Prairie Creek Redwoods

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=415 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prairie_Creek_Redwoods_State_Park Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is located in Humboldt County, California, near the town of Orick and 50 miles (80 km) north of Eureka. The 14,000 acre (57 km²) park is a coastal sanctuary for old-growth Coast Redwood trees. These parks (which includes Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, and Redwood National Park) have been collectively designated as a World Heritage Site and form part of the California Coast Ranges International Biosphere Reserve. The meadow along the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, with its population of Roosevelt elk, is considered a centerpiece of the park, located near the information center and campground. These open areas of grassland within the redwood forest are locally known as prairies; and the park takes its name from Prairie Creek flowing near the western edge of the meadow and along the west side of the parkway. Other popular sites in the park are Fern Canyon and Gold Bluffs Beach. The park is also home to the tailed frog and several species of salmon.

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park Our Mission 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 Fern Canyon, earth-fragrant morning mists silence the lush greenery, while distant bird songs blend with the California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (707) 465-7335. 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 Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park Redwood National and State Parks 127011 Newton B. Drury Parkway Orick, CA 95555 (707) 465-7335 Cover photo courtesy of Save The Redwoods Photo Archives © 2011 California State Parks (Rev. 2016) rippling sounds of nearby Home Creek. A long California’s rocky north coast, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park offers sandy beaches and open meadows grazed by herds of Roosevelt elk. Ferns appear to flow like a green waterfall down steep canyon walls, and old-growth redwoods stand in primeval majesty. Summer brings morning fog, which usually burns off by midday. Winter rains bring needed water to the redwoods and ferns. PARK HISTORY Native California Indians Yurok people have lived in and around today’s Prairie Creek Redwoods 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 major waterways. Traveling by dugout canoe, they fished for salmon. They also hunted elk, deer, and other small game and gathered plants. In 1850, when gold was found near today’s Fern Canyon, 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 customs of the past. Settling the North Coast The first marine explorers along the Humboldt-Del Norte coast were Spaniard Bartolome Ferrelo in 1543, Englishman Sir Francis Drake in 1579, and Spaniard Sebastian Vizcaíno in 1602. The first shore landing, near Trinidad Head, was made by Bruno Hezeta and Juan Bodega in 1775. In May 1850, miners crossing today’s Gold Bluffs Beach saw bits of gold in the sand. Removing the gold proved too laborious, so the prospectors moved on. Yurok plank houses near Trinidad Illustration by J. Goldsborough Bruff ca. 1851 However, settlers needed raw materials to build their homes and towns. By the 1890s, several short-line railroads and steam donkeys had helped create a boom in commercial logging. Lumber quickly became the west’s top industry  —  Eureka alone had nine sawmills. By the end of the 19th century, farms, ranches, and dairies had been developed along the north coast. Today, several of these historical dairies remain a vital part of the north coast’s economy. Conservation and State Parks Between 1880 and the early 1900s, thousands of acres of old-growth redwoods had disappeared; in many areas, the trees had been cut to the bare ground. Alarmed, conservationists established the Save the Redwoods League in 1918 to protect the groves, obtaining donations from lumber companies and concerned citizens. The League and the State of California were able to buy thousands of acres adjoining Prairie Creek. By 1923, some of the grandest old-growth tree stands on the planet had been acquired by the State. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a national work program, began during the Great Depression of the 1930s. CCC members built themselves a camp at Elk Prairie, where they lived while building the present visitor center, trail system, campground, and picnic facilities. Redwood National and State Parks In October 1968, the National Park Service (NPS) created Redwood National Park in Del Norte and Humboldt counties. On September 5, 1980, the United Nations designated Redwood National and State Parks as a World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve. In 1994, NPS and California State Parks agreed to co-manage four parks: Del Norte Coast, Prairie Creek and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Parks, and Redwood National Park. Both entities agreed that managing the parks together would ensure commitment to greater protection and preservati

