The South Fork Eel River, a river in the northern part of the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, rises near Laytonville

Laytonville, California

Laytonville is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California, United States. Laytonville, is located north-northwest of Willits, at an elevation of 1670 feet...

 and flows about 105 miles (169 km) in a northerly direction to its confluence with the Eel River

Eel River (California)

The Eel River is a major river system of the northern Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. Approximately 200 miles long, it drains a rugged area in the California Coast Ranges between the Sacramento Valley and the ocean. For most of its course, the river flows northwest, parallel to the...

 near Weott

Weott, California

Weott is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located 375 km north of San Francisco, California and 40 km due west of the Pacific Ocean. Lower Weott is situated at an elevation of 100m along the Avenue of the Giants and in the flood plain of the South Fork of...

. Some major tributares of the mostly free-flowing river include Tenmile Creek, the East Branch South Fork Eel River

East Branch South Fork Eel River

The East Branch South Fork Eel River, a tributary of the South Fork Eel River, is formed by the confluence of Cruso Cabir Creek and Elkhorn Creek, in Mendocino County in the U.S. state of California. The river is roughly long, meandering west to its confluence with the South Fork Eel at Benbow...

 near Benbow

Benbow, California

Benbow is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California, located beside the South Fork Eel River. It is located south-southeast of Garberville, at an elevation of 440 feet . Its population was 321 at the 2010 census.-History:...

, and Hollow Tree Creek. The river drains 689 mi2 and is said to be the primary river supporting coho salmon

Coho salmon

The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...

 in the state.

This list of crossings of the river proceeds from mouth to its headwaters. Thirty-five bridges are listed, including on the South Fork and on a large tributary, Tenmile Creek. (The East Branch South Fork Eel River

East Branch South Fork Eel River

The East Branch South Fork Eel River, a tributary of the South Fork Eel River, is formed by the confluence of Cruso Cabir Creek and Elkhorn Creek, in Mendocino County in the U.S. state of California. The river is roughly long, meandering west to its confluence with the South Fork Eel at Benbow...

, though larger, is by far less developed than Tenmile, so it is not listed.)

