| Humboldt Lagoons State Park | |
|---|---|
 Stone Lagoon and coastal bar viewed from Highway 101 | |
   | |
| Location | Humboldt County, California, United States |
| Nearest city | Trinidad, California |
| Coordinates | 41°13′50″N124°6′10″W / 41.23056°N 124.10278°W /41.23056; -124.10278 |
| Area | 2,256 acres (9.13 km2) |
| Established | 1931 |
| Governing body | California Department of Parks and Recreation |
Humboldt Lagoons State Park is aCalifornia State Park on theRedwood Coast, inHumboldt County,California. It is located alongU.S. Route 101 betweenTrinidad andOrick. The park protects threelagoons withestuaries andwetlands.
Big Lagoon is the largest and southernmost lagoon.Stone Lagoon is in the middle, andFreshwater Lagoon is the northernmost and smallest.
The lagoons are shallowbays between rocky headlands where coastal wave action has formed a sandybar separating each lagoon from the ocean.[1] The 2,256-acre (913 ha) park was established in 1931.[2]
The lagoons are resting areas for migratorywaterfowl using thePacific Flyway betweenLake Earl on theSmith Riverestuarinewetlands 40 miles (64 km) to the north andHumboldt Bay on theMad River estuarine wetlands 30 miles (48 km) to the south. Studies around Humboldt Bay indicatetectonic activity along theCascadia subduction zone has caused local sea level changes at intervals of several centuries.[3] Thealluvial plain forming each shallow lagoon may support freshwater wetlands orSitka Spruce forests following uplift events andsalt marsh or inundatedshellfish beds following subsidence events.
Dry Lagoon, at the southern end ofStone Lagoon, is separated from Stone Lagoon by what may become an island if the sea level rises. Dry Lagoon is presently a wetland representing natural conditions of similar land used for a sawmill near Big Lagoon, or converted to agricultural purposes around the estuaries ofRedwood Creek to the north andLittle River to the south.
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help)