Just outside Ferndale, discover a pristine beach on the Pacific Ocean that stretches for 9 miles with dairy farms to the north and steep cliffs to the south. At Centerville County Park and Beach you can enjoy an exciting afternoon filled with hiking, picnicking, beachcombing and wildlife viewing. Sandpipers dance on the water's edge and cormorants, pelicans and gulls soar over the water in search of a meal. Between the middle of November and the beginning of March, Eel River Bottoms, visible from the beach, has one of the largest coastal congregations of tundra swans. You can spot harbor seals sunbathing on the breakers a short way from the shore. Gray whales can be seen from the beach, migrating south during the winter months and heading north from January through May. You may even see mother whales and their babies coming close to shore in April and May. One of the best lookouts is just south of the beach on Centerville Road. ATVs, 4-wheel drive vehicles and even horses are welcome to travel the sand. You can even acquire a special permit and go fishing for night smelt. There is no camping on the beach, but it can be enjoyed from 5am until midnight.
WHERE: 5 miles west of Ferndale on Centerville Road.
MORE INFO: Humboldt County Parks, 707-445-7651
