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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Mad River
One day is enough: drive from nearby towns, see the river and surrounding forest, then return.
Mad River is a tiny community in Trinity County, California, best reached by car on Highway 36. Its attractions are limited to the river, nearby trails and the local eatery, so a single day visit from a nearby base (Hayfork or Redding) is sufficient.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (cold, possible road closures)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–90 excl. bed · Mid $90–150 excl. bed · High $150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Meal at The Burger Bar | $20–30 |
| Gas (per gallon) | $4.50–5.50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- RDD · Redding Regional Airport
- Nearest commercial airport; about 1 h 15 min by car via Highway 36 and I-5 (check)
- ACV · California Redwood Coast–Humboldt County Airport, Arcata
- About 2 h by car via US-101 and Highway 36 (check)
- SMF · Sacramento International Airport
- About 3 h 30 min by car via I-5 and Highway 36 (check)
Typical fares
- Hayfork → Mad River (car)
- about 5 km (3.1 mi), roughly $5–7 of fuelabout 3.1 mi (5 km), roughly $5–7 of fuel
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Car is essential; Highway 36 connects US‑101 (west) and I‑5 (east). No public transport.
See and do
Known for
- Mad River
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hayfork | Drive west on Highway 36, about 5 km (3.1 mi)Drive west on Highway 36, about 3.1 mi (5 km) | ≈10 min |
| Red Bluff | Drive east on Highway 36 to I‑5, then south, about 30 km (19 mi)Drive east on Highway 36 to I‑5, then south, about 19 mi (30 km) | ≈35 min |
Sleep
- Hayfork
- Closest town with motels and B&Bs, about 5 km (3.1 mi) east on Highway 36 (check availability).Closest town with motels and B&Bs, about 3.1 mi (5 km) east on Highway 36 (check availability).
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the river? | Where is the river? |
| How much is a meal? | How much is a meal? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Roads can be icy in winter; check conditions before travel.
- Limited services in Mad River; bring food and water.
Generally safe; main risks are remote location, limited cell coverage and winter road conditions.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Mad River yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Mad River
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Trinity County, California — visitor information: www.trinitycounty.org/
- Wikivoyage: Mad River, revision 4761253 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4761253
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Mad River
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No consulates here; the nearest are in San Francisco. US travellers: 911 for emergencies.
Cell coverage is patchy along Highway 36; download offline maps before you drive.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/mad-river). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.