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Crescent City and Del Norte County, California, are a haven for birders. Del Norte County is home to California's most northwestern redwood forest as well as Tolowa Dunes and Lake Earl, all havens for birders. In addition, the area is home to the California Redwood Birding Trail and the International Migratory Bird Day, which celebrates birds throughout the Americans.
Del Norte County is unique in that approximately 80% of the land is protected and undeveloped and it is home to Smith River, which is the nation's longest Wild and Scenic River. It is also home to Lake Earl which is the largest coastal lagoon outside of Alaska.
Birding on the Oregon - California Coast -
Crescent City - Del Norte Area
Where to go Birdwatching
Castle Rock Wildlife Refuge
Castle Rock Wildlife Refuge is a must see for birders. It is the second largest seabird colony in California and the third largest in the lower 48 states.
May through July is the best time to view breeding of the sea birds. There are spectacular fly-offs at dawn. There are more than 80,000 seabirds nesting and breeding on the island of at least eleven species.
To reach the refuge, follow signs to the airport from route 101 near Crescent City. Turn left on Pebble Beach Drive. Parking and interpretive signs are almost immediately on your right.
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Crescent City Visitors Center
Travel information is available at the Visitor Center. It is located a short distance west of Highway 101.
Phone: 707-464-3174, 800-343-8300.
The Crescent City Visitors Center specializes in information about the nearby California Redwoods, the state, county, US National Parks as well as RV, camping, hiking, sightseeing and fishing information.
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Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park
Jedediah Smith State Park is stocked with towering old growth redwoods. These redwood groves are the most scenic in existence. The oldest are 2,000 years old and show no signs of dying out. Heights can reach 350 feet with base diameters of 20 feet or more. Howland Hill Road passed through the center of the park giving casual visitors easy access ... more
Tolowa Dunes State Park
The 5,000 acre Tolowa Dunes State Park and the 6,134 acre Lake Earl Wildlife Area are some of the finest wetlands habitats in the state. The park and wildlife area include wood ridges, wetlands, ancient sand dunes, and ocean beaches. The park serves as an important stopover for the Pacific flyway, the west coast bird migrations route, and features a diverse bird population. Lake Earl is mostly freshwater while Lake Tolowa has a higher salt content. Surrounding the lakes are saltwater marshland, freshwater wetlands, and sand dunes. Hundreds of species of birds can be photographed, including ... more
