wow...a literal redwood forest on the campus of Cal Poly Humboldt! we were visiting my kid and he…read morewas showing us around campus. adjacent to the baseball field we saw multiple paths that led into the forest. we dove in and explored..wow just wow!!! first of all we stumbled upon a disk golf course....no real path at this point. some people arrived who were playing so we got out of the way and found a body of water. green but gorgeous! there was a pathway at this point and we followed it ....eventually after so much Beauty we ended up at a grass clearing surrounded by giant trees. it was a park with so many people picnicking and playing lawn sports. then found another forest pathway back to campus. I'm not sure if we actually left campus or not but having this as a backyard is astonishing!

Absolutely magical. Old growth redwoods, tons of banana slugs, and really great hiking trails.read more

What a stunning state park! I was headed up to Eureka and had actually never heard of this park…read more(being an Angeleno) when I decided to stop in. There is so much to see and do here! First of all, the scencery is absolutely stunning. It's pretty easy to drive through the park and pop out at scenic spots for a view of the ocean (such as Wedding Rock, so named as a beautiful spot for a wedding). There's also wonderful hiking, including the Rim Trail and the path down to Agate Beach. Also... beachcombing camping learning about the history of the area at the Visitor Center biking nature photography and much more! There is an entrance fee; however, if you avail yourself of the California State Park Library Pass, it's free! Either way, definitely worth a vist.

Spectacular view for a girl from LA…read more I planned a roadtrip to visit all the gloomy coastal cities up north and this park beach truly delivered. It is nothing like the beaches in SoCal which is everything that I wanted to experience. I enjoyed how cool the weather was and the smells of the clean, crisp air. It was just under $10 to visit for the day and we spent about an hour solely taking in the views. Overall, highly recommend if you are in this neck of the woods.

This is a great park for kids, teens, and adults! They have great bocce ball court and tennis…read morecourts!

Such a cool mix of dog park and open meadow that leads into a beautiful coastal trail. The views at…read morethe end overlooking the ocean are incredible.

Very relaxing and I felt my dog was very safe there. There was plenty of open space so dogs could…read morebe by themselves if they wanted to. We will return.

The skywalk is accessible if you bought a ticket to the zoo, you can't go for just the Skywalk. If…read moreyou've been to the Trees of Mystery I'd say the suspension bridges here are wider and less wobbly. It's all shaded and you get to look out into the vast Redwoods of Sequoia Park. It's one of those places where pictures don't do it justice, you need to see it in person and take it all in. The bear enclosure was viewable from the skywalk, when I was there the bear was getting a bath and loving it.

While we were passing through Eureka we decided to stop by the Sequoia Zoo, which included the…read moreRedwood Skywalk. We are AZA members so when showing our membership we got in for half price. The Redwood Sky walk is located in the back left side of the zoo, it is a self guided tour. The skywalk slowly increases over 100 ft above the beautiful forest floor below and is about a 1/4 mile walk. I am afraid of heights, but felt safe walking along the trail. Most of the walk is over the park nextdoor to the zoo, as you are looking down from high above and you can see tiny people & dogs walking the trails below it was so cool. We could also see the bears in the zoo from high up in the trees, we had a better view of them than could see them below on the zoo trail. Be sure to look up at the majestic redwood trees along the trail, and when on the platforms you can touch the redwoods, and learn alittle about them with the information boards. It was an amazing experience, being so high up in the Redwood trees. It was Breathtaking and beautiful. I felt safe walking the trail as they had guardrails that go along the trail and was pretty good width across for people to walk by. People who are nervous of the wooden suspension bridges that move when others walking on them can walk about half way through trail before reaching these bridges and walk back the way they came. We will always remember this trip to Eureka, and cannot wait to bring our granddaughter here next time. Enjoy your adventure!

Beautiful scenery…read more There are so many different areas to go and see. All in different cities. The Redwood National Forest spans over a great distance. I drove from San Francisco. To see everything, I had to stay in a hotel overnight. With the exception of driving through carved out tress, all the sites are free. Driving through trees was $15 at each of the 3 sites I visited. There are several rest stop areas while driving to and from there.

You had me at tallest trees in the world…read more Visiting this park feels like stepping into an ancient, enchanted realm where towering trees hush the wind and misty trails invite quiet awe. It's humbling, cinematic, and deeply restorative. Here's what makes this experience unforgettable: Home to the tallest trees on the planet, some stretching 370 feet and have stood for more than 2,000 years. Walking among them feels surreal, like wandering through a cathedral built by nature. Filtered sunlight, moss-draped trunks, and the scent of damp earth create a sensory-rich almost spiritual atmosphere. Fern Canyon is a must, a lush gorge with 50-foot walls blanketed in prehistoric ferns, famously featured in Jurassic Park. Other trails range from gentle strolls to challenging backcountry hikes, revealing old-growth forests, and coastal bluffs. The park isn't just forests. It embraces the northern California coast, with driftwood-strewn beaches and many areas remain quiet, offering a rare kind of solitude. Fun facts: best time to visit is Summer for best weather and accessibility, and there's no entrance fee. If you're drawn to places that blend grandeur with intimacy this park will linger long after you've left.

This place is such a beautiful place to go hiking, to take your four legged friend, or to go…read morehorseback riding. There are the Ma-le'l Dunes North and the Me-le'l Dunes South, both of which have lots of different trails. We hiked around in the the sand dunes on a trail that led to the beach and it was a beautiful hike. It was nice to hang out on the beach and watch the waves. You can walk along the beach and it's nice that there isn't many people around. We also hiked up the dunes to where the spruce trees met the forest. It was fascinating to see trees in the sand and where the dunes and the forest meet up close. This was such a fun place to explore! There is plenty of parking. There is a bathroom near where you park and doggy bags. Please bring your own doggy bags and leave no trace! This is a beautiful place worth exploring!

