I was looking for an easy rated hike to do along the way home during our summer roadtrip and saw…read morethe Lady Bird Johnson Grove trail pop up as a suggestion. We stayed in Crescent City the night before and drove here first thing in the morning as we were warned that parking is limited at the trailhead. Old Bald Hills Road is completely paved from the highway to the trailhead but very windy and steep. Try not to ride your brakes on the way back down! The parking lot has a pit toilet and probably about 12-20 spots max. We got there before 10AM and nabbed a spot. It nearly filled up in the next 10 mins after we arrived! You start your hike by going over a bridge over the road you just drove up and are under a beautiful green canopy the entire hike. The morning we visited was a little foggy and misting. Really made for an amazing atmosphere. Unless people are around you, its also very quiet and peaceful. We didn't download the audio tour so we're not sure what the numbered spots were about, we just walked and took pics...and enjoyed the cool wooded path. I think we were milling around out there for at least an hour. Maybe more. I hate spiders but the cobwebs along the trail/trees/bushes looked amazing holding the morning dew inside their woven patterns. Good for older kids and adults. Not sure if the super young ones should come - lots of areas for them to bolt and run off the trail into the underbrush or down a hill.

I planned to come here because some things I read said this was a wheelchair accessible hike. In…read morespeaking to the rangers at the visitor center, they said it was not accessible. I came anyway, and my wheelchair bound son was tired from a whole day of exploring so he stayed in the car with my middle son. My oldest son, husband and I went on the trail and while it is wide enough and flat enough for a wheelchair, the initial incline from the pedestrian bridge from the parking lot is quite steep and I know my son would not feel comfortable going up and down in his power wheelchair. There is also a point during the trail where the trees are quite close together and I doubt my son's chair could navigate through it. So it worked out that he decided to rest in the car. The trail is very pretty with unique growth, I saw a tree with 4 trunks attached together. The trunks of the trees here look different than the trees in the valley, (my husband and I thought the trees looked sick TBH), and there is a lot more flowers growing here. Overall it's a lovely trail and offers a relaxing walk through nature.

Our family really enjoyed driving through Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park via the Newton B. Drury…read moreScenic Parkway. Our first stop was the Prairie Creek Visitor Center. Behind the visitors center is the Redwood Access Trail. It's completely wheelchair accessible and my son was able to roll around to see all the huge trees. Also accessible is the trail to "Big Tree". Beyond the Big Tree was difficult for my son after a certain point so he had to turn around (too many big roots). We also parked along the road to enjoy lunch under the trees at a random trail spot and I walked down to see some of the trails (not wheelchair accessible). It was absolutely peaceful and I even found a pretty bridge over the creek. Highly recommended to take this road up and back - I think it's way more pretty and interesting than going on the 101 - unless you have to.

We drove up from San Diego & it was so worth it. They put on nightly bonfires & educational talks…read more Go to those! The trails straight from the camp are amazing. Do fern canyon! Don't drive. It's a 10 mile round trip but you can do it if you are healthy/able. We went with our 10 year old & 8 year old (but they are pretty outdoorsy & fit- they've been raised doing this) if you have small kids, maybe drive over to fern canyon instead and skip that hike. Anyways, you will see Elk, banana slugs, deer & possibly bear and cougars. Always hike with bear spray & protection. Bring quarters!! The ranger station doesn't give change. & showers take quarters. You will not have reception unless you drive into Orick or crescent city.

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.

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.

It's one heck of a drive to get here, but it's so worth it…read more My husband has always wanted to go see the redwoods so I'm glad we were able to cross it off the list finally. It's magical to get to drive through and walkthrough the redwoods as it rained during our time here. I wish there was more I can say, but you're just going to have to plan a trip here and see it for yourself. We would happily plan a second trip back here.

I mean... wow. I went hiking here last weekend, and it honestly took my breath away…read more As a SoCal girl now living in NorCal, I've made it my mission to explore as much as I can around this beautiful state, and Jedediah Smith Redwoods completely stole my heart. These trees are absolutely massive, walking among them feels like stepping into another world. The light, the air, the silence... everything feels calm, ancient, and sacred. The trails are super well maintained, the weather was perfect, and there was plenty of parking even though it was busy. The roads and trails are a bit narrow, but honestly, that just adds to the charm. The river that runs through the park is crystal-clear and peaceful a perfect little spot to stop and take it all in. Standing next to those giant redwoods makes you realize how tiny you are in the best possible way. It's humbling and magical at the same time If you're driving from Eureka toward Crescent City, the entire drive is breathtaking, every curve along the coast looks like a postcard. You'll even pass through Elk Valley, and oh my god, there are actual elks just hanging out by the side of the road! They're so beautiful and so used to seeing people; it felt like nature welcoming you in. If you love hiking, nature, or just want to feel grounded and amazed, this place is a must. California, you really outdid yourself with this one.

