Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Northwestern California
© 2002, © 2007 by Paul Freeman. Revised 2/11/07.
Clear Lake Oaks Airport (added 7/3/04) - Enterprise Sky Park (revised 5/15/06) - Kirkwood Aux AAF #2 / Kirkwood Airport (added 1/29/06)
Redding Sky Ranch (revised 1/29/06) - Shingletown Airport (added 2/11/07)
Union Lumber Company Airfield (revised 7/25/05) - Williams Intermediate Field (added 11/16/04) - Willow Creek Airport (revised 1/10/07)
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Shingletown Airport (0Q6), Shingletown, CA
40.52 North / 121.82 West (Northeast of San Francisco, CA)
Shingletown Airport, as depicted on the November 1963 Mt. Shasta Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The Shingletown Airport was not yet depicted at all on a 1954 Mt. Shasta Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
Jonathan Westerling reported, “According to the FAA, this airport was opened in 1960.”
The earliest listing of Shingletown Airport which has been located
was in the 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of Shingletown Airport which has been located
was on the November 1963 Mt. Shasta Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Shingletown as a public-use airport having a 2,400' unpaved runway.
The 1980 Flight Guide (according to Chris Kennedy)
listed Shingletown as having a 2,000' unpaved runway.
The Low-use section of the 1994 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Shingletown as having a single 2,340' “Oiled Ruf” Runway 1/19, sloping 2.6% up toward the north.
A ramp was depicted as having a single small hangar on the southwest side.
In the 1998 USGS aerial view of the Singletown Airport,
it appeared as if closed-runway “X” symbols had been painted on the runway at some point,
and then painted over (with gray paint) at some later point, as if the runway was re-opened.
A circa 2000-2006 aerial view of the Singletown Airport.
The Shasta County website (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling) noted in 2007
that “The airport was closed indefinitely, effective November 1, 2002.
Please be advised that the Shasta County Department of Public Works
has been notified by the California Department of Transportation (DOT), Division of Aeronautics
that, due to the unsafe condition of the airport, and in meeting DOT's public safety mandate,
the airport permit for the Shingletown Airport is suspended, effective November 1, 2002."
Jonathan Westerling reported in 2007, “I interviewed Thomas Hayes who is the airport manager for Shasta County.
He confirmed that the county has voluntarily surrendered
its suspended airport permit to the State.”
Hayes said they have “Walked away from the airport.
We stuck a fork in it, and it's done.”
Acording to Jonathan Westerling, “Hayes said he had tried several times to secure government grants to fix the runway.
Apparently the County was in a catch-22 regarding Shingletown since it did not own the land that the airport was on.
Since it didn't own the land, Shasta was unable to get any FAA funds to fix the airport.
Also, since the runway was in such bad shape
the County was unable to secure any airport grants to purchase the land from the owner.”
Lamenting the loss of the airport,
Mr. Hayes admitted that "With only 600 flights a year, it just wasn't a good candidate for grant money."
Jonathan Westerling reported that Hayes “did however indicate that several parties
had approached the landowner (Bady and Associates Redding, CA)
with an interest in taking over the airfield.
While none of these conversations have yet amounted to anything,
now that the County has decided to loose its year-to-year lease on the property,
perhaps the opportunity exists for an enterprising individual to resurrect this nice little airfield in the northern hills of CA.”
A 2007 photo by Chris Knudson looking north along the former Runway 1 at Shingletown.
Note both the yellow “X” closed-runway symbol over the runway number,
but also evidence right above it of a previous closed-runway “X” which had been painted over with gray paint.
Chris Knudson visited the site of the Shingletown Airport in 2007.
He reported, “I saw a road sign called 'Airport Road' & had to check it out.
The Shingletown Airport has a simple gate barring access to vehicles but you can easily walk around the gate.
All that is left at the field is 2 abandoned wooden hangars in bad shape
and the 2,340' runway that looked in good shape, but after walking on it seemed cracked & crumbly.
There is evidence that the locals may use the runway as a makeshift drag strip.
Start & line-up markers have been spray painted on the runway with some sort of tire burnouts.”
A 2007 photo by Chris Knudson looking west at the two former hangars at Shingletown.
A 2007 photo by Chris Knudson of the interior of a former hangar at Shingletown.
The site of the Shingletown Airport is located north of the intersection of Emmigrant Trail & Airport Road,
appropriately enough.