We went to the South dunes. North dunes was closed…read more It was pretty nice where my kids rolled around the sand. Unable to sled down with a cardboard box though.

So. Many. SAND DOLLARS!! It's mind blowing - every few feet there's another one, and another one,…read moreand another one!! And this is probably the first California beach I've ever had all to myself! I think I saw 1-2 other people and that was it...fantastic!! I visited in March as part of my Redwoods trip...it's easy to get to along the Redwoods Coast - highly recommend if you're in the area. It was cloudy, cold, and windy - but that made it even more gorgeous! Very cozy...I loved it! The colors were dramatic and waves were angry - such a mood!! To get to the beach, you have to walk over a stretch of sand dunes dotted with clumps of beach grass. And then it's wide open beach after that. Lots of shorebirds, sand dollars, and shells to keep you occupied. There are looming mountains off in the distance. So photogenic! There's a small-ish parking lot (I didn't see any bathrooms) with a gate that indicates the entrance to the beach walk. Before you get to the parking lot, there's a yellow sort of gate area that they close at a certain time every evening - there are plenty of signs to tell you what time it closes and don't get caught behind it after hours or you'll have to call the cops and get towed! Apparently, down the other road to the right of the gate takes you to a boat ramp and horse staging area. Be sure to make a stop at the nearby Mad River Bridge too - you can miss it!! Totally worth it - especially since you're already in the area (see my bridge review - it has a cool history and views)!

This beach hold many memories of bon fire nights with friends along with star gazing nights…read more Beware this beach is open sunrise to sunset so make sure to park outside the fenced area if you want to stay after closing. Also be careful when waking in the areas where folks have bon fires by the beach, there are many sharp objects such as construction nails and such especially since people prefer to use wood pallets for bon fires. Back in the day there way no fenced area so it was fairly easy to stumble on rocks or sharp grass back to the car especially if a friend had too much to drink. Once in awhile you will see dark objects bobbing their heads in the water. Don't be too alarmed it might be a seal. I wasn't sure at first but I made sure to zoom in on my camera ;-)

I loved it here. There are many ways to explore the redwoods but having something off the side of…read morethe road with easy access and a skywalk and gondola was super convenient. There's a large gift shop with anything you'd need as well as a museum of Native American information and artifacts. One cool thing is that they had a couple of bathrooms in the woods. This is major for people with kids or who drink way too much coffee and need to go to the bathroom a lot. I just liked exploring. The skywalk was great, I loved being high up and feeling like I was one with the forest. That being said it was more wobbly than I thought. Other than it being hard to walk and take pictures at the same time, it wasn't a big deal but for anyone that is slightly afraid of heights or doesn't have good balance I wouldn't recommend because it's long and you are stuck up there having to finish. You aren't allowed to pass people. The front has beautiful landscaping. It had many colorful flowers and a small dahlia garden as well as dahlias lining the front. It looks like it is very well maintained, I'm into flowers and I could see coming out here just to take pictures of the dahlias.

During our family trip through the Redwoods, I heard from a friend that there was this place called…read moreTrees of Mystery with a giant Paul Bunyan statue. I've driven Route 66 and love all the quirky giant roadside attractions, so I just HAD to come see the giant Paul Bunyan. I cannot rate the actual Trees of Mystery as I didn't go in, but Paul Bunyan and Blue the Ox were a sight to see. My middle kid kept saying, "What the heck is that?!? His eyes freak me out!" Have you seen the giant doll on Squid Games? It totally reminded me of her. I was just waiting for lasers to come out of his creepy eyes. He also waves and someone in the building goes on the mike as Paul and talks to guests when they're walking near Paul or taking pictures with him. So funny! When walking through the gift shop, I came across the End of the Trail Museum. It's located on the east side of the gift shop and contains artifacts from various Native American groups around the continent. It was apparently from the private collection of Marylee Thompson Smith. It's free to visit and was so interesting, I think I spent about an hour in there looking at the collection.

The Azalea State Natural Reserve is an area protecting Azalea plant species…read more.. From their web site: "A reserve for western azalea (Rhododendron occidentale). Each spring, a profusion of pink and white blossoms scents the air. There is a picnic area available. Plan to visit in April and May when azaleas are in bloom." http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=420 So you want to plan your visit in the April/May time frame - if you want to have a chance of experiencing the Azaleas when they are in bloom. Other times, of the year, it's a nice, peaceful place for a hike! #AzaleaStateNaturalReserve

This small state reserve in northern Humboldt county, off the 101, just below McKinleyville. Off…read moreNorth Bank Road, just about a mile or so down on the left hand side(north) of the blacktop. Is one of the top flower watching destinations in California. This state maintained reserve is loaded with western azaleas, and in the springtime it becomes alive with color and fragrance. Because of the temperate climate, blooms can be found year around. Walking trails are literally covered with pink and white blossoms from late April to June (depending on the weather) and the scent of these beautiful trees flowers can be smelled from yards away, lofting through the air - you find yourself lost in a maze of trails with millions of blooms all around. This unassuming little park is really a very amazing place to walk, look, relax and enjoy nature. There are picnic areas, and a couple different maintained low to medium grade walking trails - also a paved parking area. There is also a trail that crosses the roadway and leads into the far side of this cool place. The reserve is open from sunrise to sunset, year around. There are no dogs allowed in this fragile natural reserve, so please leave your fur friend at home or in the car. This natural state reserve, is one of the best places for blooms in the springtime in the entire state - and well worth the effort. A true 5 star gem on the north coast. 00154