Little River State Beach

Located near the city of Trinidad, Little River State Beach is a long and wide state-protected beach with light brown sand and sparse vegetation. Sand dunes are also present near this beach. The Little River flows into the Pacific Ocean near the northern end of this beach. 

Little River State Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities, so plan your trip accordingly. Dogs are not allowed on the beach. 

Little River State Beach offers many fun activities including beachcombing, sunbathing, wildlife watching, hiking, clam digging, fishing, picnicking, horse-riding, swimming, surfing, kayaking, canoeing, beach, kitesurfing, windsurfing, jet-skiing, surf-skiing, and boating. If you plan to engage in aquatic recreational activities in the water near Little River State Beach, we recommend doing so during summers as the water here is extremely cold during the rest of the year. In addition, we also recommend being careful as the water here has dangerous rip currents. Depending on the time of the year, you can see many kinds of animals in the water near this beach including seals and migrating whales. If you are planning to fish or dig for clams in Little River State Beach, please make sure that you follow the local fishing and clam-digging regulations. Little River State Beach is ideal for those looking for a quieter beach experience as this beach sees fewer visitors than other Humboldt County beaches. You can also hike around the vibrant Northern California coastal landscape present around Little River State Beach.  

Getting to Little River State Beach is easy - in order to access Little River State Beach, you need to divert from Redwood Highway (which is a part of United States Highway 101) towards Clam Beach Drive via the Crannell Road Exit. Once you exit Redwood Highway, you’ll come across signs around Clam Beach Drive which will lead you to the access trail for Little River State Beach. There is a free parking lot for Little River State Beach along Clam Beach Drive. Once you park in this parking lot, you can walk along an access trail which passes along sand dunes and leads to Little River State Beach.

There are many attractions near Little River State Beach. The McKinleyville Totem Pole is around 160 feet tall and is reputedly one of the largest totem poles in the world to be carved from a single tree. Hiller Park is a 36-acre recreational park which has children’s playgrounds, hiking and biking trails, an off-leash dog area, and a botanical garden. In addition, the park also has picnic areas, barbecue spots, and restrooms. Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse was built in the late 1940s and is a replica of another nearby lighthouse named Trinidad Head Lighthouse, which was constructed in 1871. The Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse also has an original Fresnel lens dating back to the 19th century, which was previously installed in the Trinidad Head Lighthouse. The Trinidad Civic Club organizes an annual ceremony on the lighthouse premises on Memorial Day to commemorate the lives of people who have died or have been buried at sea. If you are looking for another attraction near Little River State Beach, Humboldt State University’s Telonicher Marine Lab is open to the public for tours throughout the week. Visitors can explore many interesting exhibits in the lab along with a unique touch tank. You can visit Telonicher Marine Lab’s webpage at Humboldt State University’s website for more information regarding the visiting hours.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Little River State Beach. Moonstone Grill is an upscale restaurant which offers a pleasant oceanfront dining experience and serves excellent gourmet dishes. Trinidad Bay Eatery and Gallery offers amazing breakfast dishes, seafood, salad, burgers, sandwiches, and steaks. Sunset Restaurant serves amazing steaks, salads, seafood, pastas, and soups. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Little River State Beach, The Lighthouse Grill offers delicious burgers, sandwiches, fries, and seafood. In addition, the restaurant is also famous for serving amazing mash-potato cones.

If you are looking for a hotel near Little River State Beach, there are many great nearby options. Trinidad Bay Bed & Breakfast Hotel offers a homely ambiance. In addition, the hotel offers many amenities including complimentary breakfast and shuttle facility from a nearby airport. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star View Crest Lodge which offers complimentary breakfast and is located conveniently close to some of the major landmarks in Humboldt County. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Little River State Beach, the 2-Star Trinidad Inn which offers many amenities including horseshoe pits, half-basketball courts, fire pits, barbecue grills, and seasonal complimentary continental breakfast.