Mainstem

Road or railway	Description	Coordinates
California State Route 254 California State Route 254 The Avenue of the Giants is a scenic highway in Northern California, U.S.A., running through Humboldt Redwoods State Park. It is an old alignment of U.S. Route 101, and continues to be maintained by the state as State Route 254.-Route description:...  (1)	Also called "Avenue of the Giants". The road crosses just upstream of the Eel River confluence, inside Humboldt Redwoods State Park Humboldt Redwoods State Park Humboldt Redwoods State Park is located south of Eureka, California in southern Humboldt County, within northern California. Established by the Save-the-Redwoods League in 1921 with the dedication of the Raynal Bolling Memorial Grove, it has grown to become the third largest park in the California... .	40.2116°N 123.5532°W
U.S. Highway 101 (1)	Also "Redwood Highway", Highway 101 crosses just upstream of SR 211 and then parallels the river for much of its length.	40.2115°N 123.5535°W
U.S. Highway 101 (2)	Crosses just east of the town of Myers Flat Myers Flat, California Myers Flat is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located south-southeast of Weott, at an elevation of 203 feet . The ZIP Code is 95554... , just upstream of the Kerr Creek confluence.	40.1558°N 123.5206°W
Maple Hills Road	Crosses on a concrete beam bridge south (upstream) of Miranda Miranda, California Miranda is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located northwest of Phillipsville, at an elevation of 351 feet . The ZIP Code is 95553. The population was 520 at the 2010 census.... , connecting Highway 101 with SR 254 (which are now on opposite sides of the river).	40.1305°N 123.4900°W
U.S. Highway 101 (3)	Crosses about 1 miles (1.6 km) south (upstream) of Phillipsville Phillipsville, California Phillipsville is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located on the South Fork of the Eel River north of Garberville, at an elevation of 289 feet . It is the southernmost town on the Avenue of the Giants. Near the town is the Chimney Tree... , also crossing over SR 254.	40.1057°N 123.4634°W
Wood Ranch Road	Branches west off Redwood Drive and crosses the river about 1 miles (1.6 km) downstream of Redway Redway, California Redway is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California, United States. Redway is located northwest of Garberville, at an elevation of 538 feet... .	40.0822°N 123.4852°W
Briceland Thorn Road	Leads west from the town of Redway along Redwood Creek, a tributary of the South Fork Eel River.	40.0720°N 123.5011°W
Bear Canyon Road	Crosses the South Fork on a three-span beam bridge 1.5 miles (2.4 km) upstream from Redway, very near the mouth of Bear Canyon Creek (hence the name).	40.0626°N 123.4750°W
Sproul Creek Road	About 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) south (upstream) of Garberville Garberville, California Garberville is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located on the South Fork of the Eel River south-southeast of Eureka, at an elevation of 535 feet . The population was 913 at the 2010 United States Census...  the road connects the east bank with the west bank which has the Garberville Airport Garberville Airport Garberville Airport is a public airport located two miles southwest of the central business district of Garberville, a town in Humboldt County, California, USA. The airport covers and has one runway.... .	40.0526°N 123.4756°W
Twin Trees Road	Crosses via a ford 2 miles (3.2 km) upstream of Garberville, near a meander Meander A meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...  in the South Fork Eel River.	40.0338°N 123.4925°W
U.S. Highway 101 (4)	Crosses Benbow Lake (a reservoir on the South Fork), inside the Benbow Lake State Recreation Area Benbow Lake State Recreation Area Benbow Lake State Recreation Area is a state park unit of California, USA, established around a reservoir on the South Fork Eel River. It is located in Humboldt County south of Garberville on U.S. Route 101.... , directly south of the town of Benbow Benbow, California Benbow is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California, located beside the South Fork Eel River. It is located south-southeast of Garberville, at an elevation of 440 feet . Its population was 321 at the 2010 census.-History:...  and near the confluence with the East Branch South Fork Eel River East Branch South Fork Eel River The East Branch South Fork Eel River, a tributary of the South Fork Eel River, is formed by the confluence of Cruso Cabir Creek and Elkhorn Creek, in Mendocino County in the U.S. state of California. The river is roughly long, meandering west to its confluence with the South Fork Eel at Benbow... .	40.0345°N 123.4701°W
Benbow Drive	Crosses the river about 1.3 miles (2.1 km) south of Benbow and just north of Richardson Grove State Park Richardson Grove State Park Richardson Grove State Park is located at the southernmost border of Humboldt County, south of Eureka, California, United States, and north of San Francisco. The year-round park, which has approximately , straddles US 101, causing the narrowest point of its entire distance. Local residents refer... .	40.0202°N 123.4636°W
U.S. Highway 101 (5)	Crosses nearly directly atop the Benbow Drive bridge, just a little bit upstream from it.	40.0201°N 123.4636°W
Access Road	The access road for Richardson Grove State Park crosses the river on a single-land bridge, upstream from the confluence with Durphy Creek.	40.0105°N 123.4725°W
Unnamed Road	Access road, likely to a gravel mining operation. Crosses the South Fork 2 miles (3.2 km) downstream of Andersonia Andersonia, California Andersonia is an unincorporated community in Mendocino County, California. It is located on the South Fork of the Eel River north-northwest of Piercy, at an elevation of 541 feet .- History :...  and just upstream of Richardson Grove State Park, on the west side of a sharp southward meander.	40.0025°N 123.4648°W
Unnamed Road	Road crossing the river on the east side of that meander, leading to the ridge between Rancheria and Low Gap creeks.	40.0015°N 123.4640°W
U.S. Highway 101 (6)	Crosses just downstream of the previously described meander.	39.5959°N 123.4708°W
California State Route 271 California State Route 271 State Route 271 is a state highway in northern California, USA. It is a former routing of U.S. Route 101 , now reduced to being a frontage road for that route in discontiguous segments. It also connects with Route 1 just before that route's terminus with US 101 in Leggett...  (1)	Crosses on a truss bridge directly upstream of the Highway 101 crossing.	40.0003°N 123.4715°W
Dimmick Road	Crosses via a ford just north of Andersonia Andersonia, California Andersonia is an unincorporated community in Mendocino County, California. It is located on the South Fork of the Eel River north-northwest of Piercy, at an elevation of 541 feet .- History :... , near the Indian Creek confluence.	39.5838°N 123.4816°W
Confusion Hill Bridges Confusion Hill Bridges The Confusion Hill Bridges are a pair of high bridges carrying two lanes of U.S. Highway 101 over the South Fork Eel River in Mendocino County in the U.S. state of California...  (under construction)	This is a set of two bridges that reroutes Highway 101 away from a landslide area on the east bank of the river.
U.S. Highway 101 (7)	Crosses a few hundred yards downstream of the McCoy Creek confluence, shortly west-southwest of the city of Piercy Piercy, California Piercy is an unincorporated community in Mendocino County, California. It is located on the South Fork of the Eel River north-northwest of Leggett, at an elevation of 794 feet .... .	39.5731°N 123.4654°W
U.S. Highway 101 (8)	Crosses just above the McCoy Creek confluence, just south of the previously described crossing.	39.5725°N 123.4650°W
Access Road	The access road for Standish Hickey State Recreation Area crosses the river just downstream of the Rock Creek confluence. It crosses the river on a low-water bridge that may be inundated during floods.	39.5231°N 123.4333°W
California State Route 1 California State Route 1 State Route 1 , more often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along much of the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. It is famous for running along some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, leading to its designation as an All-American Road.Highway 1 does not run...	California State Route 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) drops into the South Fork Eel River canyon in conjunction with California State Route 208, crossing the river on a single-span truss bridge.	39.5150°N 123.4321°W
Branscomb Road	Crosses the South Fork just above the confluence of another Redwood Creek and below the confluence of a Rock Creek.	39.4054°N 123.3901°W

