Eureka Waterfront Trail

Eureka City Trails

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The Waterfront Trail is only 6.5 miles, so I suppose I could wander it in a day, but I decided to split it up and check out the northern part first, getting to where it starts following road a bit too closely for a bit too long, which would be my time to turn around. That is the bit that goes past the marina, so perhaps it wouldn't be so bad? I skipped it anyway. I parked at the end of Y Street where there is one of many access points. The back of the Blue Ox Millworks catches the eye immediately. It looks to have been built in an ad hoc manner and keeping it up must be a nightmare, but there it is. For now.

The end of Y Street where it becomes bike path that intersects with the Waterfront Trail. The organic nature of the building around the Blue Ox Millworks (in blue) is not yet apparent from here.

I turned right to walk along the abandoned tracks toward the short end of the trail instead of left to get a better look at the building. I would be back anyway. The path was getting a fair bit of multipurpose use with bicycles and roller blades and strollers. It looks like there's plenty walking the grass and the tracks. I walked the tracks because I was going to stick to those tracks for a short way before getting to the northeast end of the trail.

Easy enough to walk along the tracks, or not. These were abandoned in 1991, I think. The signs say.

The tracks are marked as "future trail" in some places because it's segment 2 of a proposed section of the Humboldt Bay Trail joining the already built sections in Eureka (this Waterfront Trail) and in Arcata (which I hiked a while back). There's lots of sturdy places to walk across now, but the cable railings are failing. It's certainly not in the paved bike path state they are wanting.

Railroad bridge over Eureka Slough.

On the far side, I walked a bit further to the point the tracks start paralleling the highway. (All of segment 3 on the plans.) It follows next to swamp areas with channels cut through and one kayaker enjoying the day.

Could there be trail out across the mud flats?

Looking across the mud flats to the bay on the far side and its far side.

There is only a thin, winding trail through the growth around the tracks on this side.

I expect you can still follow the tracks all the way to the built Arcata section of the Humboldt Bay Trail, but there may be some challenges. I distinctly recall that the bridge just past where it stops is two twisted rails rather than anything most people would want to travel across. The bikes are directed to join the highway at that point. I turned back without anything to force me to do so or join the high speed road.

Some greater yellowlegs balancing in the mud.

Many more birds are out on the mud flats and swamp areas.

Details of the mud have me curious. There are creatures down there.

Back across the bridge, I turned once more toward the northeast end of the trail. I noted the unpowered boat launch and the three parking spaces behind Target to serve it and the numerous cars lining where there are no marked spaces because a lot more than three want to be there. Then I had the edge of the slough on one side with more flat mud and an RV park on the other. They appear to fill those spaces beside the trail last. The mud was still draining the water from the rain over the previous two days. I watched and listened to the pourings off the edge of the flats, then continued around to the end.

A channel that is part of Eureka Slough and a little bit of Eureka.

The future home of the Bay to Zoo Trail. Another line of planned trail that could be followed now, somewhat.

I bounced off the end of the trail where it runs into the street and made my way back. I discarded the Bay to Zoo Trail as something to try even though it is not yet built. That end seems to be a muddy path past the edge of a fence signed without welcome.

Water still draining off the flats from the little bits of rain that have come.

People were claiming the benches (which are public art) for their lunches and a pair of women popped out of their canoe at the launch. A few squished crackers remained where a family had been feeding the pigeons. (I don't recommend feeding pigeons anything.) It was actually a little quieter as a whirl of activity than when I started.

Back at the Blue Ox Millworks, which was originally a power station over 115 years ago.

I edged my way along the bay stopping at the signs to maybe a learn a little something. Most the grass out there is an invasive that hitched its way up from Chile, for instance. There is some repetition to them, but they have generally managed to cover diverse subjects.

The tide is retreating, leaving the mud flats exposed. The distant birds lead to the conversation: "What are they?" "Egrets, maybe snowy, probably great." "But they look so small." "They're far away." The scale of the area is hard.

The bridge from Samoa as it hops along the islands.

One of the art pieces that are the benches. This one is meant to evoke the "kinetic sculptures" that get raced yearly.

The trail gets into a little more city as it ducks under the highway as it comes from Samoa. There is another access with parking, bathrooms, and a boat launch. The wanderers seemed to thin leaving only the more industrious walkers and joggers.

Closing in on buildings up ahead where the last of the park vanishes.

I found a sort of stage area with steep sitting around the sides and climbed it to get a better look at one of the downtown tourist attractions, then found myself wandering past buildings. A sign seemed to be warning me from walking the sidewalk on the bay side, but closer inspection suggested it might be just keeping me from climbing down to the bay. The sidewalk was passing the community center, which is the sort of place that usually tries to be welcoming to the public.

The Carson Mansion is one of the Victorian tourist attractions of downtown Eureka.

I found minor crowds hanging out on the boardwalk, but not at the far north end. I took advantage of the clear area to fail to find a hard geocache. It said I didn't have to look under, but when I noticed a way, I decided to find out if it still might help to look under and found the boardwalk is growing stalactites. Could they be salt? It is certainly a material on hand, but they don't quite look like salt. I didn't want to taste one to find out.

The mystery stalactites didn't come with a handy interpretive sign to explain them. I stayed away from the unknown dripping substance in the artificial caves under the boardwalk.

Woodley Island, the closer one, has some art too.

Homes along the edge of Indian Island.

I found myself pushed away from the edge of the bay for a second time as buildings turned industrial again. I was into the section where the trail follows the road and I didn't last very long at all. I did cross the street to have a look at one last sign before turning back.

There's still wildlife. This diving bird did quickly dive and not resurface for quite some time.

Piles of lobster traps waiting to get loaded up and put out in the ocean. I usually just see them broken on the beach.

I liked it better when I got back out into the more open spaces and was passing more relaxed people.

Even more mud flats are exposed as a waxing moon rises above the distant mountains.

Back once again to the old power station that is now the Blue Ox Millworks.

©2020 Valerie Norton
Written 1 Jan 2021