102. Ruth Lake, Rohner Park Trails, City of Fortuna, City of Ferndale, CA

https://youtu.be/ExPjNwHXVMA

Only two hours southeast of Eureka and three hours northwest of Red Bluff, Ruth Lake is your perfect base for exploring the southern end of Trinity County and the lovely Six Rivers National Forest — nearly one million acres of forest waiting for your enjoyment and relaxation. Here, the Mad and Van Duzen Rivers wind lazily down to the ocean, weaving their way through the forest and providing a luxurious habitat for abundant wildlife — and exceptionally beautiful wilderness hiking and riding trails. Breathtaking views of Ruth Lake blanketed in springtime fog or crowned by the glorious warmth of the summer sun will tempt every amateur and professional photographer — and bird watcher!

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#Ruth_Lake itself is 2,654 feet above sea level at the spillway, while the surrounding South Fork Mountain Range rises to over 6,000 feet. The climate is warm and dry during the summers with daytime temperatures in the 80s and 90s. Spring and fall days tend to be mild and cool with occasional snow and frosty, cold nights. Annual precipitation averages about 60” with the majority falling October thru April. Heavy snowfalls are uncommon below 3000’ but the mountains around Ruth Lake receive substantial snow. The air is crystal clear throughout most of the year.

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Over half a dozen campgrounds and day use picnic areas with facilities are conveniently located around the lake, most with beach access. Or you may prefer staying at one of the cabins at Journey’s End, the popular local resort located within walking distance of Ruth Lake Marina. Once you’ve settled in, you’ll find multiple opportunities to fish for bass, crappie and trout. Catch-and-release fly fishing is becoming increasingly popular, especially at the base of the dam. Boating — whether by patio boat, ski boat, dingy or kayak — is an extremely popular pastime for many of our regular summertime visitors as well as local folk.

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#Fortuna (Spanish for "Fortune"; Wiyot: Vutsuwitk Da'l) is a city on the northeast shore of the Eel River, approximately 9 miles (14 km) from where it enters the Pacific Ocean, and is on U.S. Route 101 in west-central Humboldt County, California, United States. The population was 12,516 at the 2020 census, up from 11,926 at the 2000 census.

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The settlement was originally called "Slide," for Slide Hill, in 1874, named for the slide that was a fixture on the northeast side of the Eel River and the southwest portion of Christian Ridge just to the northwest, near the edge of town. In 1875, the name was changed to Springville during the construction of the Springville Mill, a lumber mill for the nearby redwood forests, named so because of the numerous springs in the area. The mill's owners were Henry Rohner (namesake of neighboring Rohnerville), Alexander Masson, M. N. Weber and G. F. Gushaw. Springville was originally a company town belonging to the mill, and the few people that resided there all worked at the mill. By the late 1870s Springville had grown enough to warrant a post office, but a town called Springville, California (now part of Camarillo, in Ventura County) already existed in the state. The post office was named Slide on May 24, 1876. In 1884 the residents petitioned the state legislature for the name Fortuna, Spanish for "fortune" and Latin for "chance," and by July 3, 1888, the change was official. The name was chosen when settlers saw the proximity of the forests, the river and its valley, and the Pacific Ocean, as ideal for enjoying a good quality of life, and felt "fortunate" to live there. It is believed that a local minister and real estate agent, desiring to sell lots to newcomers, devised the name as a marketing tool.

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#Ferndale is a city in Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 1,371 at the 2010 census, down from 1,382 at the 2000 census. The city contains dozens of well-preserved Victorian storefronts and homes. Ferndale is the northern gateway to California's Lost Coast and the city, which is sited on the edge of a wide plain near the mouth of the Eel River, is also located near the extensive preserves of coast redwood forests.

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Before American settlement, Ferndale was a glade of giant ferns reaching more than six feet (1.8 m), surrounded by alder, willow, Sitka spruce, Douglas fir, coast redwood, swampy land, and windswept prairies. The area was populated by the southern Wiyot people, and centered along the Eel River, where they caught lamprey eels, salmon and sturgeon in iris leaf fish nets, collected shellfish along the river and at its mouth, while cultivating only a California species of tobacco. The town was established in 1852 from settlement by Willard Allard, Seth Louis Shaw, and his brother, Stephen W. Shaw.

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