The Smith River is one of the last major undammed rivers in California, running clear and cold over boulders from the Siskiyou Mountains to the Pacific. The water is famously jade-green in summer — stained by tannins from the redwood forest — and the river is one of the best steelhead and salmon fisheries in the state.
The river is accessible from several points north and east of Crescent City. Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park runs alongside the Smith River Road section, where short walks lead down to swimming holes and fishing spots. For non-anglers, simply walking to the river and watching the water is sufficient — it is one of the more beautiful stretches of river on the California coast.