Del Norte County is a county in California, United States, on the Pacific coast at the Oregon border. It had a population of 27,743 at the 2020 census and covers 1,230 square miles (3,200 km2) centred near 41°44′N 123°58′W.
Crescent City is the county seat, and its postal code is 95531. The county holds one incorporated city, six census-designated places, and more than a dozen unincorporated communities. Del Norte County observes Pacific time and carries FIPS code 06015.
Towns & Villages in Del Norte County
Crescent City is the only incorporated city and the seat. Six more communities are recognised census-designated places (CDPs) with their own 2020 counts; the rest are unincorporated place names with no separate census figure, marked “Unincorp.” below.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crescent City | City · seat | 6,673 | 95531 |
| Bertsch-Oceanview | CDP | 2,520 | 95531 |
| Klamath | CDP | 1,088 | 95548 |
| Fort Dick | CDP | 912 | 95538 |
| Smith River | CDP | 906 | 95567 |
| Gasquet | CDP | 657 | 95543 |
| Hiouchi | CDP | 314 | 95531 |
| Klamath Glen | Unincorp. | — | 95548 |
| Requa | Unincorp. | — | 95548 |
| Camp Klamath | Unincorp. | — | 95548 |
| False Klamath | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Patrick Creek | Unincorp. | — | 95543 |
| French Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Douglas Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Adams Station | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Darlingtonia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hoppaw | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Idlewild | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pacific Shores | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rockland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tryon Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Yontocket | Unincorp. | — | — |
Klamath, Klamath Glen, Requa and Camp Klamath all cluster around the mouth of the Klamath River and are easy to confuse; Klamath is the CDP proper, Klamath Glen sits a few miles upriver, Requa overlooks the river mouth from the north bank, and Camp Klamath is a small settlement just south of the river crossing.
ZIP Codes
- 95531 — Crescent City (also serves Bertsch-Oceanview and Hiouchi)
- 95548 — Klamath (also serves Klamath Glen, Requa and Camp Klamath)
- 95538 — Fort Dick
- 95567 — Smith River
- 95543 — Gasquet (also serves Patrick Creek)
Smaller unincorporated places such as Adams Station, Darlingtonia and Tryon Corner have no ZIP code of their own and use a neighbouring post office.
Geography
Del Norte County sits at California’s northwestern corner, where coastal redwood forest meets the Klamath Mountains. The Smith River, one of the few major undammed rivers in California, drains the county’s northern half; the Klamath River crosses the southern half on its way to the Pacific. Much of the county lies within Redwood National and State Parks and Six Rivers National Forest.
Del Norte County borders Curry County, Oregon, to the northwest, Josephine County, Oregon, to the northeast, Siskiyou County to the east, and Humboldt County to the south.
Demographics
The county had 27,743 residents at the 2020 census, a population density of about 28 people per square mile of land. Crescent City and Bertsch-Oceanview are the two largest communities, together home to roughly a third of the county. Median household income in Del Norte County runs well below the California median of $95,521, a gap tied to the county’s remoteness and its reliance on public-sector and service jobs.
Economy & Local Life
Pelican Bay State Prison, just north of Crescent City, is one of the county’s largest employers. Commercial fishing, especially Dungeness crab, still works out of Crescent City Harbor, and timber remains active on private and tribal land. Tourism tied to Redwood National and State Parks supports lodging and services along U.S. Route 101. The Yurok Tribe and the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation both hold reservation and rancheria land in the county and are significant local employers and landowners in their own right.
History
Del Norte County was organized on March 2, 1857, carved from Klamath County. Its name is Spanish for “of the north,” describing its position at the top corner of California. Gold mining and logging drove early settlement; Crescent City grew as a shipping port for redwood lumber. On Good Friday, March 27, 1964, a tsunami generated by the Alaska earthquake struck Crescent City, killing 11 people and destroying much of the downtown — one of the most destructive tsunamis ever recorded on the U.S. West Coast.
Getting There
U.S. Route 101 runs the length of the county along the coast, and U.S. Route 199 branches northeast toward Oregon through the Smith River canyon.
- Eureka, California — about 85 miles south
- Grants Pass, Oregon — about 80 miles northeast via US 199
- Brookings, Oregon — about 20 miles north
- Medford, Oregon — about 130 miles northeast
Del Norte County Regional Airport (Jack McNamara Field, CEC) in Crescent City offers limited commercial service; the nearest larger commercial airport is Rogue Valley International–Medford in Oregon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Del Norte County?
It occupies California’s northwestern corner on the Pacific coast, bordered by Oregon to the north.
What is the population of Del Norte County?
27,743 people, at the 2020 census.
How big is Del Norte County?
1,230 square miles (3,200 km2), including about 223 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Del Norte County?
Crescent City, the only incorporated city in the county.
How many towns and communities are in Del Norte County?
One city, six census-designated places and more than a dozen smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Del Norte County?
Mainly 95531 (Crescent City), 95548 (Klamath), 95538 (Fort Dick), 95567 (Smith River) and 95543 (Gasquet).
Why is it called Del Norte County?
Del Norte is Spanish for “of the north,” marking its position at California’s northern tip.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in California.