Del Norte County

Del Norte County, California

Population

27,885

Indigenous Peoples

• Yurok Nation
• Tolowa Nation (a.k.a. Tolowa Dee-ni’)

Major Waterways

• Smith River
• Klamath River

Major Employers

• Government

  • Yurok Tribe
  • Del Norte County Health Department
  • California State Department of Corrections

• Education

  • Del Norte County Unified School District
  • College of the Redwoods

• Health Care

  • Sutter Coast Hospital

Major Attractions

• Trees of Mystery
• Smith River National Recreation Area
• Crescent City Harbor
• Castle Rock National Wildlife Refuge
• Battery Point Lighthouse
• Ocean World Aquarium

Recreational Activities

• Hiking
• Bicycling
• Camping
• Birding
• Horseback riding
• Fishing
• Surfing
• Kayaking, rafting, & jet boating
• Whale watching

Summary

At the northwest tip of California, you will find the stunning coastal county of Del Norte (pronounced “Del Nort”), whose only incorporated city is Crescent City.

Originally inhabited by the Yurok and Tolowa Nations, Del Norte was established in 1857 after the region was settled by Azorean Portuguese dairy farmers. The Yurok and Tolowa peoples still reside in the area and retain sovereign rights over tribal lands, including the Yurok Indian Reservation and several rancherias.

Those seeking jobs in Del Norte may find opportunities in the health care, education, timber, agricultural, and tourism industries, with the largest employers including Sutter Coast Hospital; the Yurok Tribe; the Del Norte County Unified School District; the Del Norte County Health Department; Hambro Forest Products; College of the Redwoods; Alexandre Family Farm; and the Elk Valley and Lucky 7 casinos.

Del Norte’s ancient redwoods are among the oldest and tallest in the world, making the area a popular destination for nature-lovers wishing to experience the majesty of the forest. Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is home to Lost Monarch, a sequoia known as the fifth-largest redwood in the world as measured by wood volume. Other favorite hiking spots include Redwood National Park; Tolowa Dunes State Park; and Trees of Mystery.

Crescent City’s tagline “Where the Redwoods Meet the Sea” captures the region’s intersection of historic redwood forests with exhilarating Pacific Coast sites such as Crescent Beach, Crescent City Harbor, Pelican State Beach, and Battery Point Lighthouse.

Wildlife observers will appreciate Smith River National Recreation Area, Castle Rock National Wildlife Refuge, and Ocean World Aquarium as well as the opportunities for whale-watching and birding.

Additional recreational opportunities include hiking, camping, fishing, surfing, biking, horseback riding, kayaking, rafting, and jet boating.

History buffs may want to tour the Del Norte County Historical Society Museum and St. George Reef Lighthouse, an inactive lighthouse built in the late nineteenth century.