Benbow State Recreation Area

There is no lake at Benbow. The seasonal summer dam was last installed in 2008, the permanent structure was demolished in 2017, and the South Fork Eel now runs free through the park. State Parks changed the name from Benbow Lake State Recreation Area to Benbow State Recreation Area to match.

Some of the agency's own material hasn't caught up. Its park information subpage still carries the old name, the campground map is dated 2009, and the park page still lists boating with a matching entry in the state boating directory. Those are stale. Any paddling here now is river paddling on a seasonal flow, not flatwater.

Benbow Dam went up between 1931 and 1937 to power Garberville and the valley, and the lake behind it became the draw. Assessment, repair and permitting costs eventually outran what State Parks could carry, and the dam was degrading salmon habitat and river banks. Taking it out reopened an estimated 100 river miles of Coho habitat. Native trees, shrubs and grasses are going back in around the removal site, and river otters work the water — usually chasing each other or hunting.

Camping runs 75 sites across a Lower, Middle and Upper Loop, Memorial Day to Labor Day through ReserveCalifornia, with accessible sites spread across all three at #8, #44, #45 and #65. Bring anything large in from South Benbow Drive; State Parks calls the north approach narrow and hilly. The sanitation dump station has been closed until further notice since at least June 2026.

June and July are the swim months. Harmful algae blooms may appear in the river in late summer, and ingesting algae can hurt young children and pets. Diving isn't permitted and no lifeguards work here. From campsite 57, the Thrap Mill Trail runs 1.2 miles to a historical mill site; the Pioneer Trail reaches the same place in 1.5.