Smith River ~ Scenic Recreation

This page is an off-shoot of > Largest Coast Redwoods

Copyright 2009 ~ Mario Vaden

The Smith River flows east from the Pacific Ocean, through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, and to the Smith River National Recreation Area. The journey along the Smith River begins a few miles from Crescent City by going east on Highway 199. I think that this river-sculpted canyon is comparable to Eagle Creek near the Columbia River Gorge for character. One of the cleanest rivers in the country.

If you are visiting the redwoods, the Smith River is worth the trip for at least 20 or 40 miles. One remarkable stretch begins at Patrick Creek Lodge, about 28 miles east of Crescent City. The forested slopes almost resemble a layered look of an Oriental garden, but without dwarfing.

The Patrick Creek Lodge should be easy to find online. They are open most of the year.

If you are coming from Portland, its likely you will be coming through this area, past Cave Junction.

For travelers from the south, unless you are destined for the long drive to Crater Lake or somewhere else, the trip to, or past, Cave Junction is not all that grand for many folks.

Warm dry summers leave a rather parched and scrubby pine area prior to Cave Junction, that reminds me of southern Idaho.

Along the Smith River, near mile marker 18, is a spot worth stopping at. Its a botanical wayside with Darlingtonia californica, or Cobra Lily. A Darlingtonia bog. With some Volmer's lily too. The spot is clearly marked with a sign along Highway 101. That would be about 10 miles east of Jedediah Smith redwoods campground and Hiouchi.

The color of the water stems from a mineral found in the local rock.