Humboldt Bay Trail

Overview

The Humboldt Bay Trail is a network of paved, multi-use paths connecting the communities around Humboldt Bay and providing excellent opportunities for recreation and active transportation. Trail segments are separated from roadways and designed for people to walk, run, bike, and roll. The City of Eureka provides nearly seven miles of trail along its Eureka Waterfront Trail which extends from Myrtletown to Elk River. The City of Arcata provides four miles of trail along the northern portion of the Eureka-Arcata corridor, through the Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary, and through the city to Larson Park at Foster Avenue. The County of Humboldt’s project to connect the existing trails in Eureka and Arcata with a 4.3-mile trail segment along the Eureka-Arcata corridor was completed in 2025. 

Humboldt Bay Trail Overview Map

HBT_overview_06242025_page-0001

In addition to serving the region’s transportation needs and enhancing coastal access, the Humboldt Bay Trail provides a critical link in the regional Great Redwood Trail and the state-wide California Coastal Trail. The Humboldt Bay Area Bike Map is an excellent on-line mapping resource for identifying existing segments of the Humboldt Bay Trail and other regional bike facilities and trails. Popular access points include:

Arcata

  • Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary (South G Street)
  • Foster Avenue near the intersection with Sunset Avenue

Eureka

  • Tooby Road parking area
  • Elk River Park & Ride (west end of Herrick Avenue)
  • Hilfiker Lane parking area
  • Truesdale Street parking area
  • Del Norte Street parking area
  • Eureka Boardwalk at the Foot of C Street
  • Halvorsen Park under the Samoa Bridge
  • Target Store near the Eureka Slough Bridge
  • Tydd Street in Myrtletown

Completing the Eureka-to-Arcata Connection

The four-mile segment connecting Arcata and Eureka was constructed from 2023 through 2025. The majority of the trail is situated along the Humboldt Bay shoreline between the railroad and Highway 101, while a one-mile portion is located on top of the Brainard levee. The construction contractor was McCullough Construction with construction management services provided by Ghirardelli Associates and engineering support provided by GHD, Inc. and Morrison Structures.  Funding for construction was provided by the California Transportation Commission (Active Transportation Program), State Coastal Conservancy, and Caltrans District 1.

Project elements included:

  • Three new bridges
  • Major rehabilitation of the 750-foot-long Eureka Slough Bridge
  • Removal of a section of mature Eucalyptus trees
  • Maintenance and repair to a one-mile-long segment of shoreline vulnerable to erosion
  • Raising the railroad embankment 1-2 feet in an area vulnerable to flooding hazards and sea level rise
  • Signs and amenities (two map kiosks, three interpretive signs, two automatic trail counters, 10 wayfinding signs, four benches)
The Humboldt Bay Trail Logo, a heron by the bay

Extending the Humboldt Bay Trail from Eureka to College of the Redwoods

Overview

in February 2026, a planning study was completed for extending the Humboldt Bay Trail from Eureka to College of the Redwoods along the railroad corridor.  The segment between Eureka and College of the Redwoods has been identified as the next regional priority for enhancing active transportation and recreation opportunities along the coast, especially for the communities of Humboldt Hill, King Salmon, and Fields Landing.

The planning study provides background information, describes existing conditions, summarizes feedback from community engagement, analyzes the opportunities and constraints for the proposed trail extension, present preliminary (30%) engineering plans, and identifies next steps.  

Funding for the planning study was provided by Caltrans (Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program) and the Humboldt County Association of Governments.

Planning Study Report

Attachment 1 (Preliminary Flood Hazards, Sea Level Rise and Tsunami Vulnerability Assessment)

Attachment 2 (Natural Resource Reconnaissance Assessment)

Attachment 3 (Community Engagement Materials)

Attachment 4 (30% Design Plans)

Proposed Trail Extension

An aerial map with a circled area indicating the location of a new section of the Humboldt Bay Trail
  1. 1 An aerial photo of the King Salmon area
  2. 2 A photo of a portion of the Humboldt Bay Trail area near King Salmon
  3. 3 A photo of a portion of the Humboldt Bay Trail area near King Salmon
  4. 4 An aerial photo of the King Salmon area with an arrow indicating the location of the new trail
  5. 5 An aerial photo of the King Salmon area with an arrow indicating the location of the new trail
  6. 6 An aerial photo of the King Salmon area with an arrow indicating the location of the new trail

Getting Involved

Stay Informed

Receive updates on regional trail progress by subscribing to the Humboldt Trails Council e-newsletter.

Volunteer

The Volunteer Trail Stewards program of the Humboldt Trails Council coordinates volunteers to provide support to public agencies and land trusts with building and maintaining trails.

Donate

The Humboldt Bay Trail Fund was established at the Humboldt Area Foundation to provide a mechanism for private donors to assist in the continued development of the Humboldt Bay Trail by focusing on the critical need for trail maintenance funds. Allocations from the fund are made by the Humboldt Bay Trail Fund Committee. Donations can be made through the Humboldt Area Foundation donation page.

Videos

Project Documents for the Eureka-to-Arcata Connection ("Humboldt Bay Trail South")

Technical Memorandum on Tidal Channel Relocation (March 2, 2021)

Project Description Report (Sept. 9, 2020)

Geotechnical Report (Crawford & Associates, June 2019)

Tree Risk Assessment - Report (Dryad, Oct. 8, 2018)

Tree Risk Assessment - Attachments (Dryad, Oct. 8, 2018)

Tree Risk Assessment - Scope of Work (Dryad, Aug. 24, 2018)

CEQA Notice of Determination (July 31, 2018)

Humboldt County Resolution 18-79 (July 31, 2018)

Comment Evaluation Memo (July 16, 2018)

NEPA Determination Form (July 13, 2018)

(June 2018)

Historical Resource Evaluation Report (April 2018)

Visual Resource Impact Assessment (March 2018)

Biological Assessment (February 2018)

Public Meeting Presentation (February 2018)

CEQA Notice of Intent (February 2018)

CEQA environmental document – Initial Study and Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration (February 2018)

CEQA environmental document – Initial Study and Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration [TEXT ONLY] (February 2018)

Historical Resources / Cultural Resources CEQA Memo (January 2018)

Humboldt Bay Trail South Initial Site Assessment (November 2017)

Basis of Design Report for Trail Width – Humboldt Bay Trail: Eureka-to-Arcata Segment (March 2016)

Humboldt Bay Trail South  (August 2014)  

Humboldt Bay Trail Network Project Update Brochure  (June 2014)

Humboldt Bay Trail South  (March 2014)

Highway 101 Corridor Improvement Project – Historic Resources Evaluation Report  (July 2004)

Humboldt Bay Trail Fund Founding Donors

Image Thank You 2017 Humboldt Bay Trail Supporters