Trail Maps

Getting to the Arcata Community Forest

The Arcata Community Forest is located on the east side of the City of Arcata. It is accessible from Redwood Park located at the east ends of 11th and 14th Streets; on the southern side from Fickle Hill Road, which begins at the east end of 11th and 7th Streets at Bayside Road; and from the east end of California Street which connects with L.K. Wood Boulevard north of Cal Poly Humboldt. The Arcata Community Forest is closed sunset to sunrise. 

The Arcata Community Forest Trails Map (PDF) shows paved roads, dirt trails, and elevation gains. Camping is prohibited in all of Arcata’s parks and community forest lands. Dogs are allowed but must be kept on leash at all times. Equestrians, please inquire at Environmental Services for the best forest access locations. Please avoid using very wet trails.

The Arcata Ridge Trail (PDF) shows the completed project that provides recreational users with a 4.5 mile long regional trail that links the northern and southern portions of Arcata. The northern trail head of the Arcata Ridge Trail is located on West End Road, east of St. Louis Road and the freeway overpass. The Ridge Trail continues south past California Avenue, through the heart of the Community Forest, east of Cal Poly Humboldt and Redwood Park. The final stage of the Arcata Ridge Trail project is a crossing at Fickle Hill Road that links the existing Community Forest trails with the Sunny Brae Tract of the Community Forest to the south, shown in the Sunny Brae Forest Trails Map (PDF). Click here for a printable version of the Arcata Ridge Trail map, separated into three 8.5" x 11" segments. 

For more maps of Arcata, visit the Maps/GIS webpage.

South Fork Janes Creek Trail

Thanks to the generosity of the Samuels family, on July 11, 2014 the City of Arcata opened the South Fork Janes Creek Trail (PDF), a  2-mile loop trail. The multi-use trail overlaps a 3/4 mile section of the Arcata Ridge Trail. A 1/2 mile segment of the loop will be closed to horse use temporarily until the new tread compacts and becomes more resistant to damage. Recreational users can access the trail from the West End Rd. trail head, or from the Diamond Drive or California Avenue entrances to the Arcata Community Forest, or from Trail #5 and Trail #10 in the Forest's trail system. 85% of this new trail is located on a conservation easement donated to the City by the Samuels family on land adjacent to the northern Arcata Community Forest boundary.

Smart Phone Users/Mobile Devices

Download Arcata's free mobile maps from Avenza PDF Maps and track your location with a blue "You Are Here" dot. No need for cellular coverage to view these maps and there are no data roaming charges when traveling.

Brochures

The Arcata Community Forest is enjoyed by hikers, bikers and horse riders. The brochure, Hike-Horse-Bike: Share The Trail (PDF) provides tips on how to share the trails so that everyone has a pleasant experience. Dog owners enjoy sharing the Forest with their dogs. This brochure describes etiquette for dog owners and their dogs, Arcata City Trails and Dog Etiquette.

More information is available from the City of Arcata's Environmental Services Department.