Mad River Beach(Mad River Beach County Park)

Located in the city of Arcata, Mad River Beach is a very long and wide beach and is a part of the Mad River Beach County Park. Mad River Beach is situated 14-miles south of the point where Mad River meets the North Pacific Ocean and is a well-known canoeing and boating spot. 

Mad River Beach is a dog-friendly beach and offers many amenities including restrooms, barbecues, boat ramps, dunes, and fire pits.

There are many fun activities here including swimming, surfing, horseback riding, beachcombing, canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddle-boarding, biking, boating, hiking, fishing, birdwatching, and beach walking. If you like bicycling and running, Hammond Coastal Trail is a five-mile-long trail situated three minutes southeast of Mad River Beach on a bridge over the Mad River.

To access Mad River Beach – after you get off of Highway 101, turn right on Heindon Road, then left on Miller Lane, and then right again on Mad River Road to reach two free parking lots at the end of the road. You can walk a few minutes from here to the beach.

If you are looking for attractions near Mad River Beach, you can drive 25-minutes to Old Town Eureka, a historical district spread across 350-acres which contains 154 buildings from the Victorian era. Old Town Eureka hosts many monthly and annual events including Blues By the Bay, a street fair on the Fourth of July, and First Saturday Arts Alive! – an art event that features more than 80 local galleries, wines, non-alcoholic drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and performances by musicians, jugglers, poets, and fire dancers. The Clarke Historical Museum is located in Old Town Eureka and has an entire Native American wing with cultural and creative collections from the Wiyot, Yurok, Karuk, and Hupa tribes. Sequoia Park Zoo is home to many incredible animal species including brown-headed spider monkeys, white-handed gibbons, red junglefowl, red pandas, Orinoco geese, flamingos, and black bears. Another great attraction near Mad River Beach is Arcata Ball Park, a baseball venue where you can see the local collegiate team Humboldt Crabs play.

If you get hungry, there are many restaurants within a 15-minute drive of Mad River Beach. LoCo Fish Co. McKinleyville serves seafood items including oysters, shrimps, groupers, and fish tacos. The local eatery Taqueria La Barca features Mexican dishes with margheritas, tequila beer, and coconut ice cream at a very reasonable price. Another great restaurant near Mad River Beach is Oriental Buffet, the largest restaurant in Humboldt County with seven food bars offering Chinese, Japanese, Mongolian, Asian, and American dishes.

If you are looking for a hotel near Mad River Beach, you can drive 14-minutes to the upscale hotel Hampton Inn & Suites Arcata, CA that was awarded the Travellers’ Choice Award by Tripadvisor. The 3-Star Blue Lake Casino & Hotel has many amenities including a pool, lounge, casino, nightclub, and restaurant. If you are looking for an affordable hotel near Mad River Beach, the pet-friendly 2-Star Ramada by Wyndham Arcata has a pool and spa.