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park Gold Bluffs Beach Campground 127011 Newton B. Drury Parkway • Orick, CA 95555 • (707) 465-7354 Magnificent groves of coast redwoods, among the tallest trees in the world at 300 feet and more, adorn this 14,000-acre park. Set aside in the 1920s by the people of California and the generosity of the Savethe-Redwoods League, Prairie Creek is a sanctuary of old-growth coast redwoods. CAMPING is open year round first-come, firstserved. Potable water, restrooms and showers are available. No hook-ups. Parking at campsites is limited to 2 vehicles in the designated parking space only. Extra vehicles must park in the designated overflow area. Overnight camping is limited to 8 people per site, including children. Tents must be pitched in the designated sites. No camping is allowed on the beach. QUIET HOURS are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Generators may only be operated between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. To ensure an enjoyable experience for everyone, please do not disturb other campers at any time of day or night. CHECK-OUT TIME is noon. Please vacate your site by that time. Check-in is 2 p.m. FIRES AND FIREWOOD: Fires are allowed only in established fire rings or camp stoves. Do not build ground fires outside the fire rings or leave campfires unattended. Do not gather firewood in the park––the nutrients must be allowed to recycle back into the ecosystem. You may purchase firewood from the park personnel. VEHICLES must stay on designated roads and parking areas. Vehicles of all types may not exceed 24 feet in combined length or 8 feet in width. No trailers. Off-road vehicle operation is prohibited. Commercial fisherman with special access permits are the only vehicles allowed on the beach. Dogs may not be left unattended and must be kept inside a tent or vehicle at night. Please be courteous and clean up after your pets. Keep dogs leashed, under control or in a car. BICYCLES are only permitted on roads and designated bike trails. Bicycles are prohibited on all other trails. Riders under 18 years of age must wear a helmet. FERN CANYON is open year round from 9 a.m. until dusk (weather and trail conditions permitting). Seasonal footbridges are available only during the summer. Waterproof shoes and/ or boots are recommended the rest of the year. Dogs & Bikes are not permitted in Fern Canyon. WILD ANIMALS: Help save a bear. To ensure that you will not have a negative encounter with wildlife, please dispose of all garbage immediately and keep a clean camp at all times. Bear-resistant metal lockers are provided for each campsite. All food, beverages, and scented items are required by law to be stored in the provided lockers, unless being consumed or preparing for consumption. ROOSEVELT ELK can be seen throughout Gold Bluffs Beach. Please remember that elk are wild animals and can be unpredictable. Do not approach them under any circumstances and keep a safe distance at all times. DAY-USE PARKING is allowed from sunrise until 1/2 hour after sunset. Day-use parking is prohibited in the campground. FISHING is allowed, subject to Department of Fish and Game regulations at http://dfg.ca.gov. The visitor is responsible to learn and obey these regulations. DOGS must be on a leash (no longer than 6 feet) and under control at all times. Dogs are only allowed in the campground, on the beach and the main beach road. Dogs are not permitted on any of the park trails including Fern Canyon. OCEAN WAVES AND CURRENTS can be unpredictable at any time of year. Never turn your back to the ocean while enjoying the beach, and keep a special watch on young children playing near the water’s edge. Discover the many states of California.TM CAMPING RESERVATIONS: You may make camping reservations by calling (800) 444-7275 (TTY 800-274-7275). To make online reservations, visit our website at www.parks.ca.gov. ALTERNATE FORMAT: This publication is available in alternate formats by contacting the California State Parks at (800) 777-0369 or 711, TTY relay service. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park Gold Bluffs Beach Campground Your Site # ________ LEGEND Accessible Campsite Restrooms Accessible Feature Showers Campfire Center Water Parking Wood Sales Maximum Vehicle Size Max. Vehicle Length Max. Vehicle Width 24 ft 8 ft NO TRAILERS Maps not to scale. Dunes 7 4 3 2 10 1 11 ONE WAY 12 G OL D B L U F F S B E A C H R D 9 BEACH 13 14 26 16 15 25 24 17 Dunes 18 22 19 O N E W AY For Emergencies Dial 9-1-1. 20 23 2 miles to Entrance Station PA C I F I C O C E A N 8 Overflow Parking ON E W AY 6 2 miles to Fern Canyon 5 21 © 2010 California State Parks 

