Coast Ranges – North

The coast ranges north of the Bay Area are much like their counterparts to the south. The main difference is that the mountains here grow taller and their slopes grow wetter as one moves north. The coastal population of this region is also much smaller and more spread out. Besides Eureka, there are no medium to large cities on the California coast north of San Francisco.

At one time a nearly unbroken redwood forest stretched from the Golden Gate north into Oregon. While many of the redwood groves have fallen to the axe, the legacy of the Redwood Empire lives on. The north coast has seen its share of booms and busts. As such, the region is characterized by a fierce individualism that straddles both sides of the political spectrum. But like many of the other more rural and remote sections of the state, the economy is often dependant on forces beyond local control.

Ferndale

The town of Ferndale sports stately Victorian architecture along its vibrant main street. Tourism plays a vital role in this small community near the mouth of the Eel River. Its colorful town has been the backdrop for many Hollywood movies.

Fort Ross

Fort Ross on the Sonoma Coast marks the southernmost Russian colonial outpost in North America. Despite being on lands claimed by Spain, and later Mexico, neither of those governments paid the small outpost much mind. The settlement was far from the colonial capital of Alta California and even farther from the seat power in Mexico proper. It existed peacefully with its neighbors, trading furs with the missions to the south for agricultural products.

Humbodlt Redwoods State Park

The towering sentinels that line the road in Humboldt Redwoods State Park are still here, in part, due to conservation efforts that stretch back to the 1920s. Back then the redwoods were being felled and milled for such seemingly frivolous uses as making grape stakes, roof shingles and picnic tables. Today Humboldt Redwoods State Park protects 53,000 acres of forest including the largest single stand of old-growth redwood forest on Earth.

Inland Valleys

Like much of the rest of the state, the North Coast's inland valleys experience a pronounced summer drought that blanches the hills in golden hues. This field in Humboldt County is perhaps a dozen lateral miles from the coast. But this scene is reminiscent of many other such inland valleys farther south. The main difference is that here in the north country, the types and density of vegetation that can grow on the slopes are more varied and abundant.

Lost Coast

Rugged and forested mountains along with a treacherous coastline have allowed The Lost Coast to remain remote and isolated into the 21st Century. This approximately 60 mile stretch of coastline is among the least developed in the contiguous United States.

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