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Kirkwood Auxiliary Army Airfield #2 / Kirkwood Airport, Kirkwood, CA
39.79 North / 122.13 West (Northwest of Sacramento, CA)
Kirkwood Airport, as depicted on the 1954 Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Dann Shively).
Photo of the airfield while in use has not been located.
According to the Army Corps of Engineers, Kirkwood Auxiliary Field #2 was established in 1942
and used as one of the 5 auxiliary airfields which supported Chico Army Air Field (to the east),
which was used to train fighter & bomber pilots.
The layout of the Kirkwood airfield, consisting of a square paved landing mat,
is identical to other nearby airfields built to serve as auxiliary airfields for Chico AAF,
including Chico Aux AAF #3, and Orland Airport.
Other improvements to the site were three buildings, roads, a mesh fence, and utilities.
On November 20, 1946, the 360 acre site was transferred to the War Assets Administration.
After WW2, the Kirkwood airfield was evidently reused as a civilian airport.
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the 1954 Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Dann Shively).
It described Kirkwood Airport as having a 3,000' hard-surface runway.
The 1967 Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss)
depicted Kirkwood's unusual square runway layout, which was described as being 4,200' long.
The Kirkwood Airport was evidently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1967-70,
as it was depicted as an abandoned airfield on the 1970 San Francisco Sectional Chart (courtesy of Dann Shively).
Dann Shively recalled, “I flew out of nearby Haigh Field in Orland in 1971-72.
Haigh originally was one of the several big squares of pavement used in WW2 training
which was extensive in the Northern Sacramento Valley.
Apparently Kirwood Airport was yet another practice mat.
When I was flying around there, I noticed this pad but never thought too much about it other than it was interesting.
Nothing appeared to be going on there & I never gave it much attention.
I didn't know at the time it was an airport only a few years earlier.”
The 1985 Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Dann Shively)
depicted Kirkwood as an abandoned airfield.
According to the Army Corps of Engineers, “The original asphalt landing strip was demolished after disposal of the site
and the paving debris placed in three piles on the property.”
By the time of the 1990 Sacramento Sectional Chart (according to Dann Shively)
the former Kirkwood airfield was no longer depicted at all (not even as an abandoned airfield).
Although it had evidently been closed for several years,
the 1991 USGS topo map still depicted “Kirkwood Airport” as having a square landing mat.
The 1998 USGS aerial photo shows that the pavement of Kirkwood's former landing mat has been completely removed,
with the property reused for farming.
The three piles of rubble from the former airfield pavement are evidently still visible
as the three shapes along the south side of the road in the center of the picture.
The site of the Kirkwood Airport is located west of the intersection of 6th Avenue & Cutler Avenue.
Thanks to Dann Shively for pointing out this airfield.
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Williams Intermediate Field, Williams, CA
39.09 North / 122.15 West (Northwest of Sacramento, CA)
Williams Intermediate Field Site 9, as depicted on the March 1943 Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield while in use has not been located.
The Williams Intermediate Field was one of the Department of Commerce's network of airfields which were established in 1930s
for the emergency use of commercial aircraft along major airways in between major cities.
The date of construction of the Williams field has not been determined.
The earliest reference to the field which has been located
was in The Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It described Williams as the Department of Commerce's "Site 9" along the San Francisco - Seattle Airway.
The field was said to consist of a rectangular sod field, measuring 2,640' x 1,320'.
The earliest depiction of the Williams Intermediate Field which has been located
was on the March 1943 Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The Williams Intermediate Field had evidently been expanded at some point between 1933-45,
as the November 1945 USAAF Pilot's Handbook (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted it as a sod field measuring 4,246' east/west by 3,366' north/south.
No buildings were depicted at the airfield.
The February 1949 Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted the "Williams (CAA)" airfield as having a 4,200' unpaved runway.
The Williams airfield was evidently closed at some point between 1949-52,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the November 1952 Seattle to San Francisco Flight Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
Like many other Intermediate Fields, it was evidently no longer needed, due to advances in aircraft reliability.
Although the 1973 USGS topo map no longer depicted any traces of the former airfield,
the windmill at the northeast corner of the airfield was still depicted
(the same windmill depicted on the 1945 airfield diagram).
As seen in the 1998 USGS aerial photo,
the site of the former Williams Intermediate Field has been reused for farming,
and not a trace appears to remain of the former airfield.
The site of the Williams Intermediate Field is located south of the intersection of Zumwalt Road & Myers Road.
Thanks to Chris Kennedy for pointing out this airfield.
