Campground open all year. Day use areas open sunrise to sunset.
Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area
UPDATE (March 31, 2020): This park is temporarily closed to the public until further notice, meaning all trails and restrooms within this park are closed.
In an effort to prevent visitation surges and help stop the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), State Parks has implemented the following safety measures to date:
A list of closures is available online at parks.ca.gov/FlattenTheCurve. The list is dynamic and updated on a regular basis.
In an effort to prevent visitation surges and help stop the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), State Parks has implemented the following safety measures to date:
- Closed some parks, meaning all trails and restrooms within these parks are closed.
- Closed vehicular access at remaining parks, including for off-highway vehicle riding.
- Closed all campgrounds, museums and visitor centers.
- Cancelled all events.
A list of closures is available online at parks.ca.gov/FlattenTheCurve. The list is dynamic and updated on a regular basis.
Phone Number
(707) 925-6482
Max. Trailer Lengths
Trailer: 24 Feet
Camper/Motorhome: 27 Feet
Park Hours
Driving Directions to Standish-Hickey SRA
The park is located 1.5 miles north of Leggett on Highway 101, just west of the Rock Creek overcrossing.Camping and Lodging
Visitors will be able to reserve campsites and lodging six months in advance from the current date. Bookings may extend from the arrival date to the desired departure date – based on availability and the park’s maximum stay rules.
Upcoming Park Events
No events scheduled at this moment.
BOATING
Boating
Boating
OVERNIGHT FACILITIES
Family Campsites
Hike or Bike Campsites
RV Access
Family Campsites
Hike or Bike Campsites
RV Access
TRAIL USE
Hiking Trails
Hiking Trails
DAY-USE ACTIVITIES & FACILITIES
Picnic Areas
Fishing
Beach Area
Swimming
Picnic Areas
Fishing
Beach Area
Swimming
OTHER FACILITIES & VISITOR INFORMATION
Parking
Restrooms / Showers
Restrooms
Drinking Water Available
Parking
Restrooms / Showers
Restrooms
Drinking Water Available
Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area is the southern gateway to the world-famous redwood belt along California’s North Coast. About 10 miles of trails weave through its steep canyon bluffs, second-growth forests, and clusters of old-growth redwoods. The tallest redwood, the 225-foot Captain Miles Standish Tree, is more than 1,200 years old. A two-mile stretch of the South Fork of the Eel River—with riffles, deep holes, and calm shallow areas—is popular with swimmers, kayakers, and anglers.
The park began as a 40-acre campground donated in 1922. Its name honors a lumberman’s son, Edward Ritter Hickey, who died while caring for victims of the 1918 flu epidemic. In the late 1950s, descendants of Captain Miles Standish, a pilgrim who landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620, added 500 acres. Subsequent donations from Save the Redwoods League have expanded the park to more than 1,000 acres.
A 180-mile drive from San Francisco, Standish-Hickey lies along Highway 101, 1½ miles north of the town of Leggett. The park entrance road is easy to find and paved to accommodate any street-legal vehicle. High water (and removal of seasonal bridges) makes much of the park, including hiking trails, inaccessible in winter, but at least one campground is always open.
Weather
This inland river canyon has summer temperatures averaging 70 - 100°F. Winter temperatures vary from 30 - 55°F. Rainfall averages 70 inches each year.
Rules & Advisories
- No diving or jumping into the river. Stay away from steep and dangerous bluffs.
- No lifeguards are on duty; children should be supervised at all times.
- Contact with poison oak (even when dormant) can cause a severe rash.
- Bicycles and motorbikes are allowed on paved roads, but not park trails.
- Hunting and loaded firearms are prohibited.
- Eight people are the maximum allowed at any one (non-group) campsite.
- All fires must be in fire rings. No collection of firewood is allowed.
- Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Dogs must be on a leash no more than six feet long and must be confined to a tent or vehicle at night. Except for service animals, pets are not allowed on trails. Dog owners may not want to let their dogs drink from the river, as a precaution against blue-green algae toxins.
- All the normal rules of the road apply in the park, including speed limits (15 mph in the park), prohibitions on driving while intoxicated, and requirements for seatbelts, helmets, and driver’s licenses.
- All park features are protected by law and must not be disturbed or removed.
Location/ Directions
1.5 miles north of Leggett, CA on Highway 101.
Seasons/Climate/Recommended clothing
Inland river canyon.
Summer 70-100 degrees F.
Winter 30-55 degrees F.
Dress for rain in layers.