Follow the 2021 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree

Crescent City is a destination for adventurers and sightseers on California’s North Coast Where Nature Outnumbers People. Crescent City, California sits between the mighty Pacific Ocean, ancient California redwood forests and tribal lands, and two wild rivers. Discover our gateway to the Redwood National and State Parks, sprawling beaches, craggy overlooks, stunning trails, local art, rich history, and welcoming events all packed into one spirited place. There’s a feeling in our salt air. It’s a feeling hard to describe. But when you arrive, you’ll feel it. And you might hear it. It’s calm. It’s quiet. And it’s as if someone or something is whispering “stay”.

As the county seat of world-famous Humboldt County, California, The City of Eureka (Pop. 27k) is the heart of the US Redwood Coast. Eureka is the market and cultural center of a beautiful region filled with iconic redwoods, the world’s tallest trees, and stunningly beautiful, rugged, and remote ocean landscapes. Eureka is the largest coastal city between San Francisco and Portland and a frequent stopover point for road trippers exploring the Pacific Northwest. Culturally protected by the ‘redwood curtain,’ the city is most famous for its unique Victorian architecture, one-of-a-kind shops and artisanal businesses, and its rich, authentic history.

Willow Creek is a small, rugged mountain community nestled in the heart of the Six Rivers National Forest alongside the beautiful Trinity River. This unique mountain town offers some of the best recreation in Humboldt County! You can take an adventurous white water rafting trip, kayak, tube, and swim in the rivers. Visitors also enjoy hiking our picturesque wilderness trails, camping and fishing alongside the Trinity River, our bountiful local farmers market, touring craft cannabis farms, or searching for Bigfoot! Willow Creek, river fun in the mountain sun!

Fortuna, California, is nestled inside Humboldt County which boasts a scenic 110-mile coastline, more than 160,000 acres of majestic redwoods, and an unspoiled terrain of valleys and rolling hills. Fortuna is just miles away from the Pacific Ocean and offers all the amenities of a large town with the friendliness of a small community.

Nestled between rolling hills and lush vineyards, Ukiah, CA is the city center and heartbeat of scenic Mendocino County. Ukiah and the surrounding communities embody small town charm - welcoming and quaint with residents full of stories and big hearts. To discover Ukiah is to reconnect to a time when people lingered longer, smiled easily, and would lend a hand for a neighbor. Hosting the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree brings together the young and old alike around the simplicity of a timeless symbol to share a moment and make lasting memories.

Vallejo is a Bay Area city that combines a beautiful waterfront with an historic downtown core. It has big city’s resourcefulness with a small-town charm. Vallejo is home to 3 colleges, an abundance of recreational opportunities, Six Flag Marine World, 38 parks, and 3 golf courses. It has also been ranked first among mid-sized cities in the entire country for entrepreneurs. Vallejo is one of nations of most diverse communities that enhances the legacy and spirit of everyday people.

The City of Dixon is excited to welcome the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree to Solano County! Incorporated in 1878, the City of Dixon is home to a historic downtown and the Dixon May Fair, the oldest district fair in the state of California. The City is known to many as “Lambtown USA” and has a history rooted in agriculture. Today, Dixon continues to grow and provides a small-town feel while retaining access to the incredible amenities available throughout Northern and Central California.

Sacramento, capital of the U.S. state of California, lies at the confluence of the Sacramento River and American River. The California State Capitol is the seat of the Government of California, located in Sacramento, the state capital of California. The building houses the chambers of the California State Legislature, made up of the Assembly and the Senate, along with the office of the governor of California.

