- North Coast (California)
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North Coast
Redwood EmpireAn arborist next to Del Norte Titan at the Grove of Titans
The North Coast Region of the state of California
Country 
United StatesState 
CaliforniaFor the California wine region, see North Coast AVA.The North Coast of California (also called the Redwood Empire[1] or the Redwood Coast) is a region which commonly includes Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte counties. In other words, the Pacific coast from San Francisco Bay north to the Oregon border.
Contents
Cities
Much of the area is rural, and the only city within the region with a population of over 100,000 is Santa Rosa. Despite their size, many of the region's cities and towns have historical importance to the State and/or regional importance.
County seats
- Del Norte: Crescent City
- Humboldt: Eureka
- Marin: San Rafael
- Mendocino: Ukiah
- Sonoma: Santa Rosa
Geography
The region's Pacific Ocean coast stretches from San Francisco Bay northwards to Humboldt Bay and on to the border of Oregon. The coastline is often inaccessible, and includes rocky cliffs and hills, streams and tide pools. Territory further inland is characterized by rugged, often steep mountains, dissected by rivers and their typically narrow valleys and canyons, and dense redwood, Douglas fir, and oak forests. The climate can range from coast side lands drenched with fog in mild winters and summers to inland reaches baked by hot sunshine on long summer days, which, at higher elevations, can be blanketed with snow in winter.
The southern portion of the North Coast is largely urbanized while the rest is mostly rural. The more remote northern areas are often referred to as the being located "behind the Redwood Curtain."[2] Notable seaside beaches can be found at Marin Headlands and Point Reyes National Seashore in the south, with innumerable examples of remote or less used beaches north of the SF Bay Area.
The grandeur of the redwoods can be experienced from Muir Woods National Monument in the south to Humboldt Redwoods State Park and the Avenue of the Giants in the north. Redwoods are also found in many other State and local parks, most of which are located along Highway 101 throughout the far North Coast. These, along with the region's Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and Redwood National and State Parks, contain more than 45 percent of all remaining old-growth redwoods.
Transportation infrastructure
Major highways
Interstate 580
U.S. Route 101
State Route 1
State Route 37
State Route 131 (Tiburon Boulevard)
State Route 12- State Route 37
State Route 116
State Route 121
State Route 128
U.S. Route 199
State Route 20- State Route 128
State Route 162
State Route 175
State Route 222 (unsigned)
State Route 253
State Route 271
State Route 36
State Route 96
State Route 169
State Route 200 (unsigned)
State Route 211 (maybe unsigned (?))
State Route 254 (Avenue of the Giants - the old U.S. 101)
State Route 255- State Route 271
State Route 283 (the old U.S. 101)
State Route 299- State Route 169
State Route 197
Related regions
Parts of these regions overlap parts of the North Coast:
Regions contained entirely within the North Coast:
The North Coast region is completely contained within:
See also
- California's 1st congressional district
- North Coast AVA
- West coast lumber trade
- South Coast (California)
- Central Coast of California
References
- ^ Rupprecht, Rich (November 6, 2008). "Primed for the Playoffs". The Press Democrat (The New York Times Company). http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20081106/SPORTS/811060219. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
- ^ Flinn, John (May 11, 2003). "Behind the Redwood Curtain: Humboldt a separate world of misty groves, offbeat towns and protected wildlife -- and one wild race". San Francisco Chronicle: p. C-1. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/05/11/TR295518.DTL. Retrieved November 10, 2009.
North Coast Counties Cities and towns
25k-99kCities and towns
10k-25kCities and towns
3k-10kCategories:- Regions of California
- Northern California
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