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Union Lumber Company Airfield, Fort Bragg, CA
39.43 North / 123.82 West (Northwest of San Francisco, CA)
The Union Lumber Company Airfield, as depicted on the March 1954 USAF Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
This former private airfield is located in an extremely picturesque setting,
being on the tip of a peninsula which juts out into the Pacific Ocean.
According to Kevin Bunker, “This strip was graded, paved and opened in 1948-49
when the Union Lumber Company took delivery of its sole corporate aircraft, a Twin Beech monoplane.”
The earliest chart depiction of this field which has been located
was on the March 1954 USAF Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the airfield as having a 2,400' hard-surface runway,
for "Emergency use only" (which evidently was how a private airfield was labeled).
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described the Union Lumber Company Airfield
as having a single 2,700' asphalt Runway 13/31.
Chuck Ross recalled, "At one time a USAF F-102 crashed at that airport.
There is a picture of the wreck on page 112 of "The Mendocino Coast - a Pictorial History Volume II",
published by the Fort Bragg Advocate.
It incorrectly identified the plane as being from the Point Arena Air Station;
that station is just a radar base & had no airfield.
The plane looked as though it was not badly damaged by the (apparently) wheels-up landing
but was partly consumed by post-crash fire."
The Union Lumber Company Airfield was still depicted as an active private airfield
on the 1967 Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
According to Kevin Bunker, “Union Lumber Company operated the strip to shuttle its corporate officers & official guests
from its San Francisco headquarters to its mill offices & woods properties in Fort Bragg & the surrounding county until 1969.
Union Lumber Company ceased independent business in 1969 when it was acquired by the Boise-Cascade Corporation.
Boise-Cascade Corporation was forced to divest of the Fort Bragg mill properties in a Sherman Act (anti-trust) breakup.
To my knowledge, the runway remained in service as late as 1970 but not likely any later.
Georgia-Pacific & subsidiary Louisiana Pacific Corporations acquired
the former Boise-Cascade Corporation / Union Lumber Division properties in 1972.
[The runway's] surface was reclaimed for lumber storage sometime around 1980.”
At some point in the 1970s or 1980s,
the extremely picturesque setting of the Union Lumber Company Airfield
caused it to have its "moment in the spotlight":
as it was the backdrop for a widely used marketing photo
taken air-to-air by aviation photographer Paul Bowen.
He captured a Cessna Citation SII from head-on in a steep climb,
with the seaside runway of the Union Lumber Company Airfield being dramatically set in the background.
The photograph was taken from the tail turret of a vintage B-25 Mitchell WW2-era bomber.
The Union Lumber Company Airfield was still depicted as an active private airfield
on the 1987 CA Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
However, it was apparently closed at some point between 1987-98,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the 1998 aeronautical chart.
In the 1998 USGS aerial photo, the runway was being used to store lumber.
According to Jeffrey Osier-Mixon, "They did indeed have lumber stacked on it, beginning in the early 1990s,
about when the Union Lumber Company sold the property to Georgia-Pacific,
who use helicopters and bizjets for travel -
he bizjets prefer to land at Little River Airport, and the helicopters can land without a runway."
A beautiful 2002 aerial photo looking southeast at the Union Lumber Company Airfield & the dramatic coastline adjacent to it.
Jeffrey Osier-Mixon reported in 2004, "As of 2002, the mill has been closed and the bluff -
all 300-some-odd acres of it - is up for sale.
There has been no end of controversy around it, as the lumber company left quite a toxic mess to clean up,
and the property will need a lot of redevelopment work by whomever chooses to purchase it.
I don't think the town would tolerate a runway there at this point,
though as a local resident pilot I think it would be nice!
In any case, sometime in the next 10 years we all expect to see housing developments, maybe a few shopping centers,
and hopefully a few bluffside parks to take advantage of the only coastside property in Fort Bragg."
The airport site is along the Pacific coast, at the western end of North Noyo Point Road.
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Willow Creek Airport, Willow Creek, CA
40.95 North / 123.62 West (Northwest of San Francisco, CA)
Willow Creek Airport, as depicted on the 1976 USGS topo map.
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
The date of construction of this former small airport is unknown.
It was apparently built at some point between 1966-68,
as it was not depicted on the 1966 Mt Shasta Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
According to K.O. Eckland, in 1968 the Willow Creek Airport had a 2,375' northwest/southeast paved runway.
The earliest depiction which has been located of the Willow Creek Airport
was on the 1976 USGS topo map.