Tuolumne County, established as one of California’s original 27 counties in 1850, is the is home to historic gold mining towns, world-renowned Yosemite National Park, Columbia State Historic Park, Railtown 1897 State Historic Park, the High Sierra for fabulous year-round outdoor recreation and numerous gourmet restaurants breweries and wineries. Find out more about our hometown reception for the US Capitol Christmas Tree by visiting either one of these websites:

Mariposa is the County seat of Mariposa County. The Mariposa County Courthouse was built in 1854, making it the oldest courthouse in the state of California and the oldest one west of the Rocky Mountains that is still being used. Mariposa is a tourist based economy sitting just outside the West and South entrance’s to Yosemite National Park. Mariposa’s name is Spanish for "butterfly", after the flocks of monarchs seen overwintering there by early explorers.

The Rose Bowl Stadium is the proud home of the Tournament of Roses’ Rose Bowl Game, UCLA Bruins football, AmericaFest Fourth of July Celebration, concerts including Kenny Chesney, Coldplay, Taylor Swift, and U2, international and Premier League soccer matches, and the World’s Largest Flea Market. A National Historic Landmark built in 1922 and known around the world, the Rose Bowl Stadium has earned its world-class reputation by hosting five NFL Super Bowl games, the 1984 Olympic Soccer matches, the 1994 Men’s World Cup, the 1999 Women’s World Cup, four BCS National College Football Championship Games and the College Football Playoff Semi-Final game.

Nestled in the heart of the Inland Empire in San Bernardino County, the City of Redlands was incorporated in 1888 and quickly became a destination spot as a winter home for visitors from the East Coast. The City was named after the color of the region's adobe soil, and is a “big town” with a “small town” feel. Called the “Jewel of the Inland Empire” and known historically as the “Washington Navel Growing Capital of the World”, Redlands is famous for its Victorian architecture which includes the Morey Mansion, Edwards Mansion, and Kimberly Crest House and Gardens. Once part of the territory that belonged to the Morongo and Agua Caliente tribes, today, Redlands is a modern City that is 36 square miles and has over 70,000 residents. Redlands features a family friendly environment where visitors and residents can enjoy the 14 public parks, shop at boutiques along the tree-lined State Street in downtown Redlands, enjoy the summer concerts at the Redlands Bowl, and annual events such as the Redlands Bicycle Classic. The City is home to the University of Redlands.

Cherished for its roadside Americana charm, Holbrook sits within the Painted Desert, a remarkable area of rocky badlands that stretches from the Grand Canyon to the Navajo Nation. It’s one of Arizona’s most dazzling and lonesome landscapes, with layered bands that change color seemingly every hour.

Petrified Forest National Park is in northeastern Arizona. In its south, the Rainbow Forest is full of colorful petrified wood. It’s home to the Rainbow Forest Museum, with its paleontology exhibits and many trail access points. In the park's center are the petroglyphs of Newspaper Rock and the ruined village of Puerco Pueblo. To the north, the Painted Desert Inn, a 1930s adobe building, is a museum with Hopi murals.

The NM Veterans Memorial is a memorial & museum located near Kirtland Air Force Base. Facilities include visitors center, museum, outdoor amphitheater & memorial rose garden, and evoke memories for all veterans - from the moment of their decision to serve until their return home. The Tree will take part in a special Veterans Day celebration.

Fayetteville, Arkansas, offers guests a multitude of experiences. Here, culture and nature meet, and free spirits thrive. It’s rich in arts, history and entertainment. Nestled in the Ozark Mountains, Fayetteville is a nature-lover’s dream. The vibrant local culture gives this community its flavor, and there’s always something exciting happening.

Bass Pro Shops is a longtime partner of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree initiative in support of its mission of inspiring people to enjoy & protect the great outdoors. The original Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World location in our hometown of Springfield, Mo. is affectionately known as The Grandaddy of All Outdoor Stores®. This massive outdoor-themed experience is the number one tourist destination in Missouri attracting four million families, sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts every year. Boasting nearly 500,000 square-feet of immersive shopping fun, the Grandaddy offers visitors with one of the largest assortments of outdoor gear, apparel and gifts under one roof.

