Fern Canyon, within the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, is one of the most stunning natural…read moreattractions you will ever see. A one mile loop hike through a canyon with 20-foot walls covered in at least 7 different species of ferns? It's mind-blowing. And film-makers agree; one of the Jurassic Park movies was filmed here and I can see why. It's like going back in time to pre-meteor days, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Pictures truly don't do justice to the sense of awe and wonder you'll experience visiting Fern Canyon. The trail is basically the creek bottom. Planks are placed over the creek to keep your feet dry but you may still get wet in certain places. Wear rubber boots or waterproof shoes. Take a good camera and be mindful that there is no cell phone service in the Canyon itself (there is spotty service on the beach nearby). It's a bit of a drive out to the trailhead and yes, there are a couple of creek crossings, but nothing too crazy in summer months. (My SUV-wannabe car made it just fine.) You must reserve a permit ahead of time during the summer months; the "day-ahead" reservations are gone right at 9 am daily, so set your alarm. It will be worth it. https://www.nps.gov/redw/planyourvisit/ferncanyonpermits.htm Grateful indeed for the California State Park system which preserves national treasures such as Fern Canyon.

Beautiful short walk !! Amazing views! Not very long, some construction occurring at the end…read morebuilding some additional walkways

It is not easy to get across just how wonderful Marble Mountain Ranch is. We were anxious about how…read morethe week would go for our family of 4 with two teenagers, but this dissipated within seconds of arrival. There is a depth and breadth of expertise and care in how it is run that makes this a very special experience. The horses are loved, well-trained and contented, the staff are all adorable, the food glorious. We were fully occupied from morning until night, coasting from one unforgettable and enriching experience to the next. The ranch itself is stunning, and set in a spectacular landscape. Each activity was of the highest quality and it felt enormously luxurious to be in such capable hands throughout. It was a stretch for us financially but absolutely some of the best money we have ever spent

From the charmingly appointed rustic cabins to the farm to table exceptional homemade meals and…read moredeserts, this ranch exceeded any expectations I might have had. All the activities are scheduled so carefully that I was able to participate in everything I wanted to do. Their horses are very well cared for, well behaved and trained. No swaybacked trail nags here! The up to date whitewater rafts and staff were all very knowledgeable and safety oriented. We had some GREAT rapids rides!! The shooting involved expert SAFE instruction and a revolving set of varied experiences with different weapons. The children in attendance had the time of their lives as did this 74 year old horsewoman! The ranch is self sufficient ( off the grid) and well off the beaten path. A real community developed amongst the guests under the guidance and warm personalities of Heidi and Doug. The 30 plus years of love and devotion to the upkeep of the natural beauty of their ranch showed in the gardens and plantings of flowers and trees in abundance. Even the gaggle of teenaged sisters spent less time in the lodge (the only WiFi) than one would have imagined! A fun and deeply relaxing time in nature was had by all. I will definitely be back again! Happy Trails!

