These proposed Wild and Scenic Rivers flow through or are located upstream of Redwood National Park. They provide important habitat for threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead and nationally significant recreation opportunities.
Redwood Creek – 25.3 miles
Redwood Creek flows past old-growth and second-growth redwoods in Redwood National Park, including the tallest tree on earth. The park is a World Heritage Site recognized by the United Nations. The creek supports endangered coho and Chinook salmon, steelhead, and coastal cutthroat trout. Federal officials recently identified the creek as essential for the recovery of threatened salmon and steelhead. Ospreys nest along the creek and elk graze nearby prairies. The popular Redwood Creek Trail parallels much of the stream, which also offers class III whitewater boating opportunities. The upper 6.2 miles of Redwood Creek is proposed as a “potential” Wild and Scenic River pending acquisition for public conservation purposes.
Lost Man & Little Lost Man Creeks – 19.6 miles
Supporting self-sustaining populations of Chinook and coho salmon, steelhead, and coastal cutthroat trout, these streams are important to the recovery and expansion of the anadromous salmonid populations of the Redwood Creek basin. Little Lost Man Creek provides high-quality refugia for at-risk fish species and Lost Man Creek has high potential to provide refugia. The outstanding and irreplaceable ecological values of these streams are recognized worldwide as part of the Redwood National Park World Heritage Site. The streams provide an excellent opportunity for scientific study of disturbed and undisturbed watersheds.
Lacks Creek – 7.8 miles
A major tributary of Redwood Creek, Lacks Creek was determined by the BLM to be eligible for Wild & Scenic protection due to its outstanding old-growth forests and anadromous fishery values. Federal officials recently identified the creek as essential for the recovery of threatened salmon and steelhead. The public lands in the Lacks Creek watershed are managed by the BLM to provide a wide variety of outdoor recreation, including mountain biking, hiking, camping, angling, and hunting. The lower 2.7 miles of Lacks Creek is proposed as a “potential” Wild and Scenic River pending acquisition for public conservation purposes.