Willow Creek Airport closed in 1982.
Stuart Till reported, "The Humboldt County Airports Department placed X's on the runway…
because they did not want to accept the liability…
they did not want the general public landing there."
However, Stuart reported that he continued to operate from Willow Creek Airport
"as a law enforcement agency even though it was X'd [marked as closed].
I flew in & out of Willow Creek airport from about 1982-86.
We used this airport for mountain flying instruction
when I was Chief Pilot for the California Department of Justice, retiring in 1992.
We used Cessna T-210 & T-182RG aircraft,
which were also used for law enforcement surveillance.
This is a very demanding airport with obstacles on both ends, wind shear, and it is short to boot.
This is typical of runways built along rivers in narrow valleys,
i.e. they require check-outs & demonstrated competency."
As depicted in the 1993 USGS aerial photo, the airfield consisted of a single 2,500' asphalt Runway 13/31,
and a small paved ramp area west of the southern runway end.
It is not known if there were originally any buildings at the airport.
Tim Swenson reported in 2004, "I was just in the Willow Creek area vacationing when I came across the airport.
I was driving through town looking for a way down to the Klamath river.
There a sign pointing to place for river access & what looks to be a very rough boat launch area.
It turns out that the river access is at the southern end of the runway about 20 yards from the threshold.
I even walked out to the threshold.
I did not see any buildings at the airport, but I think I did see a wind sock."
The airport site is adjacent to the east side of Route 96, a half mile north of Route 299.
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Enterprise Sky Park (Q93), Redding, CA
40.58 North / 122.32 West (North of San Francisco, CA)
Enterprise Sky Park, as depicted on the May 1966 Mt. Shasta Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This former small general aviation airfield was apparently built at some point between 1963-66,
as it was not listed among active airfields in the 1963 AOPA Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest reference to Enterprise Sky Park which has been located
was on the May 1966 Mt. Shasta Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field as having a 3,100' unpaved runway.
A July 1977 aerial view by Charles Seevers, looking west at the southern end of Enterprise Sky Park,
with Route 44 in the upper left corner, and several light planes visible on the field.
Charles recalled, “I was a member of the Enterprise Flying Club [from] 1975-1982.
Those were fun times & some of the best years for general aviation.”
The 1993 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy) depicted the Enterprise Sky Park
as having a single 2,950' paved Runway 16/34, with an additional 1,000' overrun on the north end.
A ramp was located at the south end of the runway, around which were located three buildings,
which housed the Enterprise Fly Club & Gloria's Runway Café.
Enterprise Sky Park apparently closed at some point between 1993-98,
as the 1998 USGS aerial photo depicted that a road had been built over the northern portion of the former runway.
Several former hangars apparently still remained, at the south end of the former runway.
Enterprise Sky Park was definitely closed by 2000,
as it was not listed among active airfields in the 2000 AOPA Airport Directory.
Although the specific reason for the field's closure has not been determined,
it appears to have been squeezed out by new residential development which have surrounded it,
an all-too-common fate for small general aviation airports.
A 2004 photo by Dann Shively looking south down the former runway from Airstrip Road & Viking Drive.
Dann Shively reported in 2004, "I swung by the old Enterprise Sky Park to see how things looked.
In the aerial photo from 1998 you can see a street covering part of the north end of the runway.
That area is now developed with houses sitting on the property.
The tiny stretch of street running east & west is Viking Drive
and now continues, paved, to the east with more houses.
From that cross street (Viking Drive) south, the property & former runway is undeveloped
until the south end where there is a mini storage facility.
Part of that facility shows up on the aerial photo although it's now developed more."
A 2004 photo by Dann Shively of the storage facility at the south end of the field looking north.
A 2004 photo by Dann Shively of a street sign for Airstrip Road.
"Airstrip Road ran north/south parallel to the runway on the west side when the airport was in operation.
It was just a gravel road & remains so today until the north end where it's paved where the houses are."
A 2004 photo by Dann Shively of one of the remaining former hangars on the west side of the former Enterprise Sky Park.
A 2004 photo by Dann Shively of one of the remaining former hangars on the west side of the former Enterprise Sky Park.
Dan Shively reported, "There are still several hangars standing on the west side but are now used for other businesses.
Interestingly just on the south side of the property on the approach to what was Runway 34,
there are still some warning balls on the power lines that cross east to west."
The site of Enterprise Sky Park is located north of the intersection of Tarmac Road & Airstrip Road,
appropriately enough.
