Smith River, California

About Smith River

Smith River, CA is a small unincorporated community located in northwestern California.

Officially, Smith River is a census-designated place — a real, named community that residents call home, governed at the county level. The community covers 4.42 square miles.

📰 Smith River News Today

• 50 gallons of diesel spills near Smith River, cleanup underway KRCR · Apr 1
• Easter Lily Bulb farming on Smith River Estuary Sierra Club · Mar 3
• Smith River U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (.gov) · Jun 4
• California's love for one flower is poisoning the state's last wild river SFGATE · Oct 19
• All Eyes on the Smith as Storms Limit Winter Steelhead Options Fishing the North Coast with Kenny Priest · Dec 19

Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.

What Makes Smith River Unique

• The only place in America named Smith River — a truly one-of-a-kind name among 32,000+ US communities.
• An unincorporated community — no city hall of its own, which often means lower local taxes and county-managed services.
• Positioned in northwestern California, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.

Why People Love It Here

• Quiet streets and a slower rhythm — the kind of place people move to on purpose.
• Housing dollars stretch further here than in the nearest metro.
• Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 10 miles.

🍽️ Where to Eat in Smith River

• Alta's Burger Bar
• Lolitas

Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Smith River

• Clifford Kamph Memorial Park reviews ★
• Kamph Memorial Park reviews ★

Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.

🏫 Schools in Smith River

• Smith River Elementary

Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.

⚡ Quick Facts

🗺️ Map of Smith River

🏘️ Nearby Communities