“With the Pacific Ocean to the west, the majestic ancient Redwood Forest to the east and the streams filled with salmon, the home of the Tolowa Dee-ni’ is one of the most beautiful places on earth. These tallest trees on earth, the K'vsh-chu (Redwood) and runs of lhuk (salmon) are so awe-inspiring that they play a powerful role in the Tolowa worldview and religion” wrote tribal member Loren Me'-lash-ne Bommelyn.
Xaa-wan’-k’wvt (Howonquet) Village & Resort, formerly known as Ship Ashore and Salmon Harbor Resorts, is now owned and managed by Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation Tribal Enterprises. The resort is located on forty acres of land at the mouth of the Pacific Ocean and along the banks of the Smith River.
This is the site of the Tribe’s traditional village, Xaa-wan’-k’wvt. Xaa-wan’-k’wvt means “along there-upon-it”. As a Dee-ni’ metropolis, it was only second in size to nearby Yan’-daa-k’vt at the Center of the World. Redwood plank homes were four rows deep along the shore with streets and alleys.
Xaa-wan’-k’wvt Village & Resort provides a variety of accommodations. Travelers can choose from fourteen ocean-view motel rooms, three vacation rental homes, RV spots and campsites with tent spaces. Serving as a “home away from home,” the motel rooms offer river's edge lodging that includes 55" Smart TV's, Free Wifi, kitchenettes, private decks and free parking for all guests.
Next to the Smith River, Xaa-wan'-k'wvt Village & Resort provides the breathtaking beauty of the Pacific Northwest with beautiful sunsets and wildlife viewing. Guests enjoy easy access to boating, kayaking, salmon and steelhead fishing, birdwatching and beachcombing. Well-known for its proximity to great fishing on the pristine Smith River, the resort makes it easy to enjoy the best the river offers and is also an excellent choice for rest and rejuvenation.
The long ridge to 
the east of Xaa-wan’-k’wvt Village & Resort was xa’slh-nvt or “control burned” to maintain an expansive meadow to support and increase the elk and deer herds and flocks of quails and prairie chickens. Elk are abundant in this area, and viewing these magnificent animals has become commonplace for residents.
Visitors to the area can also experience a walk through towering redwood groves at Redwood National and State Parks or Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park—both are a fifteen-minute drive from the resort.
For entertainment and dining, Lucky 7 Casino, also managed by the Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation, features the House of Howonquet Restaurant. For supplies, there’s also the Lucky 7 Fuel Mart.
Xaa-wan’-k’wvt Village & Resort will surely make your visit to Smith River worth remembering.
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