Mike Thompson Wildlife Area - South Spit Humboldt Bay

Located to the west of Loleta, Mike Thompson Wildlife Area – South Spit Humboldt Bay – also known as South Spit Beach – is a long beach with brown sand. This beach is a part of a state-protected wildlife area named Mike Thompson Wildlife Area. 

Mike Thompson Wildlife Area - South Spit Humboldt Bay does not have lifeguards, but it offers many amenities including picnic tables and restrooms. Dogs are allowed on leash from March 1^ST to September 15^th and off-leash for the rest of the year.

Mike Thompson Wildlife Area – South Spit Humboldt Bay offers many activities including wildlife viewing, horseback riding, fishing, hunting, beachcombing, and beach driving. Water activities like surfing and swimming are highly unsafe in the water here because the water near this beach has extremely dangerous currents. If you are planning to fish in the water near South Spit Humboldt Bay, please make sure to follow the local fishing regulations. You can also view many kinds of birds and animals in the area around the beach including waterfowl, ospreys, porcupines, ravens, foxes, shorebirds, and waders. If you are planning to drive on this beach, please make sure that you stay on the wave slope and limit your vehicle speed to 15 miles per hour. In addition, we also recommend driving on this beach during low tide and with a four-wheeler vehicle as driving here can be extremely difficult during high tide. In addition, a designated waterfowl hunting area is available for use in this part of the refuge during hunting season from October to January.

Getting to Mike Thompson Wildlife Area - South Spit Humboldt Bay is easy - take the Hookton Road exit from United States Highway 101 and follow Hookton Road towards the west. Hookton Road will merge into Table Bluff Road, which will eventually lead to South Jetty Road. The free parking lot is situated just near the point where South Jetty Road takes a slight right turn before continuing north along Humboldt Bay. From this parking lot, you can easily walk to the beach via a hiking trail. 

There are many attractions near Mike Thompson Wildlife Area - South Spit Humboldt Bay. Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a federally protected wildlife area that offers many activities including hiking, wildlife viewing, hunting, canoeing, and kayaking. Humboldt Botanical Garden has a wide and interesting variety of flowering plants including sunset gold, candy flower, pink crevice alumroot, rose glow, and Japanese barberry.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Mike Thompson Wildlife Area - South Spit Humboldt Bay. Angelina Woodfired Kitchen is a popular restaurant that has an outdoor dining area and offers amazing breakfast dishes and delicious American cuisine. Ivanhoe Hotel, Restaurant & Saloon is a popular restaurant that offers fresh local seafood including smoked salmon and clam chowder.

If you are looking for a hotel near Mike Thompson Wildlife Area - South Spit Humboldt Bay, there are many great nearby options. The 4-Star Gingerbread Mansion Inn offers fantastic Instagram-worthy views of the Eel River and also offers many amenities including a hot tub, a spa, a sauna, a garden with a sitting area, and complimentary breakfast & afternoon tea. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Hydrangea Inn which offers many amenities including a tennis court, a hot tub, a fitness center, an indoor pool, and a complimentary breakfast.