Points of Interest

  • The Trinity County Fairgronds offers excellent camping and recreational facilities.

  • WW2 Balloon Bombing Site -- Before you leave the fairgrounds check the marker in front of the office. From here you can look toward the crash site of a Japanese incendiary balloon. The balloons rode the jetstream from Japan to the western U.S. where they were supposed to start forest fires. This one nearly did just west of town when its paper balloon ruptured on February 1, 1945. On February 2 Army specialists gathered the balloon remnants, instruments, and bombs and took them off to wherever such things go (no doubt into the hands of the same top men who guard the ark). The "Hayfork balloon" is said to be one of the first recoveries of a whole package and helped explain what was going on.

  • Hayfork Park -- Just west of Hayfork Elementary School, the park offers picnic areas, a heated swimming pool, the Hayfork Little League Stadium, and the Blanchard Flat School. Ever wonder what a one-room schoolhouse was really like? Here's the answer. Every July 4th Bill Heinz is here to ring the bell!

  • Kellogg Cemetery -- Located north of the bank and also known as the Pioneer Cemetery, the Kellogg Cemetery is the burial site of many of Hayfork's earliest residents.

  • Natural Bridge -- South of Hayfork on the Wildwood Road -- Created by water erosion through the limestone, this natural rock "bridge" is a scenic wonder in its own right. It is also the site of a Gold Rush-era massacre of a large group of Indians in retaliation for the murder of a Weaverville cattleman and butcher named Anderson. The stories vary as to how many might have been killed and how many survived, but about 150 deaths is the low number. Several accounts indicate two or three children survived, but one can only wonder how many others there may have been who kept their story to themselves. In spite of what you may be told by many Hayfork residents, there is little reason to fear a similar fate at the hands of marauders from Weaverville. The U.S. Forest Service maintains a campground near "the bridge."

  • Island Mountain -- Southwest of Hayfork -- Formerly the site of a major copper mine, the Island Mountain area contains ten miles of Northwestern Pacific Railroad tracks, the only railroad trackage in Trinity County. Sierra Clubbers can visit the last tree on earth here.

  • Town Square -- Center of town -- The square is bordered on the east by the Hayfork Hotel (1903) and the Hayfork Feed Store, on the south by the County Branch Library, Arrow Realty, and Hayfork Video, on the west by the Post Office, and on the north by State Highway 3. The ball on top of the flagpole just may be from the first flagpole at Mission San Jose if you believe one story. The clock truly does honor our town doctor, Earl Mercill, who still makes house calls -- maybe not as often as he used to -- but in true Hayfork tradition, he's there when you need him.

  • Airport -- One of the finest airstrips in northern California, certainly number one in Trinity County, runs east-west between Morgan Hill Road and Hayfork Creek.

  • Ewing Reservoir -- Water is stored here before it is processed and piped through the distribution system of our water district. Take a jog or a walk along the paths on the lake's banks or enjoy the fishing.

  • Hyampom -- Twenty-six miles west of Hayfork, the agricultural community of Hyampom enjoys a great climate, abundant water, and rich soil. Hayfork Creek flows into the South Fork of the Trinity River here. The South Fork is known for fishing and its challenge to even experienced rafters.

  • Outside the Hayfork Valley and its immediate surroundings the vacationer can find all sorts of recreational pursuits. Weaverville, a quaint historic village to the north, offers memories of the Gold Rush. Further north on Highway 3, Trinity Lake provides excellent swimming, fishing, and other water sports. Packing trips into the Trinity Alps can be arranged through several resorts and packers located in Weaverville and Trinity Center. Those interested in the area's history will find an excellent research facility at the Trinity County Historical Society's Jake Jackson Museum in Weaverville and another look in the Ed Scott Museum in Trinity Center. West of Weaverville, along State Highway 299, can be found countless mining sites -- even the giant La Grange Mine -- and a number of former mining towns including Denny and Helena. The Trinity River offers all classes of water for rafters (visiting Lutherans beware -- Pastor Jerry specializes in unexpected, full-immersion services [an obvious cheap, inside joke that is also a serious warning]).

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