Spyrock Reserve
Spyrock Reserve is a nature preserve that protects a remote stretch of the Eel River with about five miles of river frontage, primarily accessed by water. Its namesake, Spy Rock, is a 540-foot promontory above the river and a landmark for rafters. It is part of the Eel River Emerald Necklace, a planned chain of connected preserves along the river. The reserve is owned and managed by The Wildlands Conservancy as part of its system of preserves.
Geography
Spyrock Reserve lies in the upper reaches of the Eel River canyon in Mendocino County.Its defining feature is Spy Rock, the prominent promontory that gives its name to both the nearby community and the preserve.
The landscape consists of steep forested slopes and riparian corridors, with access primarily from the river.
A 2019 Press Democrat report noted that the reserve is about 10.5 miles downstream from Dos Rios, a common rafting put-in for multi-day trips on the Eel River.
Flora and fauna
The reserve includes riverine and riparian habitats typical of the Eel River canyon.These support fish populations such as salmon and steelhead trout, together with associated wildlife along the river corridor.
History
The property was acquired in 2005 as part of The Wildlands Conservancy’s Eel River Emerald Necklace initiative.Conservation
Spyrock Reserve anchors the upper segment of the Eel River Emerald Necklace, a landscape-scale conservation effort intended to protect habitat along the river corridor.The preserve safeguards riparian habitat for salmon and steelhead and contributes to wildlife connectivity in the Eel River canyon.
Together with Eel River Canyon Preserve and Emerald Waters Reserve, it is managed as part of a larger block of protected lands by the conservancy.
Recreation
There is no public land access to the preserve.The Eel River provides opportunities for rafting, and the reserve can be viewed from the river corridor.