By:
Submission
Really pretty area with some great trails. The Hickey Campground was definitely loud and the bathrooms/showers were gnarly the whole weekend we were there, so I questioned their overall cleanliness. The park staff were helpful and the knew the area very well, they were really great. The camps were mostly cleaned but we had to empty some of the ash from the fire pit as it was almost halfway full in the metal ring. The parks campgrounds and facilities just felt dirty, but the trails were beautiful and clean. You can hear cars zooming by on 101 all day and night which is pretty obnoxious. Get a site away from the road, bring extra toilet paper, and wear shower sandals!
Quickly stopped by here while driving down the 101 and was surprised by just how beautiful the area is. There's quite a bit offered here, including three fairly large campgrounds, some hiking trails, and swimming in the river that runs through the area. I would highly recommend at least stopping by and spending some of the day here if you're not wanting to stay longer to camp.
My wife and I camped for 2 nights at Rock Creek campground. While it has potential to be a really cool place, it seems in disrepair in my opinion. I will say the restroom facilities and staff were great though. But on to the negative. Redwood camp, which seems to be the most convenient for distance to recreation and more seclusion, has been closed as there is no longer a bridge to get there, so you're left with the two other camps to the north, Rock Creek and Hickey, which are really close to hwy 101 (our camp was probably 60') and quite the downhill trek to get to the river for some recreation. The sound of Harleys and big rigs kinda dampens the getting away from the traffic experience of camping. Additionally, the trails are in disrepair and require crossing the river to get there. Mill Creek Falls trail, for example, is permanently closed. I hiked up to Standish Tree and back real quick, but could tell the trail was hardly ever used. I will say we made the best of it (the swimming area is 👍), but the traffic noise, and difficulty getting down to the river and the trails made the experience just OK. So if you're looking for seclusion and relaxing recreation, you may wanna look elsewhere. I really hope they get the place up to snuff. I'd love to camp down at Redwood camp and give it another go in the future.
Standish-Hickey is a small park with tons of campsites for tents, RVs, trailers, and adventure vans. It has showers, very clean bathroom facilities, ample water spigots, and tons of receptacles for waste disposal. It is an ideal spot for families looking for something easy right off Highway 101. Just be sure to bring earplugs for sleeping, because you will hear highway traffic.
I stopped on a whim and am extremely glad I did. The staff was very nice and very friendly, the sites are huge and clean. There are big open spaces and great hikes. I came during the blue-green algae bloom so no swimming for me or the dog, but it was still absolutely beautiful. I'll definitely be back.
