The first postmaster of Garberville, Jacob Garber, named the town after himself in the late 1800s. Earlier names for the settlement were Dogtown, believed to refer to how dog-tired the early settlers were after erecting the town’s wooden structures, and South Fork, after the South Fork of the nearby Eel River. When a road connecting San Francisco to Eureka was established in the 1920s, it became a favorite stop for motorists. Today, the town is known for its friendly residents, beautiful scenery and is a convenient place to stay while playing in the Avenue of the Giants and the Eel River nearby. There are a number of RV, private, and public campsite spaces in the area. With a vibrant array of shops, motels, services, restaurants, small airport and hospital, the town caters to travelers along Hwy 101, and serves the residents of the surrounding countryside.
North of Garberville travelers will come across Redway, one of the North Coast’s most unique towns. For such a tiny place, with only a population of around 1,200, Redway offers a great diversion on the way up the Avenue of the Giants or Hwy 101. With access from the Garberville Airport, Redway has accommodations, great food and charming shops, along with all the necessities one might find in a much larger town. Redway features one of the oldest, most popular resorts in the area, Dean Creek Resort. It offers motel, RV and camping accommodations along with tons of outdoor entertainment — pool, spa, sauna, mini-golf, volleyball, shuffleboard, horseshoes, an amphitheater and even a game arcade.
Things to Do
- The Garberville “Rodeo in the Redwoods” is held in June on Father’s Day Weekend
- Southern Humboldt Community Park
- Avenue of the Giants to the north
- Richardson Grove State Park to the south
- The historic Benbow Hotel and Resort
- Benbow Valley Golf Course
- Camping, hiking, horseback riding, biking, swimming, rafting, kayaking, fishing
- Campbell Bros. World Famous Confusion Hill to the south
