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.

Like so many people have told me, hiking through the Redwoods cannot be described but rather…read moreexperienced. I got to experience this for myself, as my husband and I are on a road trip from LA to NorCal and beyond for a combo work trip for him, and 50th bday spent in nature for me. We stopped in to the Thomas Kuchel Visitor Center and spoke with a friendly park ranger that gave us a map and suggested a hike for us. We stopped in another visitor center (Prairie Creek), where we spoke with another friendly ranger that gave us the more rugged option of said hike. The hike was absolutely beautiful, with Redwoods that go up, up, up. And all around the ground level are so many types of fern, lichen, moss, mushrooms, and other dense forest growth. We did a 3.5 mile hike, which was a great work out, and so scenic. But, my words will do it no justice. Go for yourself and experience it. And remember, leave no trace and pack it in pack it out. Long Live our National Parks!!!

We drove here per a recommendation from someone we talked to where we were camping. We hadn't been…read morehere before and it really was worth checking out! Gorgeous big trees and the information center was awesome as well. Something for everyone visiting here and I did a lot of walking and forest bathing. We visited the "Big Tree".

If you stay in the meadow you will be able to see the elk. These images were taken around 4:30pm…read more We visited the big tree trail and no elk were seen ~11am. Yesterday we drove by the meadow ~ 7:30pm and there were plenty of elk on meadow; however we didn't decide to stop because we knew we were coming back the following day. So seems like the best time to get up close and get amazing shots of the elks would be late afternoon to early evening between the hours of 4pm-8pm; as they are grazing the meadow for dinner.

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.

Out of all the Redwood National Park trails, I think this is probably my favorite one…read more Here are some of the reasons why this is hands-down a must visit if you're in the area: - I think this is the most representative trail of what you imagine the Redwoods to be like. The entire trail is full of these 150+ foot redwoods surrounded by mist. It really makes you contemplate your life especially among these magestic vegetation. - The trail is relatively easy to hike as it is pretty wide and doesn't have many elevation changes. - There are a lot of park benches that have very great placement so that you can just be silent and listen to the sounds to the redwoods. I love that you can hear the drip of the water from the redwood branches onto the ferns as well as different types of birds chirping. - Coming here during the wintertime in the afternoon also didn't seem to be too bad as I think there's a certain beauty with the mist. Also, parking was not a problem at all. Overall, I could not recommend this place more in your next Redwoods visit!

Make sure you bring water. It's a long trail . But it's super beautiful and worth it. So many…read moreawesome things to see and climb. We really enjoyed the entire trail. It was beautiful weather out when we went and I would say the trail does get a bit slippery in some places so make sure to wear some good shoes.

We visited Trees of Mystery, and I was truly impressed. It's such a unique place where you can walk…read moreamong giant Coast Redwood trees -- something you don't experience every day. The forest feels magical, fresh, and peaceful, and the SkyTrail ride adds a whole different perspective from above. Grateful to the people who take care of this incredible place. I would definitely come back

Went in early 2023 and there was only one other couple at the site besides me and my boyfriend. For…read morethe price, it was totally worth it! Trails were not hard at all, some cool art pieces, and a huge gift shop at the end. We got to ride the gondola and it was a bit scary when it stopped halfway through, but that was just to load the next riders. It's a breath taking view once you get past the clouds. I didn't finish the rope bridges, but I did about 3 of them and felt totally safe the whole time. It was a nice place to be in for a few hours, and it was about an hour drive away from Humboldt. I would reserve about 3-5 hours of your day to see it all. Would love to come back with friends or family!

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.

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.

Great place to spend the day on the beach, rock hunting, camping, or exploring trails!…read more Hands down one of my favorite places in northern California to spend a day on the beach. If you're looking for a dip in the ocean this is not the spot for you, as the waves are pretty big and can be dangerous. As for rock collecting are some beautiful jaspers, agates, jade, and others. There's also a lot of cool driftwood, although you're not supposed to collect it. This visit was the first time I explored some of the trails, which were super cool and worth it. Wedding rock is a must see! I'd love to stay in one of the small cabins or dry camp here one day, but for a small fee of I believe $8 you can spend the day here. I highly recommend it!

Sue-Meg State Park is located about 30 miles north of Eureka in the small town of Trinidad. You can…read morestroll through the forested area and also have stunning ocean views of the Pacific Ocean. If you are lucky, you may be able to see sea life. It's an excellent place to explore the natural beauty of this park! There are a lot of amazing beaches and parks in Trinidad and I would recommend putting this one on your list as well. This reviiew is only for visiiting this park, although you can camp here as well. The facilities like the bathrooms are kept clean and you can walk down to wedding rock for beautiful views!

Wow, absolute breathtaking. I had to check out of my hotel and had 2 hours to kill before heading…read moreto the airport. I am so glad I stopped here for a short hike! The tall redwoods were mesmerizing, lots of friendly folks on the trail. Some parts were a bit muddy so be careful where you are stepping.

Pre-Covid: Wonderful…read moreplace for BBQ, have a picnic, play in the playground, sun bathe Did you know many of the trails are interconnected? Look up Trail System on your maps and your are go to go & ready for an adventure ^_*

This is an amazing beach in Trinidad. It is dog friendly so you can bring your four legged friends…read morehere as well. You will see dogs running around and having the time of their lives The parking area can fill up at certain times of the year (the busier season), although usually has room for everyone. It's a very short walk from the parking lot to the beach. It's better to come during low tide. It has beautiful views and is very peaceful. Moonstone Grill, a restaurant just up the hill, opens for dinner. They have amazing food and incredible sunset views overlooking the ocean!

Turn in here... I see a beach!…read more On our way to a 4-day road trip at the Oregon Coast we made our first stop at Moonstone Beach. We estimated we'd reach our lodging destination at a certain time but we like to leave room for side trips we stumble upon along the way (like this one). Moonstone Beach is not too far from Clam Beach. We've been to this part of the state before when we went on a tour of the Battery Point Lighthouse in Crescent City. The parking area is not a long walk from the beach -whew- and it was low tide at the time so it was nice. We walked all the way to the north end of the beach to the cave. Few people in November, some walked the beach, many brought their dogs to play and run around. There was some rock climbing going on too. Beautiful beach in Humboldt County! The tide was starting to come in as we were leaving... Moonstone Grill, a restaurant just up the hill you'll see before heading down to the beach, opened at 4:30p daily for dinner. We arrived at the beach at 1:00p so we weren't able to try. Review #3241