There are 10 dog friendly off-leash beaches along the 100 mile Redwood Coast in Humboldt County. Three beaches with Pacific Ocean access near Fortuna and Eureka are Centerville Beach, South Split, and Samoa Dunes Recreation Area.
Letting your “four-legged friend … romp free within the wave slope” on some of them should be on every DogTrekker’s bucket list.
These beaches are less than 30 miles from The Redwood Riverwalk Hotel in Fortuna, where we invite you and your canine family member to stay in one of our pet friendly rooms. You’ll find dog friendly hiking trails, walking paths, and dog parks in Fortuna and the surrounding area as well.
Centerville Beach County Park
This secluded beach near the Victorian Village of Ferndale stretches along the coast to the mouth of the Eel River. The nine miles long sandy beach has been named as one of the 15 Gorgeous Beaches in Northern California You Must See. Its windswept sand dunes provide views of impressive sandstone cliffs, wetlands, and dairy farms, as well as a great location for beachcombing, bird watching, and bonfires. Centerville Beach is just 20 minutes from The Redwood in Fortuna. Dogs under complete voice control are allowed off leash on entire beach October through-February. Dogs must stay on the wave slope from March to September. Access: Day-use only, no fees.
Crab County Park
Crab County Park, with beach access at the mouth of the Eel River, is just 20 minutes from The Redwood as well. This park offers a sandy beach on the tidal flats of the Eel River estuary. Sand dunes protect it from the Pacific Ocean’s waves. Since it lacks ocean beach access, this beach is less frequented than Centerville Beach or South Spit. Part of the Eel River Wildlife Area, the park is another popular choice for bird watching, kayaking and canoeing. Dogs must be on a leash from March through August 15 throughout the Eel River Wildlife Area; from August 16 through February, they may be off-leash if under voice control. Access: Day-use only, no fees, limited parking.
South Spit: South Humboldt Bay and Ocean Beach Access
South Spit, a narrow 4.5 mile strip of sand dunes and marshes, separates Humboldt Bay from the Pacific Ocean. Exploring this expanse of wave-sculpted beaches, windswept dunes and marshy bayshore will seem far away from nearby Eureka and Fortuna. Table Bluff Park, at the south end of the Spit, is another great destination for beachcombing, plus possibly seeing hang gliders over Table Bluff and surfers offshore. The proximity of habitats for different kinds of birds in the bay, along the jetty, and on the dunes makes it a perfect choice for bird watching as well. The day-use, no fees park with beach access is just 16 miles from Fortuna, and offers parking, picnicking, grills, and restrooms. The South Jetty Picnic Area is located to the north along South Jetty Road. Dogs must stay on-leash on the ocean side of South Jetty Road from March through September 15 (snowy plover nesting season). They may be off-leash if under voice control during other seasons.
Samoa Dunes Recreation Area
Samoa Dunes is a multi-recreational park between Humboldt Bay and the Pacific Ocean, west of Eureka. This dog-friendly beach offers 300 acres of shifting dunes with spectacular ocean views. The park’s Pacific shoreline and freshwater wetlands attract a wide variety of birds from brown pelicans to great blue herons. In addition to birdwatchers, the park is popular with OHV users, hikers, surfers, beachcombers and fishing enthusiasts. The beach is dog friendly – dogs may be off-leash if they are under voice control. Samoa Dunes Recreation Area is 27 miles from The Redwood in Fortuna. Access: Day-use, no fee.
Other Dog Friendly Humboldt County Beaches
These four dog friendly beaches near Fortuna and Eureka are just some of the many you and your canine companion can explore along the Redwood Coast. A map on our website describes the many wild places you can enjoy with your dog in Humboldt County, including information about dog regulations at different parks and beaches. Farther north from Fortuna, dogs are allowed off-leash at Manila Dunes Recreation Area, Ma-le’l Dunes South, Mad River County Park, Moonstone Beach, Luffenholtz Beach County Park, and Big Lagoon County Park. Dogs must be on-leash at seven other beaches from Hammond Trail at McKinleyville to those at Redwood National and State Parks.
Dog Friendly Fortuna
The Humboldt County beaches are great places to explore, but be sure to enjoy the pet-friendly activities in Fortuna during your stay at our independent hotel as well. The Eel River Overlook and Riverwalk, a two mile walking path along the river, is just a block from The Redwood. For off-leash fun and games, Fortuna’s Dog Park is located less than a mile from The Redwood. If you prefer a quiet hike in the redwoods, you’ll find Rohner Park Trails just two miles from the hotel. This two mile trail leads through one of the best preserved and easily accessible second growth redwood forests in Northern California.
At The Redwood, canine family members receive the same exceptional service as all our other guests. Stella, our resident Chihuahua innkeeper, has a pet-degree in canine hospitality, and likes to welcome our four-footed guests with a special gift. Please call us directly at The Redwood to book a pet-friendly hotel room, so that we can review our dog friendly, always pet policy with you, and we can tell Stella about your reservation. She wants to remind you that the Redwood Coast’s “magnificent beaches” should be on every dog trekker’s bucket list!
Humboldt County beach images courtesy of Humboldt Lodging Alliance
