Fly to Humboldt: Cheap flights to Humboldt County from Los Angeles with Avelo Airlines
This week has been excruciatingly hot in Los Angeles as summer literally just snuck up on us out of nowhere, or rather, we were just hoping that winter would finally swing by. Well it hasn’t yet and the temperature here has scorched. I suppose I could see coping with this heat as preparation for my Southeast Asia backpacking trip coming up next month, minus the fact that there isn’t an ounce of humidity here.
My escape from the heat when possible is to head to the nearest body of water. For the most part it’s the perfect excuse, not that you ever need an excuse– to take a drive down to the beach with a few good friends and soak up Vitamin-D and cool off at the same time.
While living in Humboldt County, the town I lived in, Arcata, was usually overcast and dreary even in the summer, but the second you left the city’s limits the sun would beam down and it was suddenly beach weather– except in the north coast you can’t swim in the Pacific because the water is so cold! Instead, we head down to the river. The magical thing about Humboldt is the amount of rivers and swimming holes that have remained as nature intended them to. You enjoy them in their purest form.
If you are up for a road trip through California or are looking for places to stop as you head north into Oregon this summer, spend a day at one of my favorite swimming spots on the Klamath, Trinity and Eel Rivers in Humboldt County.
IMPORTANT NOTE, PLEASE READ: Be safe when you go to the river, nature is not always on your side. I am happy to provide my readers with information about beautiful gems across the world, but your actions are your responsibility. If you go to any of the rivers mentioned in this article, don’t get drunk. Don’t get drunk or do drugs and then climb rocks to cliff jump. It is dangerous. I was recently contacted by a good samaritan asking me to remove this blog post because even though I have a notice that the road is blocked to get to the swimming hole and it’s a trek to get to, lots of people are heading there and supposedly injuring themselves. She linked me to an article about a “man who fell from the top and now cannot walk,” and is blaming me for his actions. I checked out the story and it’s not very factual. The man or a member of his family has a ranch walking distance from the swimming hole and instead of walking down the trail, he jumped from the top and has done this several times before. This last time, he landed into the water awkwardly which caused severe damage.
I, nor adriftanywhere.com are responsible for people’s actions, which is why I will not take down this blog post. However, I am removing the directions to the Kneeland swimming hole. I’m currently not providing directions to Kneeland however if you would like direction/suggesstions to other swimming holes in Humboldt County, leave a comment!
Mad River in Kneeland, Calif.
Disclosure/Update Warning: Adrift Anywhere reader, Eva, has informed us that the road to get to the Kneeland swimming hole is closed. Update as of 5/1: Adrift Anywhere reader, Roxanne, informed me that the trail to the hole is pretty much eroded because of the heavy storms and is not possible to climb down. Additionally, a tree has fallen over the road blocking vehicle access. It seems like the good old days of this spot on the Mad River had its time.
The Mad River in Kneeland, Calif. is only about an hour east of the 101 north right off the Indianola Cutoff. By far, it is my favorite river spot in Humboldt for a few reasons. As one friend put it– “it’s like Humboldt and Hawaii had a baby, and this is it.”
The water is a clear turquoise and does look like it could be in Hawaii. One of the best features of the river is the rope swing that swimmers can reach by treading towards the rocks.
Getting down to the river is a bit tricky with a short, but steep hike so it would be wise to wear sturdy shoes for the rocky trek down. With that said, you shouldn’t bring much down with you. Once you get down to the river, there are several places to layout sheltered by giant boulders and coves, but if you want to be near the rope swing you should be ready to cross through chest-deep water.
The best part of this gem? The water is warm. Basically, this is what paradise in northern California looks like.
Camp Kimtu in Willow Creek, Calif.
Kimtu on the Trinity River in Willow Creek is probably one of the more heavily visited river spots in the area. It has easy accessibility and no hiking is required, but it is pretty rocky. One of the best features this section has is a cliff about 20 or so feet high that attracts many jumpers.
The water is relatively deep at this point, but it is also very cold. If you can put the jitters aside from leaping off a high cliff, then you will no doubt have a refreshing and cooling dip. Temperatures in Willow Creek rise well into the 90s so making that leap might just be necessary. To get to Kimtu from the 101, take the 299 towards Redding/Blue Lake until you get into the town of Willow Creek. Make a left once you pass the Sasquatch museum and Ray’s Marketplace and follow the signs into Kimtu. There is an honor based parking system for $5.
Devil’s Elbow in Willow Creek
The Devil’s Elbow is another popular spot on the Trinity River and has a few sandy beaches as well. It’s also a popular spot to begin floating or tubing down river for a few miles into Tish Tang. You can buy inner tubes in Willow Creek if you don’t have one already.
