After losing 90% of their ancestral territory during the Gold Rush, the Yurok Tribe has regained 125 acres as a gateway to California's redwoods

After losing more than 90 per cent of their land during the upheaval of the mid-1800s, the Yurok Tribe has regained a 125-acre section of its ancestral territory in Northern California. The land, known as ‘O Rew, was transferred back to the Yurok Tribe by Save the Redwoods League on 30 June 2026 after more than a decade of conservation and restoration work. According to Save the Redwoods League, the property is now tribally owned and operated, with the project also protecting critical salmon habitat. Once the site of a lumber mill where much of Prairie Creek’s natural channel and floodplain had been buried, ‘O Rew has been transformed into a restored landscape beside Redwood National and State Parks. The property now forms the ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway, a public recreation area with new trails, wildlife habitat and exhibits presenting the Yurok perspective and language. Located off US Highway 101 near Orick, the gateway also provides access to some of the region’s old-growth coast redwood forests, including Lady Bird Johnson Grove. At the same time, plans include a cultural centre and a traditional village.Why is the Yurok Tribe getting 125 acres backSave the Redwoods League purchased and conserved ‘O Rew in 2013, initially intending to restore a severely degraded section of Prairie Creek while improving recreational access and connectivity. According to the National Park Service, the 2024 agreement was the first step towards transferring the 125-acre property to the Yurok Tribe and establishing a long-term co-stewardship arrangement. The agreement makes the site tribally owned and operated, permanently protecting critical salmon habitat and creating a new public space.The transfer followed years of planning and restoration involving the Yurok Tribe, Save the Redwoods League, California Trout and other agencies and partners. The National Park Service had described the 2024 agreement as a first step towards transferring ‘O Rew to the Yurok Tribe, with a shared vision for long-term co-stewardship of the property as a gateway to the neighbouring Redwood National and State Parks. The NPS said the arrangement would be the first in which it and California State Parks supported visitation and stewardship on Tribal-owned land.How did restoration transform the landscapeThe restoration changed a heavily altered landscape into a site with new wetlands, upland habitat and a redesigned Prairie Creek channel. Over five years, restoration crews built a one-mile braided channel, two off-channel ponds and 20 acres each of wetlands and upland habitat. The Yurok Revegetation Crew planted nearly half a million native seedlings representing 50 species, including coast redwoods and black cottonwood.The restored habitat is already being used by wildlife. Save the Redwoods League reported that hundreds of endangered juvenile coho salmon, western pond turtles and great blue herons were using habitat created during the project, while bears, elk, deer, condors, waterfowl, songbirds and other species had also returned to the site. Earlier National Park Service reporting said thousands of juvenile coho and Chinook salmon and steelhead were taking advantage of the restored habitat, alongside species including red-legged frogs, northwestern salamanders, elk and waterfowl.What can visitors experience at the ‘O Rew Redwoods GatewayThe ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway opened for recreational access on 1 August 2026 at the southern end of Redwood National and State Parks. The site includes an information kiosk designed to resemble a traditional Yurok house, along with interpretive exhibits using Yurok perspectives and language. It also has a pedestrian plaza, picnic tables, accessible trails and an elevated viewpoint over the restored landscape and surrounding forest.The new trails include a segment of the California Coastal Trail and connect with Redwood National and State Parks, providing access towards old-growth coast redwood stands including Lady Bird Johnson Grove. The Yurok Tribe also plans to construct a cultural centre and a traditional village on the property, with plank houses and a sweat house. The National Park Service said the planned gateway would highlight local Tribal histories and cultures, while the Yurok Tribe’s return to the property forms part of a wider effort to reclaim and restore culturally important landscapes across its ancestral territory.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.