How to Find Us

Getting here is part of the adventure!

Driving Directions(Please be aware google maps does not show correctly for Heartwood Mountain Sanctuary - The red pin is correct.)

Driving North on Hwy 101, take 1st Garberville exit (Sprowel Creek Road).
Driving South on Hwy 101, take 2nd Garberville exit (Sprowel Creek Road).
Head North towards Redway on Redwood Drive.
Turn right onto Alderpoint Road towards Alderpoint/Harris.
Drive 8 miles, then bear right at the fork onto Bell Springs Road.
Drive 7.8 miles on Bell Springs Road.
Drive 2 more miles on Bell Springs Road.
Turn left onto Island Mountain Road (dirt road) when you get to a fork in the road. Island Mountain Road goes up hill at the fork, while Bell Springs Road continues straight and goes down hill.
Drive 4 miles on Island Mountain Road.
Bear left onto Lauffer Road.
Drive past the first turn off on your right. Keep going until you see the large parking lot on your right. Turn right at the wooden Heartwood sign into the parking lot.
Please drive through the open gate at the far side of the parking lot and follow the signs to the Welcome Center to check in.
20 miles will take approximately one hour as these are mountain roads.”

The Journey to Heartwood

Heartwood is located 200 miles North of San Francisco Bay in wild and remote Humboldt County, California. A secluded destination, we are a 1-hour drive outside of the town of Garberville over a steep and windy country road. Detailed driving directions are provided below. Take your time to get here, enjoy the drive and be safe!

With flights from LA, Sacramento, Medford, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Seattle, Arcata airport (ACV) is the closest airport to Heartwood, approximately a 2 hour drive from the campus.

Other airports within a 5 hour drive are SFO, OAK, STS, and SMF. All of these airports are south of Heartwood.

From Hwy 101
There are two turns off Hwy 101 to reach us. Alderpoint Rd out of Garberville is the more commonly used route. Bell Springs Rd is also a scenic option, weather permitting.

From Interstate 5
If coming from the north use Highways 199S, 299S, or 36W to get to Hwy 101. If coming from the south use Highways 580W, or 20W to get to 101.

Amtrak buses run through Garberville but are only an option for those riding the train. Check for More information.

A public bus runs to and from Arcata, Check for More information.

Due to the rugged and often unpredictable conditions of the access road, combined with our remote location, we do not recommend bicycling to Heartwood Mountain Sanctuary.

The route includes uneven surfaces, limited maintenance, and stretches that can be challenging to navigate safely on a bicycle. In addition, vehicle traffic on narrow sections of the road can create safety concerns for cyclists.

Heartwood Shuttle

We will pick your group up in style! The Heartwood Shuttle is a 4x4 all-season passenger van built to handle our rugged country roads and can comfortably transport up to 11 passengers with luggage. Pickup locations include Garberville, Arcata-Eureka Airport and our Hartsook campus along Hwy 101 (which offers free parking during your stay at Heartwood). Minimum group 3 passengers. Please inquire for pricing and reservations. The Heartwood Shuttle is also now available for group field trips!