For the most part, Devil’s Elbow is a calm section of the Trinity River, but there is a strong current that begins where the horseshoe ends and can sweep you downstream quickly if you are swimming. If this happens to you, don’t panic and let the current take you downstream while you backstroke until you are swept onto the shore. Don’t underestimate the power of the current and be cautious– it can be one of the most memorable adventures if you are careful and are with friends!
To get to Devil’s Elbow, take highway 299 into Willow Creek from the 101 and once you’re in Willow Creek, make a left onto highway 96 and drive down past the organic berry farms. Parking is right off the highway on a wide dirt turn out. Take the trail down to the river and don’t be surprised if you see large salmon swimming in the river from your viewpoint.
In Conclusion
Humboldt County is four hours north of San Francisco and is the perfect place to spend a weekend during a road trip either up north to the Pacific Northwest or on your way down south. Adding a swimming trip to your itinerary is something not to miss out on. While the rivers are magical and beautiful, don’t underestimate its power or strength. Never swim alone in the river especially during high water, likely in the beginning of summer because the water can sweep you away. There have been several drowning deaths because of this even with experienced swimmers. If you plan to cliff jump, do so feet in first and be sure of the depth before taking the plunge. As long as you play it safe, you’re likely to have a great river experience.
Driving to Willow Creek
From Southern California: Drive north on Interstate 5, past Sacramento to Redding. In Redding connect to Route 299 westbound toward the coast. Willow Creek is near the intersection of Route 299 and Route 96 in Humboldt County.
From the Sacramento area: Drive north on Interstate 5, past Sacramento to Redding. In Redding connect to Route 299 westbound toward the coast. Willow Creek is near the intersection of Route 299 and Route 96 in Humboldt County.
From the San Francisco area: Drive north on Highway 101 past Eureka. In Arcata connect to Route 299 eastbound toward Redding. Willow Creek is near the intersection of Route 299 and Route 96.
From Oregon (Portland): Drive south on Interstate 5 past Roseburg, and connect to Route 199 westbound toward Crescent City, California. In Crescent City take Highway 101 south to Arcata. In Arcata connect to Route 299 eastbound toward Redding. Willow Creek is near the intersection of Route 299 and Route 96.
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Some great local insights! We should be on the cusp of Winter here in Melbourne, yet yesterday saw me wandering around in shorts & a t-shirt! Crazy times, although still short of swimming weather… 🙂
Winter no longer exists!! Ha! The water here in southern California is still pretty chilly, but it’s hot enough to get a bit of tan or go standup paddle boarding.
They had a statistic on the local news a week ago. Over 50% of the days in Melbourne for this last month before Winter had been over 20 degrees celsius (approx 70 fahrenheit). Not normal!
Hey Susan! Can you give me directions to the swimming hole in kneeland?
please email susan@adriftanywhere.com for directions
please email susan@adriftanywhere.com for directions
I’m going to try to go today!
Hi Isabella! Hope you had fun at the river (and found it)! I’m super jealous because I have not gone in 2 years! 😛
Hey Susan, the Mad River- Kneeland place sounds amazing! I tried to figure out where it is by looking through Google Maps but I can’t seem to find it on there. Is the helicopter landing pad you mentioned the one at Kneeland Airport on Mountain View Rd or is it another one? If you can find it on Google Maps would you be able to just right click on the location and click “What’s here?” It’ll give you the lat/long coordinates then which will make it a lot easier to find. Cheers
Hey there GaRick! Your best bet would actually be the directions I have in the article which is this :
directions have been removed, please email susan@adriftanywhere.com
Hey again Brittany, it is in fact after the airport. The road that you are on turns into Jack Shaw road and there is private property but you keep going on a bumpy road until you get to the end of Jack Shaw and park on the left. It’s just a turnout parking area with shade from a lot of trees.
Hey this is soo cool! Thanks for the article Susan;)
YAH! Glad you liked it, Cody! Hope you make it out for some gorgeous Humboldt rivers this summer, I definitely miss them.
YAH!! Glad you like it Cody 😀 ! I hope you make it out to the rivers a lot this summer, I miss them SO MUCH
This is definitely a place my boyfriend would love. He likes jumping into the water a lot. We´ve been last year in Southern France at the Cascades du Sautadet. I´m sure you would love being there.
LIBERATION!! <3 <3
TOTAL LIBERATION <3
Do you know if there are any camping sites near the Kneeland Mad River to pitch a tent?
