California whitewater, Mad River Trinity Humboldt county, Ruth Reservoir to Forest Service Road 5 miles below Highway 36 section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS II-III     12.2 miles   If you've been whitewater rafting and kayaking outside this state you might find the rivers here a bit more challenging, so if you're not from around here don't forget that quite a few of the sections here are not easy. This section of Mad River in Trinity/ Humboldt County is 12.2 miles long and it is classified as a class II-III section by American Whitewater. Getting some good exercise and a chance to spend some time outdoors are great     reasons to come. The starting location is a short drive from Eureka-Arcata-Fortuna, if you're not familiar with the area there's a road map further down the page. The beautiful Coast Ranges scenery is an added bonus. No matter if you're whitewater rafting or kayaking this area has a large number of paddling spots. There aren’t any hotels right nearby but if you're willing to drive a short distance then no problem but if you don’t have reservations you might end up sleeping in your car. This section is long enough for an overnight trip if you take your time, so go ahead and pack your sleeping bag. The wonderful California scenery and the sparkling of the sunlight on   the water make the trip here worthwhile. If you're a camper you can camp at one of the great campgrounds nearby. The Ruth Reservoir to Forest Service Road 5 miles below Highway 36 section is one of many paddling sections in this river system. Briefly about the general area: Tierney Canyon is a great site to check out close to Mad River, and going for a hike on the County Line Trail is always a nice adventure. So many exciting things in the Coast Ranges, just tremendous. Here at Mad River there are plenty of folks from Mad River, and there are glorious locations to discover along the Blake Trail. Mad River, Ruth Reservoir to Forest Service Road 5 miles below Highway 36 road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.     Map Detailed Map Stats Stats for this river stretch Weather Local weather forecast These outdoors activities are available near Mad River.   Whitewater Near Mad River: Mad River, Trinity/ Humboldt County, 7 miles away       Class II-III - 12.2 miles long (Ruth Reservoir to Forest Service Road 5 miles below Highway 36) Trinity River - South Fork, Trinity/ Humboldt County, 8 miles away       Class II-V - 64.6 miles long (East Fork to low bridge off South Fork Road) Van Duzen River, Trinity County, 9 miles away       Class III - 7.2 miles long (West Fork to Senteney Creek) Trinity River - South Fork, Trinity County, 14 miles away       Class IV-V - 8 miles long (Downstream from Forest Glen) Trinity River, Trinity County, 19 miles away       Class IV-V - 10 miles long (Cedar Flat to Hawkins Bar) Hayfork Creek, Trinity County, 19 miles away       Class III-V - 12.7 miles long (Gemmil Gulch Picnic Ground to Carr Creek) Hayfork Creek, Trinity County, 20 miles away       Class IV-V - 21 miles long (3 miles West of Hayfork to Hyampom) Eel River - North Fork, Trinity/ Mendocino County, 21 miles away       Class IV - 12 miles long (Salt Creek to Hulls Creek) Trinity River, Trinity/ Humboldt County, 23 miles away       Class II - 39 miles long (Hawkins Bar to Weitchpec) Mad River, Trinity County, 25 miles away       Class III - 5.8 miles long (North and South Fork confluence to Barry Creek Road)   Hotels Near Mad River: Humboldt Redwoods Inn, Garberville , 26 miles away Best Western Plus Humboldt House Inn, Garberville , 26 miles away Motel Garberville, Garberville , 26 miles away Benbow Inn, Garberville , 27 miles away Best Western Country Inn, Fortuna , 44 miles away   Campgrounds Near Mad River: Mad River, Mad River, 4 miles away Blake Spring Campground, Humboldt County, 9 miles away Fir Cove Campground, Trinity County, 9 miles away   Trails Near Mad River: County Line Trail, Humboldt , 8 miles away, 2.7 hiking miles, 3397 feet elevation difference Blake Trail, Humboldt , 9 miles away, 4.5 hiking miles, 3420 feet elevation difference Pilot Ridge Trail, Humboldt , 11 miles away, 2.3 hiking miles, 735 feet elevation difference Dan East Trail, Humboldt , 12 miles away, 1.6 hiking miles, 2406 feet elevation difference Ruth Hayfork Trail, Trinity , 15 miles away, 6.6 hiking miles, 2939 feet elevation difference Ben Arthur Trail, Trinity , 17 miles away, 7.1 hiking miles, 1839 feet elevation difference Grouse Creek Tractor Trail, Humboldt , 18 miles away, 2.9 hiking miles, 2606 feet elevation difference   Public Lands Near Mad River: Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Whiskeytown - CA , 65 miles away Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park, California , 27 miles away Benbow Lake State Park, California , 27 miles away Richardson Grove State Park, California , 29 miles away