Humboldt Waterkeeper’s interactive digital Humboldt Bay Water Trail map is now available to help kayakers, paddlers, and others navigate around the bay. Originally developed by Redwood Community Action Agency (RCAA), Humboldt Waterkeeper has breathed new life into the map, updating it with channel depths from NOAA’s navigational charts and crowd-sourcing updates on the best boat launches. Download the georeferenced PDF for mobile apps like Avenza, or access the interactive web map directly in any browser.
“RCAA has been collaborating with leadership visionaries to provide a continually updated water trails map for residents and visitors alike,” said Denise Newman, Projects Coordinator for RCAA’s Natural Resource Services. “RCAA is pleased to see Humboldt Waterkeeper buoy this effort for our boating community with a digitized and easily updateable map.”
Beginning in 2009 with a variety of funding sources, RCAA has worked with Humboldt Bay Harbor Recreation and Conservation District, HSU Center Activities (now Cal Poly Humboldt Outdoor Adventures), the cities of Arcata and Eureka, local boating outfits and retailers to maintain the water trails map for residents and visitors alike.
“The updated Humboldt Bay Water Trails map is a great contribution towards getting more people on the water in fun and safe ways. It’s an important resource for local paddlers to discover new launch spots and paddle routes, and for visiting paddlers to see all the options for getting on the bay and to tailor their excursions to tides and other conditions,” said Brian Orland, a local sea kayaker and member of Explore North Coast.
Both the web map and the georeferenced PDF allow for live location tracking on a smartphone or other mobile device. Details on access, tides, safety, water recreation tips and local resources allow paddlers to make informed decisions for how to best enjoy Humboldt Bay by watercraft. These details can be found in the web map by tapping or clicking on symbols, such as the numbered dots representing boat launches. Choose your preferred location, route, length of trip, and time of day in tandem with the tides.
This article appears in My Humboldt Life November 2025.