The "Skunk Cabbage section" of COASTAL TRAIL starts at the edge of Route 101, and follows along…read morenear Skunk Cabbage Creek, and brings you to the beach at the Pacific Ocean. This trail is also called, "Skunk Cabbage Trail." The one way distance from Route 101 to the beach is about two and a half miles. According to Google maps, Skunk Cabbage Creek disappears at the half-way point to the Pacific Ocean. The trail keeps a distance of about 50 feet from the creek. It is possible to walk from the trail to the creek to get closer to the huge number of colorful skunk cabbages growing near the creek, but you might need to push yourself through a blanket of small plants and small bushes. Only a few skunk cabbages grow next to the trail (we saw about 20 of them), and some of these have big holes in the leaves and look deteriorated. MAGICAL THINGS TO SEE. As shown by my photographs, the magical things to see along the Skunk Cabbage Trail include the abundant ferns blanketing the landscape, green-colored lichens hanging from branches of nearby trees and, of course, the redwood trees. One of the redwood trees by the trail has a monsterously huge bizarre-looking burl. I decided to post only one photo of this burl because it is ugly looking. Another magical thing are the shelf fungi. We saw two trees with shelf funguses growing from them, and the shelf funguses looked like pancakes with a brown upper side and a white bottom side. Shelf funguses having a brown upper face and a white lower face include, Ganoderma applanatum, Ganoderma sessile, and some species of Trametes versicolor. SKUNK CABBAGE (Symplocarpus foetidus). This plant has large leaves (50-135 centimeters long and 30-80 centimeters wide). The flowers are produced in a spadix. The skunk cabbage produces heat. The goal of the plant is to use the heat to melt snow, and ensure its survival in the winter. The temperature of the flowers can be about 20 degrees centigrade higher than the surrounding air. Skunk cabbages have a stinky odor that attracts insects that help pollinate the plant. Skunk cabbages have a hood, which is a modified leaf called a "spathe." The spathe wraps itself around a space that encloses a sphere of flowers called a "spadix." See, 1-page article on skunk cabbage published by California Native Plant Society (Calscape). See also, Skunk Cabbage by Craig Holdrege (9 pages) published in Fall 2000 in the newsletter, "In Context." MY PHOTOS. My photos show the parking lot where the trailhead is located, a huge sign at the edge of the parking lot, where the sign explains things about Skunk Cabbage Trail. My photos show shelf fungi growing on a tree next to the trail. My photos also show thick bushy lichens hanging from small trees, a few skunk cabbages, and a photo of me wearing a Cal Berkeley hat and a Cal Oski bear T-shirt. Other photos show a view of a huge ugly burl that grows on a redwood tree, and two photos 5 redwood trees growing in a tight bunch. One photo shows the area near the ground, where the 5 trees are bunched together. Another photo shows a higher area, where the 5 trees are separated from each other. ATTRACTIONS TO THE SOUTH ALONG ROUTE 101. We hiked to the half-way point along the Skunk Cabbage section, and then turned back. The town of Orick is a one minute drive south from the trailhead. Bald Hills Road is even closer. Bald Hills Road takes you to the east, and to the trailhead for Lady Bird Grove Trail. Both of these trails include some gentle up-and-down sections, and wooden footbridges crossing over tiny creeks. Trinidad is 17 miles south of Orick (see, my YELP review of Trinidad Head in Trinidad). Holiday Inn at McKinleyville is about six miles south of Trinidad. We stayed at this Holiday Inn. This Holiday Inn is elegant and very clean, and I felt like a king during our stay here.

Alright, alright. I know I've written almost every review there is to know about the Redwood Parks…read morearea of Northern California, but I wanted to include specifically, this nice and easy Cathedral Trees Trail. I guess, just, I feel this casual pathway walking along some of the most statuesque trees in the Redwood Parks section deserves some recognition. Well, to get straight to the point, this Cathedral Trees Trail is situated right next to Big Tree, or also known as Big Tree Wayside...just 2 miles down the road from Prairie Creek State Park. For those Yelpers out there who may need specific instructions on how to find this Cathedral Trees Trail, it's simple. Just plug Big Tree Wayside into Google Maps and you'll be lead exactly here. Well actually, you'll be instructed to drive into the roadside parking lot. But then just grab a spot, get out of your car and there'll be a trailhead and or sign for Big Tree and Cathedral Trees Trail as well. So for those folks interested in having the "full plate" or menu of every sort of symbolic "flavor" about the famous Redwoods surroundings...then I'd certainly recommend stopping at famous Big Tree for good photo opportunities and then casually walking right beside Big Tree known as this, Cathedral Trees Trail. Cathedral Trees is a very simple, flat level and not really elevated (well maybe 200 - 300 feet at the most) 3 mile out and back trail. There'll be a sign and trailhead for this Cathedral Trees that cannot be missed. To best summarize this pleasant pathway and walk among some of the giant redwoods of the Prairie Creek district, I feel it can be best described by what I discovered at websites - nps.gov and redwoodhikes.com.... "Cathedral Trees Trail gives access to some of the largest trees in the Prairie Creek area. Many Cathedral Trees, or a family group of trees, tower on the slopes. Cathedral Trees Trail passes through superb redwood uplands. It feels like you're getting off the beaten track and really diving into the forest. The trail crosses Cal Barrel Road descending through an impressive cluster of lowland redwoods. Finally, the trail approaches Drury Parkway. Follow the path alongside the road returning back to Big Tree." For me, this Cathedral Trees Trail maybe took 1 hour or so where I was afforded the chance to breathe in the fresh redwood forest air while stopping for plenty of moments to pose alongside these monumental redwoods. If photography is what you're after...then this Cathedral Trees Trail is terrific for those memorable pictures. I can't recall how many times I had to pause and soak up the setting here. It was very memorable and my photos came out wonderfully. The lighting for early summer morning was ideal and some of my best pics came from right here at Cathedral Trees! And what I especially appreciated about walking through this trail was that it was not crowded whatsoever! It was sort of a hidden and under the radar gem! Most tourists come for photographing Big Tree and then return to their cars. No one seems to take the time to explore this Cathedral Trees hike. Meanwhile back at Prairie Creek State Park...it's much more of a hiker's adventure section with James Irvine and Miner's Ridge Trails set over there. Yet here Cathedral Trees warrants notoriety for being a walk with and among the massive redwoods. Ultimately, I certainly suggest taking the time (if only a small amount needed) out of your day to enjoy this walk/path. Since so many tourists are solely interested in discovering Big Tree...you actually can pair both (Big Tree and Cathedral Trees Trail) and simply immerse yourself in the heart of the Redwood Forest area!

