| Smith River National Recreation Area | |
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 Interactive map of Smith River National Recreation Area | |
| Location | Del Norte County,California,United States |
| Nearest city | Crescent City, California |
| Coordinates | 41°55′00″N123°52′00″W / 41.91667°N 123.86667°W /41.91667; -123.86667 |
| Area | 305,169 acres (1,235 km2) |
| Established | November 16, 1990 |
| Governing body | United States Forest Service |
| Website | Smith River National Recreation Area |
Smith River National Recreation Area is aprotected area located in northwesternCalifornia,United States. Thenational recreation area is inSix Rivers National Forest and is managed by theU.S. Forest Service, an agency of theU.S. Department of Agriculture. Created byCongress in 1990, Smith River National Recreation Area meets the northern border ofRedwood National and State Parks.
TheKlamath Mountains and theSmith River, one of the longestNational Wild and Scenic Rivers in the U.S., offer a variety of recreational opportunities. The National Recreation Area has five campgrounds located near major streams and along the Smith River.[1] It is considered one of the bestfishing regions in the country, andrafting and canoeing are popular activities. Most hiking trails are accessible year-round, but all activities may be greatly affected by periodic heavy rainfall that swells creeks and rivers.
The region receives over 90 in (2,300 mm) of rainfall annually, with the greatest amounts in the winter. Summers may befoggy as moisture laden clouds rise up the Coast Range mountains from thePacific Ocean.
Trophy sizedsteelhead,chinook salmon and other game fish species have led to this area being considered one of the best fishing regions in the United States.Port Orford cedars are native to this area as the tree’s range extends about 50 miles (80 km) inland from the coast aroundCoos Bay, Oregon, to the mouth of theMad River nearArcata. To prevent the spread of a root disease caused by thepathogenPhytophthora lateralis, forest roads and campgrounds may be closed during the rainy season when there is the most opportunities for contaminated soil to be spread around. Thespores that live in water and wet soil can be introduced by vehicles, animals and people traveling from infected areas.[2]
The area is bisected byU.S. Route 199 which is designated the Smith River Scenic Byway.[1] Passing through the community ofHiouchi,Gasquet and Patrick Creek Lodge on the western side of the summit, theNational Forest Scenic Byway is part of theCalifornia Freeway and Expressway System[3] and is eligible for theState Scenic Highway System.[4] The highway is the northern portion of theRedwood Highway. Formerly signed as California State Route 199, the highway linksU.S. Route 101 nearCrescent City, California withInterstate 5 inGrants Pass, Oregon, a distance of 80 miles (130 km).
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