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Redding Sky Ranch (O74), Redding, CA
40.5 North / 122.38 West (North of San Francisco, CA)
Redding Sky Ranch, as depicted on the 1949 Crater Lake World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Donald Felton).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
This former small general aviation airfield was apparently built at some point between 1945-48,
as it was not depicted on the 1945 Mt Shasta Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The earliest reference to Redding Sky Ranch which has been located
was on the 1948 Mt Shasta Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy),
which described the field as having a 2,400' unpaved runway.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described the Redding Sky Ranch
as having two runways (12/30: 2,700' road mix & 4/22: 2,100' bare),
and listed the operator as Baker Aircraft Sales.
Redding Sky Ranch, as depicted on the 1966 Mt Shasta Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The 1976 Pilot's Guide to CA Airports (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Redding Sky Ranch as having a 2,440' paved Runway 12/30 (which also had a 500' overrun)
and a 1,830' dirt Runway 3/21.
A parallel taxiway along the northeast side of Runway 12/30 led to a ramp with several hangars,
including the facilities of Shasta Aviation Inc.
In the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury),
Runway 12/30 was a 2,200' asphalt strip, and Runway 3/21 was an 1,800' gravel strip.
The operator was listed as North Star Aviation.
Redding Sky Ranch closed [for reasons unknown] in 1993.
As of the 1998 USGS aerial photo,
both runways still existed (with closed runway "X" markings on the paved runway),
and two hangars still stood north of the runways.
The Redding Sky Ranch was no longer depicted at all (even as an abandoned airfield) on 2002 aeronautical charts.
A September 2005 photo by James Douglas looking west at the long T-hangar
which remains in very decent condition at the former Redding Sky Ranch.
Note the windsock on the right side.
James Douglas visited the site of the Redding Sky Ranch in September 2005.
He reported, “ talked to some people who told me a little about the place.
It seems a local that owns a couple of roofing or electrical supply business & is quite well-heeled owns the land.
The city boundary is right up against the northern property line.
The extended centerline of Runway 30 has an Indian casino a few thousand feet dead ahead.
This could be a great place, but it will never happen.”
A September 2005 photo by James Douglas looking southeast along the former Runway 12,
with the former airport office building on the left.
The airport site is located south of the intersection of Route 273 & Canyon Road,
south of the town of Girvan.
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Clear Lake Oaks Airport, Clearlake, CA
39.02 North / 122.66 West (North of San Francisco, CA)
Clear Lake Oaks Airport, as depicted on the 1939 Sectional Chart (courtesy of Dann Shively).
Photo of the airport while open has not been located.
This former small general aviation airfield apparently had an extremely brief existence -
possibly as short as 5 years.
The airfield may have been established at some point between 1937-39,
as it was not yet listed in the Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The earliest depiction of Clear Lake Oaks Airport which has been located
on the 1939 Sectional Chart (courtesy of Dann Shively).
It depicted the airport as being located adjacent to the east side of the town of Clear Lake Oaks,
on the shore of Clear Lake.
Not much is known about the history of this field.
According to Dann Shively, "Not even the historical society could tell me anything about it."
The Clear Lake Oaks Airport was apparently closed during WW2
(due to wartime security concerns, like many other small civilian airports along the coasts during the war),
as it was not listed in the Airport Directory Company's 1941 Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy)
or in the April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer).
However, unlike many other fields for which their wartime closures were temporary,
Clear Lake Oaks Airport apparently never reopened after the war,
as it was not depicted on the 1946 Sectional Chart (according to Dann Shively) or subsequent charts.
In the 1950s & 1960s, a residential development called the Clear Lake Keys was developed along the shore of Clear Lake,
in which land was dredged out creating canals where homeowners could dock their boats.
Although the precise location of the former Clear Lake Oaks Airport has not been determined,
this would appear to be the most likely location of the former airport.
A meadow adjacent to the east side of the Clear Lake Keys also could be the site of the former airport.
A 1998 USGS aerial photo of the Clear Lake Keys development,
as well as the empty meadow to the east - either of which may be the site of the former airport.
No trace appears to remain of the airfield.
A 2004 photo by Dann Shively of the empty meadow adjacent to the east side of the Clear Lake Keys development,
which may be the site of the former Clear Lake Oaks Airport.
The site of Clear Lake Oaks Airport is located south of the intersection of Route 20 & Keys Boulevard.
Thanks to Dann Shively for pointing out this field.
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