The Town of Williamsport has been captivating those who visit for centuries with its beautiful landscapes, rich history, and quaint downtown community. Almost from its inception in 1787 Williamsport has attracted those seeking respite from the hustle and bustle of city life. For those looking to enjoy outdoor activities Canal Town hosts a variety of events and experiences year-round. Popular events you might enjoy include welcoming the New Year by plunging into the Potomac River, exploring our scandalous past on haunted ghost walks, or finding the holiday spirit when the whole town turns into a Canal Town Christmas with a celebration of trees hosted at the historic Springfield Barn. Its easy to see why this charming community was even once considered as a location for the Nation’s Capital by President George Washington.

A special place harboring many rare plants and communities, this “crown jewel” of the botanical areas contains a majority of the North Fork’s pristine watershed. The North Fork and all its tributaries dissect the rugged landscape that contributes to the diversity found in this area. Jeffrey pine woodlands occupy the ridges along with fire-adapted lodgepole and knobcone pine stands. Along the drainages, ribbons of the lacey Port Orford cedar and western azalea add a delicate touch to the landscape. Most of the area is underlain by serpentine soils that are high in metals, low in nutrients, and therefore toxic to most plants. Those plants that thrive in these soils have developed certain adaptations to be able to cope with this seemingly harsh environment. Many of the rare plants in this national forest find a home on these serpentine sites.

Sculpted Jeffrey pines, commanding views of the snow-capped Trinity Alps to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, and remnants of early copper mining activities paint the picture of Horse Mountain. The forests are very open and tree growth is stunted due to the very harsh growing conditions characteristic of serpentine soils. The lush Port Orford cedar communities offer a dramatic contrast to the otherwise stark nature of this landscape. During spring, delicate fawn lilies emerge while the succulent stonecrops and mat-forming evergreen appear in the heart of the summer on harsh, rocky sites common throughout the area.

This area offers a view of numerous prominent peaks: Broken Rib Mountain, Wounded Knee Mountain, Haystack Peak and Sanger Peak. The southern border is adjacent to the Siskiyou Wilderness that is adjacent to the northeastern border of the Bear Basin Butte Botanical Area. The location of these areas to one another creates a continuous coniferous forest that contains an unusually high concentration of conifer species. Why plants are where they are in Broken Rib is determined primarily by different underlying geology and the pattern of wildfire. Given the complex pattern of geology and disturbance, one can see many groupings of plants or plant communities, such as red fir and Jeffrey pine.

Atop Bear Basin Butte one can see for miles in all directions. Bound by rivers and wilderness, it is known for its richness of conifers. Red fir, Jeffrey pine, mountain hemlock, white fir and Douglas fir are just a few of the fourteen conifer species within the botanical area. Of special note is the presence of Brewer’s spruce and Alaska yellow cedar, both conifer relics from a time when these species were more widespread. Wildflowers enrich the open meadows and rock faces with color: the pink lewisias, golden lilies and cream-colored lady’s slippers. Port Orford cedar and western azalea follow the path of the numerous streams that pass through the area.

From a distance, Black Lassic, standing at 5,900 feet in elevation, looks like an extinct volcano, but it is actually composed of fragments of black mudstone and sandstone. Black Lassic peak is one of the many dramatic features of this botanical area. The distinctive geology contributes to its moonscape appearance. Given the distinct combination of geologic material found in the area, the Lassics are also designated as a Geologic Area. The Lassics are characterized by Jeffrey pine woodland, chaparral vegetation, serpentine barrens, seasonal wetland habitats, endemic plants and extraordinary views. At a glance, one might not expect to find much plant life within this harsh environment, but the color of life among the rocks and pebbles will surprise you: the violet-flowered onions, the golden fawn lily, the burgundy lupine, and the purple penstemon.