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park Elk Prairie Campground 127011 Newton B. Drury Parkway • Orick, CA 95555 • (707) 465-7354 Magnificent groves of coast redwoods, among the tallest trees in the world at three hundred feet and more, adorn this 14,000-acre park. Set aside in the early 1920s by the people of California and the generosity of the Save the Redwoods League, Prairie Creek is a sanctuary for old growth coast redwoods. CAMPING is available year round. Drinkable water, restrooms, and hot, coin-operated showers are available. Pitch tents only in the designated sites. There are no hook-ups or dump stations at the park. During the summer season (generally from Memorial Day through Labor Day) the campground is on a site-specific reservation system. Because the campground is usually completely full in the summer, reservations are strongly recommended. SPEED LIMIT is 15 mph in all campgrounds and day-use areas. Please drive carefully, observe the speed limit, and watch for children. QUIET HOURS AND GENERATORS: To ensure an enjoyable experience for everyone, please do not disturb other campers, regardless of the time of day or night. Radios and other soundproducing devices may not be audible beyond your immediate campsite. Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and generators may only be operated between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. BICYCLES are permitted only on designated trails. Children under 18 years old are required by law to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle, skateboard, scooter, etc. CHECK-OUT TIME is noon. Please vacate your site by that time. Check-in is 2 p.m. FIRES AND FIREWOOD: Fires are allowed only in established fire rings or camp stoves. Do not build ground fires outside the fire rings or leave campfires unattended. Do not gather firewood in the park––the nutrients must be allowed to recycle back into the ecosystem. You may purchase firewood from park personnel. PARKING at campsites is limited to the space available on the parking pad at the site. Do not park vehicles on the grass or anywhere off the road. Extra vehicles that do not fit in the site must be parked in the designated overflow area. Camping fees include one vehicle. There is an additional parking fee for each extra vehicle. DOGS must be kept on a leash no longer than six feet and under control at all times. Dogs may not be left unattended and must be confined to a vehicle or tent at night. Dogs are not allowed on any trails, but they are allowed on-leash on Cal-Barrel Road and Gold Bluffs Beach. Please be courteous and clean up after your pets. FERN CANYON is open year round from 9 a.m. until dusk (weather and trail conditions permitting). Seasonal footbridges are available only during the summer. Waterproof shoes and/ or boots are recommended the rest of the year. Dogs and bikes are not permitted in Fern Canyon. WILD ANIMALS: Bear-resistant metal lockers are provided at each campsite. All food, beverages and scented items (soap, toothpaste, lotion, etc.) are required by law to be stored in the provided lockers. Items should never be left out unattended except during food preparation or consumption. Wild animals scavenging for human food make the park unsafe for both wildlife and humans. ROOSEVELT ELK can be seen throughout Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Please remember that elk are wild animals and can be unpredictable. Do not approach them under any circumstances; keep a safe distance at all times. CAMPING RESERVATIONS: You may make camping reservations by calling (800) 444-7275 (TTY 800-274-7275). To make online reservations, visit our website at www.parks.ca.gov. ALTERNATE FORMAT: If you need this publication in an alternate format, contact interp@parks.ca.gov Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park Backcountry Parking re Visitor Center ek eC Elk Prairie Campground Revelation Loop For Emergencies, Dial 911. SPEED LIMIT Ac ce ss Tra il 15 d woo Red 22 24 25 26 28 29 39 44 45 56 57 58 13 SPEED LIMIT 11 8 CH 6 3 5 4 2 15 1 71 59 68 67 72 69 74 70 76 75 66 65 61 62 63 Cabin Campfire Center Campground: Hike/Bike Firewood Sales Park Office 49 54 Bridge: Seasonal Camp Host 7 52 Accessible Campsite Bridge 73 51 60 To Elk Prairie Trail 10 9 LEGEND Bicycle Trail 64 n T ra il 55 16 14 12 Motorhomes 27 feet Trailers 24 feet Accessible Feature 46 47 48 53 15 32 34 36 41 42 43 50 30 31 # 18 17 38 40 19 Davis o Prairie C reek 33 35 Campground Entrance Station CH 27 Maximum RV Lengths 21 23 20 Newton Drury Parkway Prai ri Your Site # ________ Parking Picnic Area Restrooms Showers Telephone Water Map not to scale © 2010 California State Parks (Rev. 2016)