Sweet Spots

Projects Planned to Make Smith River
NRA Easier to Access

by Haven Livingston
Special to The Daily Triplicate — November 10, 2011

Like the dynamic nature of a river bed, the Smith River National Recreation Area is constantly undergoing changes.

The NRA supports activities ranging from hiking, biking and boating to fishing, bird watching and 4-wheel-drive vehicle travel. With a growing base of recreational users participating in a variety of activities, improvements and upgrades are constantly needed.

The US Forest Service has plans for more improvements to the Smith River NRA that will benefit both the visitors and the landscape. As in the case with restoring the Old Kelsey Trail, which received funding from the California River Parkway Grant Program, sometimes funding and labor for improvements come from partnering with other organizations.

Easier access to Sand Camp

One of the changes to look forward to is a facelift for Sand Camp, a day-use area on the South Fork of the Smith River. This area has been loved for decades by locals and visitors alike. This sun-swept spot seven miles up South Fork Road is a picnicking paradise, with swimming and wading in the river and a great sandy beach on which to lounge.

Currently, only those who are intrepid about driving their cars over rough, potholed roads have driven down to Sand Camp. A great improvement that will serve this area is a new parking lot which has already been cleared just downstream of the current access and is ready for workers to pave the way.

This new lot will allow easier access to Sand Camp and allow people traveling in any kind of car to stop. Its new location is also designed to provide parking for the Paradise Trail, a popular destination for hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians.

The Paradise trailhead is across the street slightly to the north. The trail climbs steep switchbacks past standing dead tree trunks where pileated woodpeckers are often seen, or more likely heard, hammering away at the wood. It continues up the ridge, giving hikers great views of the South Fork basin. The Paradise Trail dead-ends into Little Bald Hills Trail, one of the region’s premier mountain bike trails. This trail leads travelers along the ridge to a high point and the open forest community known as Jeffrey Pine woodland where one can see into Crescent City on a clear day and listen to the fog horn on a cloudy day.

The trail passes the Little Bald Hills horse/backpack back country camp and descends into Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, where it ends at Howland Hill Road.

Vehicles towing horse trailers or those who drive to the trailhead with their bikes will now have space to park and turn around for easy access to the trail on the opposite side of the road. On the river side of the new Sand Camp parking area will be a pedestrian access to the beach and a permanent vault toilet. Pack your trash signs will remind visitors to take all their waste with them to help keep Sand Camp clean and beautiful. These new facilities are funded by the Resource Advisory Council.

Also in the works for the Smith River NRA is a plan to create group camp sites at the old guard station at Big Flat Campground. The Forest Service has had inquiries in the past from groups looking for a place to hold events such as weddings and family reunions. This would be an excellent venue with the extra space, distance from the rest of the campground and the beautiful location.

Steven Bridge replacement

Another project that will greatly improve access to the Smith River is the slated replacement for single-lane Steven Bridge with a two-lane bridge in 2012-2013.

Along with the bridge, the river access will improve dramatically with reconstruction of trails to the river and a vault toilet in the parking area, funded by Federal Highway Administration and in coordination with the Forest Service.

The bridge spans the South Fork Smith River with commanding views upstream toward the confluence with Goose Creek. The trail leading from the south end of the bridge will create a gateway to a fabulous stretch of the South Fork Smith.

Steven Bridge is well known as a spot to “put in” for one of the best Class III whitewater runs on the Smith River. Kayakers and rafters use this access point regularly and will greatly appreciate a trail that they can safely navigate while carrying kayaks and rafts to the river. These facilities, including the vault toilet and trail, will create a more welcoming and accessible river access for fishermen, swimmers, river floaters and sightseers.

This land is our land

The Smith River NRA is a back yard to everyone in Del Norte County and a vacation destination for many. Hiking trails, back country roads, botanical uniqueness, whitewater action and abundant fish and wildlife are some of the highlights that attract a diverse group of people to this magical watershed.

Exploring the back country on one of the many roads can be an adventure in itself and a way to access infrequently visited parts of the Smith River NRA.

There are great sights to see from the road, but the Smith River NRA also offers abundant opportunities to get to know it on a more personal level. The trails and river are there to explore, whether by foot, bicycle, horse or boat.

The Forest Service offers opportunities to volunteer in the NRA with a variety of projects and Smith River Alliance hosts hikes and outings into the NRA to explore special features of the watershed. This land is our land — so let’s celebrate it and pack-out all our trash and other trash as well. As Chief Seattle said, “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”

Contact Curtis Neppl for volunteer opportunities with the Forest Service: 707-457-3872

Contact the Smith River Alliance for volunteer opportunities and outings: www.smithriveralliance.org or 707-458-3586.

Contact Jim Pofahl for more information about backcountry road trips and getting in touch with local 4x4 clubs at 707-464-3961.