California Resources Agency
1416 Ninth Street
Sacramento, California 95814
Bureau of Land Management
Ukiah Field Office
2550 North State Street
Ukiah, California 95482
Six Rivers National Forest
1330 Bayshore Way
Eureka, California 95501 |
Mendocino National Forest
825 North Humboldt Avenue
Willows, California 95988
Round Valley Reservation
Post Office Box 448
Covelo, California 95428 |
Designated Reach: January 19, 1981. From the mouth of the river to 100 yards below Van Ardsdale Dam. The Middle Fork from its confluence with the main stem to the southern boundary of the Yolla Bolly Wilderness Area. The South Fork from its confluence with the main stem to the Section Four Creek confluence. The North Fork from its confluence with the main stem to Old Gilman Ranch. The Van Duzen River from the confluence with the Eel River to Dinsmure Bridge.
Classification/Mileage: Wild — 97.0 miles; Scenic — 28.0 miles; Recreational — 273.0; Total — 398.0 miles.
The three forks of the Eel contain a diversity of river types originating in high mountain pine forests, flowing through steep canyons and coastal redwood forests, and emptying into the Pacific in a gently sloping valley with virgin redwood stands. It is joined in the coastal plain by the designated Van Duzen that, along with the Eel, is noted for its salmon and steelhead fisheries.
The Middle Fork Eel River flows through the Yolla-Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness on the Covelo Ranger District of the Mendocino National Forest. The steep, inner gorge terrain is very rugged and scenic, with numerous natural landslides and large, colorful rock outcrops. The river has an extremely high average sediment yield from natural winter erosion processes, yet is home to runs of steelhead, Chinook salmon, and lamprey. Most of the river is closed to fishing to protect the juvenile steelhead. A number of trails access the river and the highest public use is by summer swimmers at the downstream end of the river, near the Eel River Work Center and Eel River Campground.
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