After winding over rolling hills and through the Anderson Valley, motorists traveling along Highway 128 suddenly enter an eleven-mile-long redwood tunnel to the sea. The redwood forest along the Navarro River is a magnificent sight.
Visitors to the Navarro River Redwoods State Park can enjoy picnicking, swimming, and camping at the Paul M. Demmick campground. The park is popular with anglers, canoeists, and kayakers in the late winter and spring.
Second growth redwood groves stretch the length of the park. They are home for raccoons, black-tail deer, and river-oriented birds such as the belted kingfisher.
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
The park is far enough inland to have warm summers and cool, wet winters. Occasionally the river overflows in winter, inundating the beach and campgrounds.
Water Activities — Swimming and wading are popular in summer. In winter and spring, kayakers and canoeists enjoy the peace and quiet of the river and ocean.
Camping — At Paul M. Dimmick Campground, 26 sites sit in a redwood grove near the river. Ten primitive sites at Navarro Beach Campground have chemical toilets with no running water. Camping is first-come, firstserved, with no reservations.
Fishing — Steelhead fishing along the Navarro River is excellent during the months when fishing is allowed. Barbless hooks must be used; catch-and-release rules apply much of the year. A valid California fishing license with a steelhead card is required for anglers 16 and over