Tenmile Creek

Tenmile Creek begins east of Laytonville

Laytonville, California

Laytonville is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California, United States. Laytonville, is located north-northwest of Willits, at an elevation of 1670 feet...

 and flows west then north along Highway 101, then turns to the west, cutting through a narrow rocky gorge before emptying into the South Fork Eel River about 9 miles (14.5 km) downstream of Branscomb

Branscomb, California

Branscomb is an unincorporated community in Mendocino County in the U.S. state California. It is located west-southwest of Laytonville, at an elevation of 1565 feet , on a river terrace to the east of the South Fork Eel River....

. The creek is about 21 miles (33.8 km) long, although its name suggests otherwise.

Road or railway	Description	Coordinates
Unnamed Road	The creek is crossed by an unnamed road near the outlet of Steep Gulch, about 5 miles (8 km) north-northwest of Laytonville. The road crosses the creek on a one-lane bridge.	39.4536°N 123.3231°W
Valley Drive (1)	Crosses about 0.75 miles (1.2 km) above previous described bridge.	39.4456°N 123.3159°W
Valley Drive (2)	Valley Drive crosses Tenmile Creek for the second time, about 1 miles (1.6 km) upstream from its first crossing. This is just upstream from the Stapp Creek confluence and about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) north of Laytonville.	39.4344°N 123.3037°W
Tenmile Creek Road (1)	This bridge is situated between two low ridges about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Laytonville.	39.4257°N 123.3021°W
Tenmile Creek Road (2)	The road crosses again about 0.4 mile (0.643736 km) upstream of the first crossing.	39.4223°N 123.3018°W
Branscomb Road	About 0.6 mile (0.965604 km) north of Laytonville and a few hundred yards upstream of the confluence with Little Case Creek.	39.4116°N 123.2932°W
Unnamed Road	The creek is crossed by the bridge of an access road to private property, just east-southeast of Laytonville.	39.4027°N 123.2902°W
Unnamed Road	Just upstream of the previous crossing the creek is crossed again by an access road to private property, just east of U.S. Highway 101.	39.4020°N 123.2859°W
Steele Lane	About 2 miles (3.2 km) south-southeast of Laytonville, and 0.2 mile (0.321868 km) west of Highway 101, at the confluence of Tenmile Creek and an unnamed tributary.	39.3905°N 123.2900°W
U.S. Highway 101	Just upstream of the Steele Lane bridge, downstream of the spot where Tenmile Creek turns northwards from its southwest-heading journey from its headwaters.	39.3849°N 123.2834°W
Davidson Road	Most probably a dry crossing.	39.3904°N 123.2803°W