Eel River Wildlife Area/Ocean Ranch Unit
About
Eel River Wildlife Area/Ocean Ranch Unit is a public ocean beach in California, part of the Humboldt-Del Norte Unit and about 4 miles from the town of Fields Landing. There is no fee to visit, and dogs are allowed. Summer is the most comfortable time to come. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July and August highs around 63 to 64°F with only about three wet days a month, while winter months bring highs in the mid-50s and rain on roughly 15 to 17 days. Several trails lie within a short drive. Hookton Slough Trail is about 3 miles away, Shorebird Loop Trail about 4 miles, and Great Redwood Trail about 4 miles. Paddlers can head to Elk River, roughly 6 miles off.
Beach Details
Lifeguards
None
Dogs
Allowed
Parking
Available
Fee
Free
Restrooms
None
As published by the managing agency. Lifeguards, fees and dog rules are often seasonal, so check posted signs before you swim.
Location
Eel River Wildlife Area/Ocean Ranch Unit
California
Data: California Coastal Commission, YourCoast public access data. Source metadata
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: May–Oct. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 60–64°F and lows of 47–53°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Eureka Wfo Woodley Island, CA weather station, 10 mi away. High / low in °F, and days with snow.
- Jan55° high41° low
- Feb55° high41° low
- Mar56° high42° low
- Apr57° high44° low
- May60° high48° low
- Jun62° high50° low
- Jul63° high52° low
- Aug64° high53° low
- Sep64° high50° low
- Oct62° high47° low
- Nov58° high43° low
- Dec55° high40° low
Where it is
- Humboldt-Del Norte Unit · Public land
- Nearest town
- Fields Landing, California · 4 mi
Source: NIFC Jurisdictional Units; USGS GNIS populated places
Nearby
Hookton Slough TrailHikingPhoto: sagesolar, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)3.1 mi- Shorebird Loop TrailHikingPhoto: sagesolar, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)3.7 mi
Great Redwood TrailHikingPhoto: sarahstierch, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)4.3 mi- Elk RiverCanoeing5.9 mi
- Hikshari' TrailHiking7 mi
South Side TrailHikingPhoto: Dana L. Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)7.2 mi- Elk River TrailHikingPhoto: Dana L. Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)8 mi
Ferndale View TrailHikingPhoto: MARELBU, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Best time to visit Eel River Wildlife Area/Ocean Ranch Unit
Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
55° / 41°
16 wet
Feb
55° / 41°
15 wet
Mar
56° / 42°
16 wet
Apr
57° / 44°
13 wet
May
60° / 48°
10 wet
Jun
62° / 50°
6 wet
Jul
63° / 52°
3 wet
Aug
64° / 53°
3 wet
Sep
64° / 50°
5 wet
Oct
62° / 47°
9 wet
Nov
58° / 43°
14 wet
Dec
55° / 40°
17 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Eureka Wfo Woodley Island, CA, 10.4 mi away at 20 ft. We don't have this place's elevation, so higher spots nearby can run cooler. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
