Azalea State Natural Reserve is a state
nature reserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...
of
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, United States, located in
McKinleyville, an unincorporated area of Humboldt County. This area is just north of the
college town of
Arcata
Arcata (; Wiyot: ''Goudi’ni''; Yurok: ''Oket'oh'') is a city adjacent to the Arcata Bay (northern) portion of Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County, California, United States. At the 2020 census, Arcata's population was 18,857. Arcata was first ...
and slightly above the
Mad River not far from where it enters the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...
. The reserve is dedicated to the preservation of the
western azalea (''Rhododendron occidentale''), whose pink and white flowers bloom in profusion each April and May. It has a short self-guided nature trail with emphasis on plants of the north coast region. There is a picnic area available. The property was acquired by the state in 1943.
Other adjacent visitor attractions include
Trinidad State Beach,
Sue-meg State Park, and
Fort Humboldt State Historic Park
Fort Humboldt State Historic Park is a California state park, located in Eureka, California, United States. Displays interpret the former U.S. Army fort, which was staffed from 1853–1870, the interactions between European Americans and Native ...
.
See also
*
List of California state parks
This is a list of parks, historic resources, reserves and recreation areas in the California State Parks system.
List of parks
See also
* California State Beaches
*List of California State Historic Parks
* Parks in California
* California Dep ...
References
External links
Azalea State Natural Reserve
{{Protected areas of California, SP
California State Reserves
Protected areas of Humboldt County, California
Protected areas established in 1943
1943 establishments in California