Located 3 hours south of the Oregon border in the mountains west of Redding, California, Trinity County offers travelers ol'timers boasting of Big Foot sightings, creek beds laden with quartz, jade, and gold, Gold Rush-era buildings and relics, pioneer barns, wineries, and farmers markets, bird watching and hiking, hunting and fishing, and down-home country neighborhoods – with around 14,000 residents in the entire county.
There is not one stop-light here, but that doesn't mean there isn't traffic. Highway 299 is a main corridor to the Pacific Ocean, twisting above the Trinity River, ending just north of Eureka on Hwy 101. State Route 36 is a roller coaster of ups and downs and tight corners that motorcycle riders enjoy on the back way to Hwy 3 and the coast. Highway 3 through the Trinities starts near I-5 around Yreka and cuts into Hwy 36, leading all the way to the Mendocino Redwoods.
While motels are limited, there are a number of public and privately-owned campgrounds that also accommodate RVs. Destination hot-spots are plentiful for outdoor recreation enthusiasts, especially around Lewiston Lake and Rush Creek, Trinity Alps and Junction City, Coffee Creek and Trinity Lake, Wildwood towards Platina, Forest Glenn at Helena, Hyampom at Big Rock, and Big Flat – where visitors enjoy white water river rafting.
Seasonal Travel on Scenic Byways
Road trips through Trinity County are breath-taking no matter the season. These remote Northern California highways are not for those who get car sick, however. Switchbacks snake above steep canyons and offer little room for driver error. Sight-seers who use gravel pull-outs frequently to let occasional traffic pass can expect a friendly wave or thank you honk from local residents.
Natural springs and waterfalls along side the roads make great rest stops, but other amenities are few and far between – with over an hour's drive between official rest areas. Furthermore, gas stations and grocery stores are often the same facility. In fact, Weaverville is the only town with more than one gas station, so plan accordingly.
Do not become distracted by white dogwood and violet redbud blooms in a wet, breezy Spring, or you might not see a blacktail deer dashing across the road in front of you. Squirrels, bear, doves, bald eagles, coyotes, skunks, and red fox are commonly seen roadside, under oak leaves emerging as a canopy of neon green.
Motorcycle trips during the summer months can yield sunburn from temperatures that reach above 100 degrees, but nights can bring temperatures down to the 30s until late May. The wildflowers and animals are no less spectacular. CA poppies and lupine are replaced by blackberries and rosehips. Bring lots of water because drought conditions often hit Trinity County by the end of June and last through mid-September.
Fall is spectacular in the Trinities. The first sprinkles stir residents and wildlife to quickly prepare for winter, as the first snow often falls around Halloween. Meanwhile, roadside maple trees turn gold and contrast with deep crimson oak leaves, leaving little excuse for the Trinity County visitor to trek all the way to New England for foliage season.
Snow dusts the peaks and makes the roads slick around shaded hairpin corners of the highways. Black ice claims lives on these roads, so drivers should use caution before the noon sun warms the pavement and in the afternoon when the road is shaded again. Expect temperatures to fluctuate thirty or more degrees between midday and nighttime.
No matter the season, Trinity County's lack of light-pollution makes it easy for star-gazers to take advantage of its elevation. It's practically cliche for people to comment that the mountain stars of this corner of Northern California are the biggest and brightest they've ever seen.
For a single day road-trip or a weekend getaway, Trinity County offers visitors enough variety to keep them coming back season after season.
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