Explore the best rated trails in Eureka, CA, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Dennis Wendt Memorial Trail and Fortuna Riverwalk . With more than 6 trails covering 30 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
I attended Humboldt State University from 1974 to 1978. It was a joy to find this segment complete. We started in Arcata and cycled to the Eureka Waterfront . The trail is paved, flat, and runs alongside Humboldt Bay. Some of the trail runs close alongside HWY 101 but much of the trail has a healthy distance. We went on a sunny day with beautiful views of the bay.
As of 7/9/25, the Humboldt bay trail has been extended to connect to the Eureka waterfront trail. We started at the Larson Park parking lot and headed south. It took about 10 minutes to get through the city part of Arcata with many street crossings. After that, it was clear sailing all the way to Eureka. We turned back at 10 miles but I believe the trail connects to the waterfront trail. Great ride.
The City of Eureka has a gem in this trail. I rode the entire route both directions with my family May 29th 2025. We parked at the Park & Ride on the south end off Highway 101. It is a beautiful waterfront route that has been absolutely taken over and ruined along most of its length by addicts and vagrants doing drugs, urinating, defecating, living and littering in plain sight along the trail. The worst part was in town, but even the more rural section south of town was like a sporadic tent city of trash and homeless camping in the vegetation. The parks are filthy and overtaken by people you would not want your wife and children even seeing (because of what they are doing) let along playing near. The criminal vagrancy is at tragic proportions. Where are the police, the social services? It's scary like a zombie film with these poor people wandering aimlessly yelling and gesturing at nothing. My wife and children were riding with me and just when I thought it might start to get better, so just hang in there, we would see something shocking around the next bend in the trail. Why the residents of Eureka are not impeaching the entire city and police leadership for allowing this travesty of humanity to unfold is beyond me. I would stay away from this trail. It was a terrible experience that I naively had the best of intentions about when we started. How wrong I was.
Great trail surface. Beautiful views of Humboldt Bay. Stop by the 707 bar for an Eel River Amber¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿
The trail is well maintained. The Eel River is lovely with trees, greenery, and flowers lining the bank. On the other side are several industrial businesses. It is nice to have open spaces to stretch the legs.
This trail runs along the Eureka waterfront. Not a particularly picturesque place. The path itself was good. Took us through interesting lumber industry activities. Quite a few homeless on and near the path.
Surprising peaceful for being off a main road . Beautiful views !
We parked at the North Clam Beach parking lot. Best section of route is along the beach access road. Once we bicycled onto path surface then trip went downhill. First was a fire on the dunes started by a homeless person, then several homeless people on route sleeping in bushes. Rogers Market on the trail had questionable folks who were very inquisitive about our bicycles. Then the Mad River Bridge while beautiful was covered with graffiti from end to end. Trail ends just as you exit bridge. Never got a really warm, relaxing vibe on this route, and we don’t need to ride this trail again.
Great for dog walks and bike rides . I heard there is river access but I haven’t done too much exploring yet .
Beautiful walk from Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center to Freshwater Slough and back. About 3 miles round trip. Fun bridges. Old train trestle. Great signage of natural and cultural history. Vista/picnic bump outs with landscape art including metalworks benches and castes of Wiyot stools like the ones in the Humboldt State University Native Forum breezeway.
This trail is heavily used, mainly in sections by walkers but lesser so by through bicyclists and runners. hard to maintain an average speed due to street crossings and foot traffic, but hard to beat the ocean views toward the northern end of the trail and the pastoral feel toward the southern terminus!
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