Humboldt Lagoons State Park
State Park · Trinidad, California
Humboldt Lagoons State Park stretches along the Humboldt County coast north of Trinidad, beside Highway 101 near Orick. Its three coastal lagoons, Big Lagoon, Stone Lagoon and Freshwater Lagoon, are held back from the Pacific by long sand spits - confirm which spits are open to walkers. Forested hills rise behind the water, and a long beach piled with driftwood faces the ocean. Redwood National and State Parks begins just north and is a separate place with its own rules. The lagoons are calm enough for kayaks and paddleboards, while the ocean side is cold, windy and dangerous for swimming, with sneaker waves and strong currents. Fog is common even in summer, and afternoon wind can make open water tiring. Elk graze near the Stone Lagoon visitor centre in some seasons. A boat-in campground on Stone Lagoon is reached only by paddling - confirm. This is a quiet, big-sky park for paddlers, birders and beach walkers, not a swimming or sunbathing stop. Plan half a day, bring layers, and check wind and tide first.
15336 US-101, Trinidad, California, 95570, United States
The park is normally open from sunrise to sunset, and the boat-in campground has its own check-in rules and reservation process - confirm both with California State Parks. The Stone Lagoon visitor centre keeps seasonal hours and is often closed in winter, so do not plan around it without checking. Day-use parking areas along Highway 101 may be free or may carry a fee; confirm the current rate and the pay station arrangements. Winter storms can flood low areas and cut sand spits, and summer fog can linger all day. Cell signal is weak in places, so check the State Parks page, wind forecasts and any beach advisories on the morning you go.
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