Humboldt County Department of Public Works release:

The Environmental Services Division of the Humboldt County Public Works Department is excited to announce that the swimming area at Freshwater County Park is ready to be enjoyed following installation of the seasonal dam on Freshwater Creek. The dam is expected to stay installed through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2 and will be removed prior to the winter wet season.

Hours of Operation

Freshwater Park is open from sunrise to sunset for a day-use fee of $5 per vehicle, or $2 for walk-ins or bike-ins. Annual passes are available for purchase for $45 at the gate house. In addition to the swimming area, amenities at Freshwater Park include an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible playground, volleyball court, restroom and picnic areas. Parking is available subject to vehicle limits. The Freshwater Park gazebo area is open for group reservations through Saturday, Nov. 30. To make a gazebo reservation, please call 707-445-7651.

Tips for Visiting

The water in the Freshwater Park swimming area is cold, so visitors should prepare accordingly. For the safety of the public, please not use alcohol or drugs, including some prescription drugs, before swimming at Freshwater Park. Small children and inexperienced swimmers should wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket or flotation device while swimming. The use of water wings is not recommended for small children.

Park visitors are asked to be courteous to other people at the park and respectful of the wildlife and plant communities. Dogs are not allowed due to the high density of park visitors. Camping, motorcycles, fires and firearms are prohibited.

About the Freshwater Park Swimming Area

Freshwater Park is an eight-acre county park located approximately seven miles from Eureka, at 3100 Freshwater Rd., approximately 3.5 miles southeast of Myrtle Ave. The County of Humboldt has owned and operated Freshwater Park since 1939. Freshwater Creek meanders through the park, and the park’s main attraction during the summer is a swimming area created by a seasonal dam, which has been installed most summers since the 1920s.

Freshwater Creek drains into Humboldt Bay via Eureka Slough and provides productive habitat for salmon and steelhead. Upon installation of the seasonal dam, the pool provides deep, cold water that is an ideal environment for juvenile fish. A concrete fish ladder allows juvenile fish to move freely upstream and downstream of the dam when inflows are sufficient. The concrete fish ladder is adjacent to the dam and viewable by the public.

After several weeks of work by the Humboldt County Parks Division to remove sediment from the fish ladder, removable I-beams and flashboard panels are installed with a crane to form the seasonal dam. The Department of Public Works would like to thank the Humboldt County Roads Bridge Crew, California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program for their tremendous work and partnership to safely install the dam this year.

For more information on Humboldt County parks and trails, please visit the Parks and Trails webpage or call 707-445-7651.