This is a review for the Kidder Creek in Etna, CA and not for the Mt Hermon location in the Santa…read moreCruz mountains. Important to note they're different locations about 5/6 hours apart from each other which is a common mistake. I had done a lot of research prior to our recent trip (just got back a week ago) but noticed there wasn't much information about Kidder Creek in Etna especially pretty much none/minimal info online about their accommodations so hope this review will be helpful to you with your prep/planning. We just visited the Etna location with my son's troop. Had a great experience with all the fun activities they offer (horseback riding, hiking, laser tag, archery, swimming, fishing, petting zoo, zip line). The staff and counselors are great with both kids and adults. They assign counselors to each group to help as a guide throughout your time there and to connect with the kids which we really appreciated and found them really helpful and knowledgable. We also had a wonderful time of worship over s'mores each night and had ice cream the last night. They also have a snack shop right by the pond area where you can buy coffee and treats. A great experience overall. They offer different accommodations depending on what your group is looking for. We stayed in the Timberline area which includes "tent-cabins" with our own fire ring for campfire time, bathrooms, cafeteria/eating area which was really convenient. It's at the top of the hill of Kidder Creek and we either drive our own cars or ride their stagecoach down the hill for all the activities. Refer to my pic for what the cabins look like. These cabins are rustic and minimal so it's good to be prepared and set proper expectations (see below). The bathrooms in our areas have three separate areas: boys, girls and one single combined bathroom that's "adult-only" that includes a toilet, sink and shower). The boys/girls bathrooms have a sink area (girls have two sinks), four toilets and four showers. Bathrooms are equipped with hand soap and paper towels. Some tips of things to bring to help make your accommodations more comfortable include: camp chairs, portable battery pack, portable power station, foldable camp table, sanitizing wipes, power strip (if you don't bring a power station), twin bed sheets, pillow, ear plugs, sleeping bags, flashlights, an electric lantern, bag for garbage, shower slippers, personal toiletries, clothesline (to hang wet towels and swimsuits) and a about 1.5 yard of rope/parachord string. We also brought out own camping toilet since we already have it which made things a lot easier for us:) With that said, these cabins are built with just wood panels, a metal sheet cover that sits on the roof without any insulation, a roll of tarp attached on the outside that serves as window curtains and has no access to electricity and light source (no ceiling/wall lights), so similar to a tent, you can hear everything outside so bring ear plugs to help you sleep. Their windows are basically just a cut out with an open space with no frame/screens so keeping the tarp down helps with privacy and keeps some of the bugs out (they can still crawl around it since the tarps just loosely hang on the outside of the window and doesn't have a frame to seal them out) but this can also make your room very stuffy and warm. I noticed the beds in my cabin was pretty dusty and had some stains on it (therefore the sanitizing wipes and bed sheet recommendation). We went during one of the hotter weeks so our room just got very warm and stuffy at night until it cooled off briefly during the wee hours. There's no electricity in these cabins so you won't be able to plug in a fan (unless you bring your own battery/generator which you would want to do anyway if you want to charge your electronics/medical devices). They have a couple of outlets in the bathrooms and the cafeteria you can use for charging purposes but note that you'll be competing for outlets with others who may want to do the same (so therefore the power strip/power station/battery pack recommendation). I've noticed they have other tent-cabins onsite that do have window screens so you can keep your windows open at night so consider asking for these when you book to have a little more comfort. Also the tent-cabin doors here are literally just a panel of wood with an outside door handle so you can pull the door open (but no inside door handle or lock mechanism) which means the door does not close for privacy nor does it lock for security. Our troop leader thankfully was a good problem-solver and tied a rope to the outside door handle where I was able to tie the other end to the inside bed frame to keep it shut (therefore the recommendation for a rope/parachord string).