Representing a “slice of life” between redwood and mixed evergreen forests, Myrtle Creek rests on a boundary between two major soil types that differ in their effects on the vegetation. Species that can be found in both the coastal and interior environment occur here: for example, tanoak representing interior communities, and redwood representing coastal communities. A two-mile self-guided interpretive trail runs along an old mining ditch that takes you out of the shady redwood forest into a very open and sparse knobcone pine forest. The sound of rippling water meets your ear as you meander along the path. Port Orford cedar and red alder woodlands shade the waters of Myrtle Creek below. Seep areas, easily viewed from the trail, support the striking California pitcher plant and the delicate five-finger fern.

The forested mountains, valleys and meadows of the Siskiyou Wilderness in Del Norte, Humboldt and Siskiyou counties of northwestern California offer vistas of incredible beauty, diverse scenery and limitless opportunities for solitude. The Wilderness, named for the mountains that cross it, is administered by three national forests: Six Rivers, Klamath and Siskiyou. Rain falling in the Siskiyou Wilderness (from 40" on lower eastern slopes to 200" on the high western slopes) drains into three watersheds: the Smith, Klamath, and Illinois Rivers. The Siskiyou Wilderness is unique in that some parts can be accessed year round in the lower elevations, providing opportunities for recreation not found elsewhere. July through mid-October is the best time to travel in the wilderness, although severe weather can occur in any month.

Recreational activities abound in the Smith River National Recreation Area or NRA. The beautiful Smith River offers fishing for steelhead, trout, and salmon. During the summer months, the pure, clean waters of the Smith River are perfect for swimming, rafting, or fishing and the forested mountainsides present occasions for hiking, bird watching, wildflower walks, or perhaps just lounging in the sun.

The Klamath River flows 257 miles through Oregon and northern California in the United States, emptying into the Pacific Ocean. By average discharge, the Klamath is the second largest river in California after the Sacramento River. The Klamath is the most important North American river south of the Columbia River for anadromous fish migration. Its salmon, steelhead and rainbow trout have adapted to unusually high water temperatures and acidity levels relative to other rivers in the Pacific Northwest.

The Trinity River is a major river in northwestern California in the United States, and is the principal tributary of the Klamath River. The Trinity flows for 165 miles through the Klamath Mountains and Coast Ranges, with a watershed area of nearly 3,000 square miles in Trinity and Humboldt Counties.

The Mad River is a river in upper Northern California. It flows for 113 miles in a roughly northwest direction through Trinity County and then Humboldt County, draining a 497-square-mile watershed into the Pacific Ocean north of the town of Arcata near McKinleyville. The river's headwaters are in the Coast Range near South Kelsey Ridge.

The Van Duzen River is a major tributary of the Eel River. The river makes a 60-mile long journey through beautiful Trinity and Humboldt counties. Along the river, you will find everything from pine, fir and oak to mighty redwood stands. The surrounding soil gives this amazing river one of the highest erosion rates in the country. Great salmon and steelhead fishing exist on this river. The most popular fishing spots lie between the Bridgeville and the mouth of the river, outside of Six Rivers National Forest boundaries. The Van Duzan is not as popular for whitewater recreation as the other rivers of the Six Rivers National Forest. The lower reaches have mostly class I and II runs.

The Eel River is a major river, about 196 miles (315 km) long, of northwestern California. The river and its tributaries form the third largest watershed entirely in California, draining a rugged area of 3,684 square miles (9,540 km2) in five counties. The Eel River has both State (1972) and Federal (1981) Wild and Scenic River designations, which protect more than 350 miles of its waterways.

Under the Klamath Wild and Scenic River designation, the entire Salmon River system with it North and South Forks were designated a Scenic River and Recreational River within the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System in 1981. The watersheds of two great wilderness areas combine to form the Salmon River. The North Fork of the Salmon River begins high up in the Marble Mountains Wilderness while the South Fork of the Salmon finds its origins in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. The two forks join forces at a place aptly called Forks of Salmon. Twenty miles further west and the Salmon River empties into the Klamath and continues on to the Pacific Ocean. This area is rich with history and culture of native people and of gold seekers and pioneers.