Almanac note · Outdoors
Headwaters Forest gives Humboldt a careful old-growth redwood walk
Headwaters Forest Reserve protects coastal redwood forest near Eureka, with Elk River Trail access, sensitive habitat, storm-season cautions, and public-use limits.
Headwaters Forest Reserve is one of Humboldt County’s clearest redwood places to explain carefully. BLM protects 7,472 acres of coastal redwood forest here, including old-growth stands.
The Elk River Trail is the main public route. The first mile is paved and accessible, while the full trail is much longer. Dogs and bikes are limited to the first three miles, and large storms can affect access roads.
This is not a place to treat loosely. Stay with the official trail rules, check weather and access before going, and remember that the reserve sits in the ancestral homeland of the Wiyot people.
Where to see it
Headwaters Forest Reserve near Eureka. Use the BLM page for trail rules, seasonal access, and storm updates.
Official sources
Official source trail
Reviewed June 30, 2026
California Porch explains the path. The official source is still the place to confirm the current rule, fee, form, map, deadline, or office decision.
Use the official page before you spend money, file paperwork, rely on a deadline, or change a property.
Connected places
Where it fits on the map
Open a place page for the county layer, nearby places, and other California entries tied to that local page.
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