 Lady Humboldt
A weekly field guide to life on the North Coast
magenta hillsides · extreme low tides · rhododendron season
May 5–11, 2026
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Opening Letter
Out on Bald Hills, the lupine has made a case for the long drive. In town, music has returned to its usual corners, including a fiddler, and Arts Alive has resumed its monthly occupation of the Plaza. The season appears to be underway.
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Weather Report |
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Tue
 61°
49°
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Wed
62°
49°
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Thu
64°
48°
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Fri
62°
47°
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Sat
 63°
48°
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Sun
 60°
49°
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Mon
 59°
49°
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Lady Humboldt's Pick
 Hanneke Cassel
Tuesday 5th · 7:30 PM · Arcata Playhouse
Scottish traditional fiddle with a contemporary sense of play. Lady Humboldt found her foot tapping in time without meaning to.
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The Five
Arts! Arcata
Friday 8th · 6:00 PM · Arcata Plaza
The galleries stay open late, and the Plaza fills with the particular energy of a town that has decided art is reason enough to go out on a Friday. |
 OUTFOXED! The Great Humboldt Trivia Challenge
Friday 8th · 6:00 PM · Sequoia Conference Center
The county's annual opportunity to prove one knows more about obscure Humboldt facts than one's neighbors. Proceeds support local literacy programs, which feels like a fitting arrangement. |
Naive Melodies
Saturday 9th · 9:00 PM · Humboldt Brews
Talking Heads covers and originals. The kind of evening where one discovers David Byrne makes more sense after dark. An opening set from Piet Dalmolen Band. Dancing likely. |
Forest Walk: Prairie Creek
Sunday 3rd · 2:00 PM · Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
A guided mile through old growth, where the scale is obvious but the finer details require introduction. Rangers provide both. Free, and open to all. |
 29th Annual Champions for Youth
Saturday 9th · 5:00 PM · Sequoia Conference Center
The county dresses up to support local youth programs. The auction gets competitive. The cause remains excellent. |
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Field Notes
The lupine bloom on Bald Hills is worth the visit. The views require no assistance, though the purple seems to improve them. If it begins to feel like you've driven too far, continue until the hillsides confirm otherwise.
From Highway 101 just north of Orick, follow Bald Hills Road inland. The color tends to gather about 15 miles in, near the Copper Creek drainage and before Lyons Ranch. The flowers carry a faint sweetness, occasionally compared to grape soda, which seems unnecessary but not inaccurate.
It is tick season. A brief check afterward is a reasonable precaution, especially if any frolicking occurred.
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Hike of the Week
College Cove Trail
Continue along the bluff straight ahead for wide views of the wind-swept ocean and craggy rocks, or take the 154 steps down to a sandy, well-composed cove. One of Lady Humboldt's favorites.
At low tide, the shoreline opens to the left, where a small waterfall appears along the cliffs, along with starfish, mussels, and hermit crabs going about their business.
View on Map →
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Morning Spot
Cafe Brio
Cafe Brio on the Plaza has been making its own pastries since 2007, which explains the line that forms before the doors open. Lady Humboldt's preference is the Berries & Cream Waffles, though the espresso holds up its end with whatever comes out of the ovens at dawn. Patio seating fills first when the fog lifts early. Brunch continues on weekends until 3.
View on Map →
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From the Archives
On this week in 1853, Humboldt County was formed from the western portion of Trinity County by an act of the California Legislature. It was named for Humboldt Bay, which in turn honors the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, who never visited but whose writings advanced the idea of the “unity of nature,” linking environment, culture, and art into a single view of the world. The decision required a degree of optimism, as much of the region was accessible only by boat or a determined mule.
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Lady Humboldt Almanac
| Sunrise |
6:10 AM (Tuesday) |
| Sunset |
8:17 PM (Tuesday) |
| Moon |
Waning Gibbous (86%) — Full Moon on 5/1 |
| Tides |
Low tide -0.5 ft at 9:01 AM Tuesday |
| Surf |
8-foot swells from the S. 15-second period. Water temperature 53°F. Rough |
| Season |
In bloom: Rhododendron macrophyllum, Calypso bulbosa, Clintonia uniflora; Gray Whale, Roosevelt Elk active |
| Harvest |
Fishing: Chinook Salmon (ocean), Pacific Halibut, Rockfish (boat-based), Lingcod (CLOSURE: 2026 Ocean Salmon Seasons Determined); Crabbing: Dungeness Crab (commercial), Dungeness Crab (recreational); Hunting: Wild Turkey (spring); Shellfish: Sea Urchin (red) — check CDFW for current status |
| Wildlife |
Common Gallinule at Humboldt Bay NWR--Salmon Creek Unit; Elegant Tern at Eureka Waterfront--Marina Way; 100 bird species observed this week |
| Field Advice |
Check conditions before heading out |
| Air Quality |
AQI 11 (Good). Primary: PM10 |
| Eel River |
Miranda: 7.6 ft. Scotia: 11.0 ft. Fernbridge: -0.2 ft |
| Mad River |
Arcata: 7.1 ft |
| Mushrooms |
Off-season for wild mushrooms |
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Featured Artist
Add your Artwork →
Matt Beard
Acrylic paintings that follow the light and movement of the surf. A surfer first, Matt Beard paints with the attention of someone who knows what the water is doing.
Many pieces arrive with poems, the two in quiet conversation. You may have seen the work at local events or along the California surf circuit.
View Artist Profile →
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Happenings
Add an Event →
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Featured Event
Wicked Messengers
Dylan, Young, and Garcia, approached without too much reverence. The songs stretch a bit, settle where they like, and occasionally invite participation.
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Tuesday the 5th
Shelter Cove
Shelter Cove Farmers Market — 11:00 AM
Arcata Playhouse
Hanneke Cassel — 7:30 PM [music]
Thursday the 7th
Ink People Center for the Arts
Ink People Life Drawing — 7:00 PM [gallery]
Friday the 8th
Garberville Town Square
Garberville Farmers Market — 11:00 AM
Arcata Plaza
Arts! Arcata — 4:00 PM [gallery]
Sequoia Conference Center
OUTFOXED! The Great Humboldt Trivia Challenge — 6:00 PM [gallery]
Blue Lake Casino & Hotel
Wave Lounge Live Music — 8:00 PM [music]
Savage Henry Comedy Club
Savage Henry Comedy Night — 8:00 PM [gallery]
Humboldt Brews
Wicked Messengers — 8:30 PM [music]
Saturday the 9th
Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary
Arcata Marsh Bird Walk — 8:30 AM
Arcata Marsh Guided Tour — 2:00 PM
Arcata Plaza
Arcata Farmers Market — 9:00 AM
Redwood Raks
Saturday Story Time — 10:30 AM
Sequoia Conference Center
29th Annual Champions for Youth — 5:00 PM [gallery]
Blue Lake Casino & Hotel
Wave Lounge Saturday Music — 8:00 PM [music]
Humboldt Brews
Naive Melodies, Piet Dalmolen Band — 9:00 PM [music]
Sunday the 3rd
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
Forest Walk: Prairie Creek — 2:00 PM
Arcata Veterans Memorial Hall
Humboldt Folk Dancers — 4:00 PM
Humboldt Brews
Open Mic Night — 8:00 PM [music]
Monday the 11th
Miranda
Miranda Farmers Market — 2:00 PM
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A Matter of Local Importance
Within Redwood National Park, which walk makes the strongest case for itself?
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Until next week,
Lady Humboldt |
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Lady Humboldt
A weekly field guide to life on the North Coast
Humboldt County, California
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