Mad River, California

About Mad River

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

Mad River holds the status of a census-designated place — a real, named community that residents call home, governed at the county level. The community covers 35.19 square miles.

📰 Mad River News Today

• Current Fishing Reports Fishing the North Coast with Kenny Priest · Aug 13
• (UPDATE) Dead Humpback Whale Found on Mad River Beach Lost Coast Outpost · Jul 3
• Mad River Mass Timber Brings New Jobs to Humboldt's Beleaguered Timber Industry Redwood News · Jun 24
• CDFW News | CDFW to End Hatchery Operations at Mad River Fish Hatchery in Humboldt County California Department of Fish and Wildlife (.gov) · May 2
• Katy Grannan’s ‘Mad River’ captures Humboldt County’s untamed spirit sfchronicle.com · Sep 25

Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.

What Makes Mad River Unique

• The only place in America named Mad 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.
• Cost of living typically runs below the big-metro average.
• Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 14 miles.

🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Mad River

• Mount Lassic Wilderness · Nature reserve reviews ★

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

🏫 Schools in Mad River

• Mt. Lassic High (Continuation)
• Southern Trinity High
• Van Duzen Elementary

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

⚡ Quick Facts

🗺️ Map of Mad River

🏘️ Nearby Communities