no more than 6 feet long. Dogs are allowed in the campgrounds, picnic areas, and along paved roads. Except for service animals, dogs are not permitted on the beaches or on unpaved park trails. Do not leave them unattended. Loud or vicious dogs are not permitted in the park. Dogs must be confined in a tent or vehicle at night. Accessibility is continually improving. For more information, please visit http://access.parks.ca.gov. NEARBY STATE PARKS • Humboldt Lagoons State Park 115336 Hwy. 101 North, Trinidad 95570 (707) 445-6547 • Harry A. Merlo State Recreation Area 32 miles north of Eureka on Hwy. 101 Trinidad 95570 (707) 445-6547 • Trinidad State Beach, 19 miles north of Eureka on Hwy. 101, Trinidad 95570 (707) 677-3570 • Little River State Beach 4851 Clam Beach Drive, off Hwy. 101 Trinidad 95570 (707) 488-2041 This park is supported in part through a nonprofit organization. For more information contact: Redwood Parks Association 1111 Second Street Crescent City, CA 95531 (707) 464-9150 www.redwoodparksassociation.org Wedding Rock P Paved Road Rim 211 Campsites 124 Rim Trail Overlook B ia e Trail 80 t ran c Sumêg VilliageTrail ic Patr Sumêg Village nt Native Plant Garden Visitor Center Beach t Drive k’s Poin a Pl rail T ive at en N ard G P see detail map il 86 87 88 89 90 160 sites 91, 92, 94 91 are accessible P Ri eek Beach Creek 99 98 92 94 Campground Host P 20 95 93 11 121 80 40 122 0 0 0 0 0 10 1 Agat P 2 10 160 e Be a 3 10 105 4 6 10 106 11 115 3 11 11 B 1 09 9C 107 108 1 10109 112 110 7 8 ch T ra 20 i Su m ê g V ge P Cook Shelter 0 Agate Beach Campground 100 Feet 124 30 Meters ll a il Dressing House Dressing House Canoe Dance Pit Sweat House Dressing House g 101 11 120 0 120 10 97 96 R e s i d e n ce R d ra Rim T d see detail map Penn C reek Pen n Creek Trail R Canoe Tra il Park Entrance Cam pfire Cen ter Tr ail Cr 12 80 P PA R K e Rd 101 40 see detail map Red Alder 200 k En Campground Host h ac Pa lm Be er’s ach Po Tra int il 0 0 Agate Beach Campground Ceremonial Rock Steps Trail Be 16 16 16 20 0 0 Palmer’s Point Rd © 2007 California State Parks (Rev. 2016) 18 16 17 64 77 76 75 72 73 65 71 68 69 66 70 67 79 78 Pa t 63 d 22 21 20 19 R oa 82 81 80 lm er ’s 12 13 11 14 2 10 1 3 9 4 5 6 7 8 Penn Creek Campground N il Tr a Po lan tG ar de n eP r iv e k’ s a tD ic tiv Canoe 0 n Cre ek P 20 Pen 83 160 120 40 to Trinidad, Eureka 80 300 Meters 62 in 200 40 200 61 Po 0 1000 Feet 500 100 sites 65, 68, 69 are accessible SUMÊG VILLAGE in tr t Dri Poin ick’s 200 16 0 Native Plant Garden Visitor Center Abalone Campground 0 ê Family Houses 44 43 0 100 Feet 40 46 42 0 30 Meters 39 49 41 P 50 51 a 38 37 rk E ntra 36 35 nce R 52 54 oad 34 32 33 30 29 28 53 31 55 Campground Host Park 56 27 Entrance 57 58 26 25 85 59 60 24 23 120 80 m Pa Su ve P Patr Palmers Point 36 30 Km 12 S TAT E il Tra Platina 20 Mi 20 as te 80 Co ou R 120 n 160 0 or ach lif e 20 a B C c ea Campground Host Penn Creek Campground m 10 Agate P Par Ri 0 10 0 m d PAT R I C K ’ S P O I N T Abalone Campground 40 Hayfork ShastaTrinity NF 0 20 a il Tr 80 40 il Cer e monial Rock Trail cess il Ac Tra 0 Rim Tra eR 160 m Ri 12 Ri m an c Ceremonial Rock Loop Trail Ceremonial Rock Lookout Rock En t r 40 80 120 160 P P Lookout Rock il reek Bishop Pine k Lookout Rock Steps Trail Myers Flat Humboldt Redwoods SP to Klamath 3 te C Park Roc Ceremonial l Meadow Trai Trail c k Rd e Rd ail Tr Rocky Point Rocky P oin t Ro y Us ut Da P Pa Ov tric er k’s loo P k T oin ra t il ng o Look Patrick’s Point di Grizzly Creek RSP 36 101 299 Helena Mad River Aga ng l di rai ed T W ock R ed W Fortuna 120 Trinity Lake 0 at Ag P a Tr l ta Six Rivers NF Village We Beddin ac g R h T oc rail k Viewpoint h O cif Showers Campground: Hike/Bike 80 12 Pa Wedding Rock a il Tr Fort Humboldt SHP Rio Dell 40 ShastaTrinity NF Azalea SNR Arcata Eureka RV Sanitation Station Campground: Group McKinleyville Little River SB Restrooms Campground el ss rail Mu ks T c Ro ic c Campfire Center Mussel Rocks Trinidad Ranger Station 80 Klamath NF 96 Patrick’s Point SP Trinidad SB Picnic Area: Group Accessible Feature n ea Pacific Ocean Parking Picnic Area Trail Redwood NP Harry A. Merlo SRA Humboldt Lagoons SP Park Building Major Road Fort Jones Somes Bar 3 Klamath Prairie Creek Redwoods SP Locked Gate Freeway State Park 120 Legend Patrick’s Point 0 0 100 Feet 30 Meters