It was established on June 3, 1947 by U.S. President
Harry S. Truman from portions of
Klamath,
Siskiyou and
Trinity National Forests. It expands over of land with a variety of ecosystems and of
old growth forest. It lies in forestland areas in portions of the four counties of
Del Norte,
Humboldt,
Trinity, and
Siskiyou counties. The forest is named after the
Eel,
Van Duzen,
Klamath,
Trinity,
Mad, and
Smith Rivers, which flows through or near the forest's boundaries. The forest has of wild and scenic rivers, six distinct botanical areas, and public-use areas for camping, hiking, and fishing. The northernmost section of the forest is known as the
Smith River National Recreation Area. Forest headquarters are located in
Eureka, California. There are
ranger district offices in
Bridgeville,
Gasquet,
Orleans, and
Willow Creek. Its old-growth forests include
Coast Douglas-fir (
Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii),
Tanoak (
Notholithocarpus densiflorus),
Pacific madrone (
Arbutus menziesii), and
White Fir (
Abies concolor). == Wilderness areas ==