Featured Destination Story

Yaa-daa-k'vt-Tolowa Dunes State Park

Crescent City, CA

Located amidst the rugged beauty of the Northern California coast near Crescent City lies Yaa-daa-k'vt (Yontocket), a sacred ancestral village site of the Tolowa Dee-ni' people. This historical treasure, while offering a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of the Tolowa, also bears witness to a dark chapter in history - a massacre that tragically altered the lives of the Tolowa people forever.

Before the massacre, Yontocket thrived as a central hub of Tolowa life. The village, strategically located near the mouth of the Smith River, provided access to abundant resources, including salmon, shellfish, and game. The Tolowa people, skilled fishermen, hunters, and basket weavers, lived in harmony with the land for thousands of years, their traditions and way of life deeply intertwined with the natural world. Yaa-daa-k'vt served as a sacred place of gathering, ceremony, and cultural transmission, where generations of Tolowa passed down their knowledge and customs.