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.

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

While on a road trip, I had dinner then walked around here. The reason I took 1 star off was…read morebecause of some trash and lots of dead crabs / crab shells on the beach. I did not go into the water, fish or sit around the bon fire, but I am sure those things are fun to do here. It was easy to find parking.

Years ago, long before Mrs. Picante del Monte and I tied the knot, we took the long drive north to…read moreJedediah Smith Redwoods outside of Crescent City, CA to camp and hike and cook over fire and do boyfriend & girlfriend kinda stuff. An outdoorsy gal to match my own granola-ish tendencies, she chatted up a couple of locals at the gas station about nice beaches in the area. An old gnarly hippie, who most likely spoke Boontling as his native tongue, told us about Enderts Beach on the south side of town, and off we went to seek our own insular Tahiti in the cool, perpetual overcast of extreme NorCal. We pulled off Hwy 101 and started down the long stretch of two lane highway, flanked by blackberry briars and wildflowers, to a nondescript turnout and a deer path heading out toward the dunes. Soon, we were walking through long-standing spider webs, as garter snakes skirted across our path, appearing and disappearing just as quickly in the thick green blanket of grass and blackberry vines. Along the way, we picked handfuls of the wild berries and popped them in our mouths, savoring the sweetness of the fruit, and the equally satisfying beauty and solitude of this place. Just a few yards from the trail, a black bear busied herself with her own berry gorging, seemingly oblivious to our passing. Truly, this was one of the most wild and untouched places we had ever been, and so close to the highway. The beach itself is wide and clean, heavily influenced by the tide and the relentless surf that pounds this part of the California coast into submission. Sand crabs, sand dollars, shorebirds, and--at high tide with the right bait-- red tailed surf perch are plentiful. An osprey hunting fish outside the surfline was a welcome sight, as was the occasional bear that would lumber along where the blackberries met the sand. Lots of driftwood, agates on the rock piles, and sea glass polished by the surf made beach combing productive. SoCal beaches can't even begin to compare to this level of natural beauty, even off the beaten path spots like Padaro, Blacks, and El Capitan. If you ever have the chance to enjoy a beach like Enderts or many other spots from Southern Oregon down along the Lost Coast of California, please take a moment to see nature as the Great Programmer intended it. It truly is a Thin Place-- a location where the distance between heaven and earth are significantly closer than average.

We went to this aka "Secret Beach", and it turned out to be our favorite beach!! About 3/4 hike in,…read moreand there's a waterfall, arches, tide pools et al! It was really beautiful down here!! We really wanted to spend more time here but you need to pay attention to the tides and timing. I got my feet wet! LOL. Great spot that is worth checking out!

Hidden beach is absolutely lovely and magical! We were the only ones on the beach for quite a while…read moreand enjoyed the beautiful view, even with the fog. Just some notes on the trail, follow the beach signs carefully, one of them in the beginning is not very noticeable, so stay right when the trail forks, even though it feels like you're going the wrong way! There are some steep spots but If you take it slow you'll make it just fine.

Gold Bluffs Beach and Campground in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is a remote beach in northern…read moreHumboldt County. I personally love how secluded this beach is that stretches out for miles. This beach is great for walking along the shoreline and/or enjoying a picnic at. In order to get here you will have to drive on a somewhat twisty road for about 6 miles. It is right next to Fern Canyon so I love visiting both at the same time due to the close proximity to one another. There are unique hikes in Fern Canyon due to the fern-covered walls you can walk through. This is such a beautiful area. I have not used the campground and only visited the beach so I can't speak to the campground aspect of this area. It is very peaceful and serene and a place where you can often spot elk.

Gold Bluffs Beach extends for 10 miles along the Humboldt County coast in Prairie Creek Redwoods…read moreState Park. It requires a day use permit to enter because of the volume of visitors that come here. Mostly because popular Fern Canyon is next to it. Gold Bluffs has a campground with 26 sites. Permits are not required if you have camping reservations. To reach Gold Bluffs Beach, you have to drive on a 6 mile windy dirt road called Davison Rd that you can access near the Elk Meadow picnic area. Trailers are not allowed on Davison Road. Visitors will need to pay the day-use fee, or show their federal pass or CA state park passes at the Gold Bluffs Beach entrance station. You can also hike the 11-mile James Irvine loop trail from Prairie Creek Visitor Center. No permit is required if you are hiking. Gold Bluffs Beach was named after a gold discovery in the 1850's that attracted some interest by miners. If you are going to come here, make sure you check out nearby Fern Canyon. It is a must-see! The 1,200 mile California Coastal Trail runs through Gold Bluffs. After hiking Fern Canyon, I walked over to the coast of Gold Bluff to walk in the water and soak in the sun.