Middle Fork & South Fork Eel River

About Middle Fork & South Fork Eel River

Mendocino County. The Red Mountain unit is 75 miles south of Eureka, California and three miles northeast of Leggett, California. The Cahto Peak unit is 100 miles south of Eureka, California and 10 miles west of Laytonville, California. These two areas are bisected by U.S. Highway 101 and private lands.

How to Get There

The Red Mountain unit is accessed by traveling U.S. Highway 101 to Piercy and then the frontage road to Red Mountain Access Road. Travel to the end of Red Mountain Access Road. The wilderness area is upslope several hundred meters; however, there is no developed trail but pink flagging marks access along the permanent exclusive easement that passes through private property. Access to the Cahto Peak unit is from U.S. Highway 101 at Laytonville, west on Branscomb Road, then right on Cahto Peak Road to its end.

Plan Your Visit to Middle Fork & South Fork Eel River

Heading to Middle Fork & South Fork Eel River? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)