Park

Van Duzen County Park

Carlotta, Humboldt CountyManaged by County of Humboldt, Department of Public Works — County Parks

40.4912, -123.9725

Nearest town: Carlotta
Map status: Verified pin
Visit conditions: Check before travel
Research reviewed: Aug 17, 2026

Field guide

Know before you go

Units: Swimmers Delight (main day use, campground, swimming holes) and Pamplin Grove (group camp, second swimming hole)
Getting there: Highway 101 to Highway 36 south of Fortuna, then about 12 miles east. Pamplin Grove comes up a couple of miles before the main entrance
Hours: Posted at the park; not published online
Day-use fee: Required. Amount not published — posted at the entry; call (707) 445-7651
Camping: Swimmers Delight, first-come first-served, no reservations. Site count not published by the County
Camping fee: Not published by the County
Group camping: Pamplin Grove, reservations at (707) 445-7651, season May 1–Oct 30, seven-day maximum
Campground rules: Quiet hours 10pm–8am, check-out 1pm, fires in provided rings and grills only, 10 mph limit
Dogs: Banned entirely from the Swimmers Delight beach area. Elsewhere, leashes of 10 feet or less; waste sealed and binned
Horses: Prohibited — Van Duzen is named in the county code's list
Bikes: Permitted; 10 mph in campgrounds
Swimming: Two swimming spots at Swimmers Delight beneath sandstone bluffs; a separate hole at Pamplin Grove. Unguarded
Water safety: State Water Board cyanobacteria warnings name the Van Duzen River; highest risk late July to early August
Trails: Six short nature walks, each easy and under a mile (Fortuna Chamber); no official mileage
Fires: Provided rings and grills only; portable barbecues allowed. Fireworks require a Director's permit
Prohibited: Weapons, bows and air guns
Currency note: The county's page still carries an April 2021 shower-closure and group-suspension notice and 2023 season dates — confirm by phone

The place

About Van Duzen County Park

Dogs can't set foot on the beach at Swimmers Delight. Humboldt County Code singles it out: the Swimmers Delight beach area at Van Duzen Park prohibits domestic animals entirely, which is stricter than the ten-foot leash rule that covers the rest of the county's parks. Tourism listings that say "dogs are permitted" without the caveat are the reason people arrive and have to turn around.

Two separate units make up the park, about 12 miles east of Highway 101 on Highway 36. Swimmers Delight is the main one — day use, the campground, the playground and the principal swimming holes, shallow at the near side and deeper under tall sandstone bluffs. Pamplin Grove sits a couple of miles west, so you pass it *before* the main entrance driving in, which is easy to overshoot. It has its own swimming hole and a reservable group camp.

Camping at Swimmers Delight is first-come, first-served with no reservations taken. The county doesn't publish a site count; secondary sources disagree, so don't plan around a number. Quiet hours run 10pm to 8am, check-out is 1pm, fires go in the provided rings and grills, and the speed limit inside the campground is 10 mph. Pamplin Grove's group camp does take reservations, May 1 through October 30, seven nights maximum, at (707) 445-7651.

A day-use fee is charged, unlike most Humboldt beaches. The amount isn't published anywhere retrievable — it's posted at the entry.

One timing problem worth knowing: Swimmers Delight can hit capacity by noon on July and August weekends, and late July through early August is also the peak window for blue-green algae in the Van Duzen.

Same area

Explore nearby

Open the map

State Park (Humboldt Redwoods)Drury-Chaney Loop Trail Redcrest · 4 mi State ParkGrizzly Creek Redwoods State Park Carlotta · 4 mi State Park (Humboldt Redwoods)Rockefeller Forest / Bull Creek Flats Weott · 9 mi Tourist AttractionFounders Grove Weott · 10 mi

Local planning questions

Frequently asked

Are dogs allowed at Van Duzen County Park?

Not on the Swimmers Delight beach — county code prohibits domestic animals there entirely, which is the strictest dog rule in the county park system. Elsewhere in the park, dogs must be leashed on a lead no longer than ten feet and under control at all times, with waste sealed and binned. Some tourism listings say only that dogs are permitted, which misses the beach ban.

Do you need a reservation to camp at Van Duzen County Park?

Not at Swimmers Delight, which is first-come, first-served with no reservations accepted. Pamplin Grove is different: its group campground does require a reservation, runs May 1 through October 30, and caps stays at seven days. Call (707) 445-7651.

How much is the day-use fee at Van Duzen County Park?

Not published. Humboldt County charges day use here, and under county code the fee is owed by the driver of any vehicle and by anyone entering on foot, bike or horse, with the specific amount posted at the park entry. Call (707) 445-7651 for the current figure.

Is it safe to swim in the Van Duzen River?

Usually, but check for blue-green algae first. The State Water Resources Control Board has issued cyanobacteria warnings naming the Van Duzen specifically, and the highest-risk window is late July through early August, when flows are low and temperatures stay high. Avoid visible scums and mats, don't swallow river water, and keep children and dogs away from algal mats — smaller bodies and longer time in the water make them the most vulnerable.

Can you bring horses to Van Duzen County Park?

No. Humboldt County Code expressly lists Van Duzen County Park among the parks where horses are prohibited. For legal equestrian beach riding in the county, Centerville Beach and Clam Beach are the permitted spots.

Official and supporting sources

Research reconciled 2026-08-17. Closures, fees, permits and hours can change.