I don’t know believe there is and I know water levels are low, but I don’t recommend camping over night on the banks of the river. You never know with Humboldt weather. You should call Center Activities regarding camping areas because I know there are a lot of RV parks in that area, but I don’t think that’s what you want 🙂 Center Activities will be able to tell you good camping spots in that area or nearby for sure! This is their number: (707) 826-3357
Awesome! Thanks so much for sharing! I also heard theres a lot of fires going on in Humboldt at the moment and i would advise others to check conditions before going! This is sept 1s 2015 -http://www.ncuaqmd.org/files/Wildfire/NCUAQMD%20Advisory%20-%20Unhealthy%20for%209-1-15.pdf
We camped once near the Avenue of the Giants and went to a few pretty swimming holes along the South Fork of the Eel River, closer to the south entrance to the park. Such a gorgeous part of California!
One warning for people with kids or dogs–in the summer and early fall these North Coast freshwater rivers are prone to a toxic algae bloom. It’s can be poisonous and every year there are stories about dogs dying after a quick swim, I’ve heard it can also make kids (or adults with immune issues) ill. So before swimming, I’d check in with a local park office to ask to be sure the rivers are safe. I’ve been there in the summer when it hasn’t been a problem, but when we were there last September local officials were advising people not to swim in the rivers.
Are dogs aloud at the swim hole?
Hi Lauren! Yes, there are no restrictions on pets and people do bring their dogs. Should be fine!
Are dogs aloud in the swim hole?
How warm does the water get during the summer/winter season?
Hi Jonathan, I never have been in the water in the winter. It’s actually advised not to because the currents pick up and there have been a few deaths in the last few years by people getting swept.
During the summer, the Klamath is usually pretty cold, but it’s bearable for sure. I’ve been swimming to different parts of the Eel river and it’s been warm. Really pleasant. Degree-wise I have no idea, but if you’re out there in the middle of summer the temperature is going to be really nice.
Jack Shaw Road is currently closed 🙁 wasn’t able to make it to the swimming hole. Also the roads to the kneeland swimming hole are mostly gravel beaten paths filled with potholes; be prepared to ravel 10 mph for much of the trip.
Hi Eva,
Thank you for this update! After the heavy rains this year so many road closures have happened so thank you for sharing, I’ll add that info to the post!
Please take the info concerning Swinging Bridge on the Mad River down. The road is completely impassable to the hole, but people continue to come in large numbers because of your photos and description. We have had to have several helicopter rescues this summer for people who fall badly from the rope swing. There is currently a man in the hospital awaiting surgery for a broken vertebra from a fall on August 6th: (http://kymkemp.com/2017/08/06/air-rescue-called-for-man-with-no-feeling-below-knees-after-falling-at-the-jack-shaw-road-swimming-hole/). This post has created danger for the many people who see your pictures and want to get drunk on the river, but the reality that for those who do not know how to protect themselves in an environment that includes poison oak, mountain lions, and steep and slippery access trails, IT IS DANGEROUS. Please take this DOWN!!! The next injury is karmically on YOUR head if you don’t take this down!!!
Hi Karen,
Thank you for comment and concerns. However, please do not try to pin the irresponsible actions of a grown man on me or my blog. What I am providing my readers is great information so that they can enjoy nature in its beautiful form. The 55-year-old man who fell in the article you sent me, didn’t actually fall … he jumped as he had done several times before and was a resident of a nearby ranch walking distance to the swimming area. There are many camping and swimming areas in Humboldt County that are covered with poison oak and may or may not have wild animals, so you can’t actually be honest to yourself and accuse me of enabling people to get hurt. Now, I did have the disclosure on the section for Kneeland that the road was impassable and as you claim, is still closed yet people are driving to it, so to help slow down the traffic I have removed the directions but will provide it to those who request it. Please let me know if you have any other questions or demands! Thanks!
Kneeland is really not the greatest swimming hole. It’s a treacherous hike straight down. I live nearby and I see (not exaggerating) weekly accidents during the summer. It’s a narrow steep dirt road, if you’re going up there please don’t drive it like it’s not! People drive off the road all the time. It’s also poorly maintained. Really this blog should suggest 4*4 only, and to be respectful to the the locals who have to drive that road daily- ( not using your 4*4 tears up the road quicker), and to stay on the road- it’s all private property. Don’t park and go for a walk. There are bear and mountain lions. Also with the closure right now people are parking on private property to walk down there. Humboldt county has plenty of beautiful river spots. Driving 10 miles down an awful dirt road to find one isn’t necessary. The local volunteer fire department recently suggested not traveling that road at all if you don’t have to, because of the condition. But honestly if you still insist that no one can tell you what to do and you have to go there then please don’t take your Honda or Prius, and drive slowly. Also, you still have directions posted in your comment section. They should really close this spot all together- it’s unsafe.