This is the most amazing camp to send your kids. They are incredible people and they run a…read morewonderful and very reputable program for a lot of years now. You can't find anyone w anything negative to say about this place. Lucky to live close by.

I am writing this review on Yelp combining what I believe to be the 2 main and best represented…read moretrails in Prairie Creek State Park. Yes, I am talking about James Irvine and Miner's Ridge Trails. If you come and visit this area of Redwood National Park, I suggest that this loop and or combination/portion of the loop be explored. If you're looking to really immerse yourself in the heart of the forest, then this is where it's at. The reason I've decided to combine James Irvine and Miner's Ridge into 1 review is because of how similar they are. Similar in nature and how they run parallel to each for almost 5 miles each way. Combining into 1 loop, you can include at the other end of Prairie Creek SP, the Fern Canyon area as well as Gold Bluffs Beach. In total, it's about a 12 mile adventure. And for those folks who (like myself) enjoy taking their time, snapping photos along the way and appreciate the surroundings, I'd say these 12 miles can be accomplished within 1 entire day. For those hikers out there who just keep on the go...I'd say you'd need about the half the day. But in general, yeah...James Irvine and Miner's Ridge truly epitomizes being within the heart of the forest...an opportunity to gaze up at some of the tallest trees in the world! A chance to stop for memorable pictures and some lasting memories for what makes this section of the United States so special. To arrive at the James Irvine or Miner's Ridge Trailheads...simply park your car along the road of Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway here at Prairie Creek State Park. Then head to the Visitor's Center area and ask any questions you may have for the Park Ranger before departing, or like myself, make a pitstop at the Gift Shop for souvenirs before starting the journey. There are clear and visible signs for James Irvine and Miner's Ridge. And...I'd say for the 1st mile of the overall hike...you're basically on both James Irvine and Miner's Ridge. Then from there is where the trails separate. I chose to navigate the James Irvine Trail first. I returned on Miner's Ridge. James Irvine is 4.5 miles pretty much on flat ground with a little bit of elevation. The trail is well maintained. Along the way I absolutely stopped for some breathtaking moments, truly immersing myself in the heart of the woods and definitely putting into perspective how small we are as people...and how long the massive and majestic redwoods have been around and how they tower over us. There were ample opportunities for wonderful photography! It was if I was in a picture taker's paradise! I kept posing for opportunistic photos. Not only were there terrific picture moments but you can climb on some of the lower shrubs and roots to allow for playful moments as well. I really enjoyed James Irvine Trail. Eventually I arrived at Fern Canyon. Now Fern Canyon is a 1.1 mile lollipop trail. To best summarize what makes Fern Canyon so unique...I'd like to paraphrase the description from nps.gov... "Prepare to get your feet wet to really explore this short hike into a stunning mini-canyon covered with ferns. This is a very popular walk up a cobbled stream located east of Gold Bluffs Beach. Many travel writers and bloggers are correct when they talk about the natural beauty of this area. You won't find huge redwoods right here, but it is surrounded by sitka spruce and other conifers." In total, Fern Canyon gives you the chance to walk among some high canyon walls covered in lush green leaves, sort of a change of pace from the forest themed ambiance of James Irvine Trail. After Fern Canyon you can continue for 1.5 miles along Gold Bluffs Beach. Also, here at the shores of the beach is a chance to maybe have a picnic and sit down to rest and relax while breathing in the fresh coastal air. Although I didn't find Gold Bluffs Beach photogenic, still it added a different element to the entire adventure. Finally, be on the lookout for the trailhead for Miner's Ridge returning back to the Prairie Creek Visitors Center. Once on Miner's Ridge Trail...I was fully content with my memorable pictures that I had snapped along James Irvine Trail that I simply put my camera away and for the last 5 miles along Miner's Ridge. I was able to put into perspective how wonderful it felt to among such historically tall redwood trees. Just hiking in late afternoon was such a refreshing time being in total forest quietness. I genuinely felt like all my cares had gone away and I truly put myself in the moment of hiking and appreciating what makes being among nature so special. Although it does take 12 miles to complete this loop, you don't necessarily have to finish the entire circular square. You can just do a portion of James Irvine and a little of Miner's Ridge before turning around, especially if you don't have the time in the day. Even going just for 1 or 2 miles...you'll have an understanding for the beautiful time in the outdoors. I rate James Irvine & Miner's Ridge pathways well deserving of 5 stars.