Hey friends, Fall in Trinidad is the season we wait all year for. The crowds thin out, the air smells like wet earth and woodsmoke, and everything slows down in the best way. This is when our forest trails come alive with mushrooms, the beaches feel like your own private retreat, and local traditions wrap around you like your favorite sweater.
1. Mushroom Season: Foraging & Forest Wanders
Fall is mushroom time—full stop. After the first real rains, the woods start whispering. You’ll smell it before you see it—spicy, damp, alive.
If you know what you’re doing (or go with a guide), Trinidad’s forests offer up chanterelles, hedgehogs, black trumpets, and sometimes even the elusive matsutake. Not into picking? Just walking the trails this time of year is its own reward.
Top spots to wander:
- Around Patrick’s Point (Sue-meg) State Park – Look along ferny paths under spruce.
- Prairie Creek Redwoods, Cal Barrel Road – Quiet, magical, and mushroom-rich.
- Little River Trail – Under-the-radar and full of surprises.
Bring: a knife, a brush, a mesh basket (never plastic), waterproof boots, and layers.
2. Traditions That Ground Us
Fall brings some of the most heartfelt gatherings of the year:
- Blessing of the Fleet (Thanksgiving morning): Locals meet at the Memorial Lighthouse overlook to honor our fishermen, past and present. If you’re new—come, listen, hold the silence with us.
- Humboldt Mushroom Fair (late November, Arcata): Hosted by the mycology society, it’s a fungi-lovers dream—dozens of species on display, cooking demos, and mushroom-dyed everything.
3. Fog Walks & Mossy Moments
Fall hikes feel like you’re walking inside a fairy tale.
- Trinidad Head Trail: A local classic. Watch for whales offshore if it’s clear.
- Trillium Falls Trail: Ferns, waterfalls, mushrooms galore, and trees that have stood for centuries.
- Lady Bird Johnson Grove: High up and hauntingly quiet—especially in the mist.
- Harry Merlo Lagoon Trail: Short, sweet, and perfect if you need a reset but don’t have all day.
Pro tip: Walk slow. This is forest therapy without the brochure.
4. Harvest Bites & Cozy Stops
Fall flavors hit different when the air gets cool.
- Larrupin’ Café: Their mushroom soup tastes like the woods after rain. And don’t skip the sauces—they’re famous for a reason.
- Beachcomber Café: Pumpkin spice lattes made with actual roasted squash and house-made syrup. Order one and sit outside.
- Murphy’s Market: Dungeness crab season kicks off in late fall—grab one fresh, plus local bread and butter for a next-level cabin dinner.
You’ll also start seeing craft fairs pop up—especially around Trinidad Town Hall and the school gym. Great places to snag redwood ornaments, wildflower honey, and soaps that smell like the forest floor.
5. The Feel of the Season
Fall in Trinidad doesn’t need to announce itself. It just drifts in—with the fog, with the rain, with the sound of waves pounding a little harder on the rocks.
This is a season for letting go. For gathering mushrooms, stories, and the last light before winter really sets in. It’s when the town gets quieter and truer. If you want to see Trinidad’s soul—this is when she shows it.
Next up in this series: Winter on the North Coast: Storm Watching, Whale Spouts & Fireside Moments.
Stay wild and warm,
Lisa & Taylor
Camp Trinidad
