Highway access → arrival
Arrival: River Trail marked entrance opposite Little Bald Hills access road.
Approach: From US-101 one mile south of Crescent City take Elk Valley Road east about one mile, then turn right onto Howland Hill Road. Use the marked River Trail access at the eastern end of Howland Hill Road; park only in designated spaces.
Howland Hill is narrow/unpaved: motorhomes, RVs and trailers do not fit. Follow current trail notices; seasonal river bridges are not a driving approach.
Official directions & access ↗A one-mile Howland Hill Road trail through old-growth forest beside the Smith River. It is a riverside walking route, not a published swimming or launch entrance.
Access details
- Parking
- Use the marked trailhead off Howland Hill Road opposite the Little Bald Hills access road; parking is limited.
- Viewpoint
- The route provides Smith River and old-growth forest views.
- Trail
- NPS lists a one-mile moderate trail with some non-level grades.
- Public water access
- No public swimming or boat-launch entrance is represented from this trail.
- Water conditions
- River views and fish habitat do not establish safe water contact.
Plan from the official source
Redwood National and State Parks is the manager or primary source for this entry. Check its current page for changing hours, fees, reservations, road restrictions, and closures.
Open NPS trails north of the Klamath River ↗