Grr. Oh Yelp, why dost thou load my photographs backwards? I wanted to tell a story …read more.. Just back from a beautiful weekend on the Humboldt/Mendocino Coast. Back to what appears a rainy day in the Bay Area. In late June. Wtf. This walk was as splendid as the last. Different, as I had a hiking buddy this time, different as I left the water filter on my bed at home and had to beg other hikers for the use of theirs. Different in those respects but similar in many others. Tips: 1. Bring the bear can for the food. I still don't think you need it if you think about what you're doing before you do it but the rangers don't agree and as we saw two this trip and they are serious about the bears you may as well bring it along. I hate bear cans. 2. Time your walk so you can stay at the best campsites. I like Big Flat the best of all. It's about 17 miles in from the northern trailhead, so either: a) start early and walk all the way there in one day, or b) start late, spend the first night at the lighthouse (3 ish miles), and make a more leisurely day of it to the sweet driftwood shelters that will serve for your Big Flat dwelling on day 2. 3. Time the tides. I don't fret too much over them but it pays to have a general sense of when they'll be high. Some spots are tough to traverse at high water. And some of the tough spots at high water are comprised of stones the size of bowling balls that when wet and when you're in a hurry because of sneaker waves can be a real pain to get across. Literally. 4. Watch for the rattlers in the grass; don't tree your food. 5. Pack a little tequila for the gloaming. About 280 miles from Temescal to the mouth of the Mattole (north trailhead). Less to Shelter Cove. You can take two cars and shuttle around (if you have company) or park at Shelter Cove and arrange for a shuttle to take you north (you'll be hiking back to your car at SC). A couple of years ago I paid 50 clams for a solo trip from SC to the put-in. Takes about an hour and a half to get around. The Lost Coast is about as far in miles and time as Yosemite Valley. In all other respects, it's a world apart. We're blessed to live in such a wonderful place. Take it all in.

I went backpacking this Memorial weekend. It was an unforgettable experience…read more Lost Coast. First time I heard the name, I imagined a very desolated and abandoned coast. I got a picture in my mind the ocean sitting with sadness. I went there and found my image was not so wrong. There were a lot of driftwood on the beach as if it was abandoned by somebody. Scattered woods looked in grief. However, right next to the beach with dead trees, steep hills with lush green reside. What a contrast. The other side is Pacific Ocean. Ocean is powerful and strong. Reflecting the sun, the ocean was very shiny. So beautiful. I was able to see whales, sealions, and sea otters. Beauty and sadness exist on the same page. Actually the naming is from depopulation in 1930. Now many backpackers are attracted by the pretty scenery. In terms of difficulty of backpacking, I would say it is very different from doing in the Eastern Sierra. Hiking on the sandy and rocky beach requires another muscles. Overall, this Memorial Weekend was memorable.

Headwaters Forest Reserve is an amazing place and full of natural beauty! The Reserve is managed by…read morethe Bureau of Land Management in consultation with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The trails are well maintained and there is a decent size parking lot. This Reserve protects 7,472 acres of old growth redwood groves, other forest stands, streams, and wildlife. This is an amazing place to go hiking at there is a Headwaters Education Center if you want to learn more about this area. There are different hikes you can take varying in length. Some of the trails are paved and some are unpaved. Dogs and bikes are allowed on some of the trails and not on others. The Elk River Trail is the longest trail and it is 11 miles roundtrip. This area is so peaceful and tranquil and loved that this area has been preserved so that everyone can enjoy it!

The land consistently gets trimmed and cared for…read more I have come here for doggie hikes, walks, forest runs and to admire the river/nature. Overall, the high review comes after the expansion of their parking lot. If you are familiar with this place you will know that it used to be a two-way entrance now it is a one-way. Careful when coming in because a car might be backing up or confused it is a one way! I highly appreciate that on the trail they consistently have signs to show you if you are allowed off trailing or not. It is helpful to see a map in case you are unsure how far you want to go in. Take into consideration the amount of miles going in and out. Usually my partner and I go up to the 2nd mile maker which is the bridge overlooking the river. And building up your tolerance from there.

ROAD CLOSED at Navy Base due to massive landslide. Fleener Creek trail is no longer. Currently no…read morebeach access and trail is destroyed by slide. It is closed until further notice.

Super easy trail. You can spend a few hours walking around and admiring the amazing trees and…read moreferns. Parking lot is super small fyi.

This place is so amazing. The trees are majestic trees. I can definitely understand why George…read moreLucas picked this place for a scene in Star Wars. We were so fortunate to experience the trail with a a guided tour. Ranger Kevin from the Grizzly Creek Redwood State Park was there to guide us and teach us the history of the place. If going to visit, I suggest going on a guided tour. Did I mention that the guided tour is free?? It is!!

Pretty cool trail. Tucked up in a community forest plenty of insects, birds, trees, and greenery :pread more

GREEN DIAMOND TRAIL Found this trail on YELP, located at the…read moreedge of town using their map. Started at an open gate onto a dirt road through a massive Redwood forest. This trail has no signage...so a gps mind is helpful. I used the go out, out and out and find a way back plan. Lots of crisscrossing dirt roads, found some new, hard to follow, barely there single tracks, dead-ends, a small jump park and some super fun but short runs. Unfortunately it was muddy and I should actually have stayed off some of them but I was in a controlled state of lost. It was late afternoon and you would get into these shoots/gullies that got dark fast so I made a premature turn back on a brutal up hill. My STRAVA map gives me a much better look at the layout now. It's a new trail system with potential for growth. There is a small trash problem that has the neighborhood on edge...so pack it out! Skill level- medium , fun level- high. .

Loved this walk through the woods. It was easy and we loved the little pamphlet to walk with as it…read moreprovided information about the trees and what we were seeing at each post! Amazing creation!

Our fourth stop (09:42) on day five of our Northern California road trip, Founders' Grove has a…read morededicated parking area (with restrooms) and can be used to enter the trail which leads to the Founders Tree (not a far walk). The tree is estimated to be almost 1,500 years old, and stands 346 feet tall. It has a protective wooden built deck around it, and is a good opportunity to take pictures and admire the size of it. It was named in 1931, in honor of the 3 founders of the Save the Redwoods League. From 1931 to 1957, it was believed to be the tallest redwood (thus the tallest tree in the world). More accurate modern readings disproved this (with the current tallest being Hyperion at 380 feet).

We had such an amazing time at this campsite. It's in the redwoods and next to grizzly creek. It's…read more4 miles from Cheatham Groove, where they shot scenes from the movie The Return of the Jedi. They provide activities for the children and guided tours at Cheatham groove. Their Jr Ranger classes are very educational. Ranger Kevin makes the classes very exciting. His enthusiasm makes you want to like insects. Also, it's awesome to learn about the redwoods. The campsites are very small and are close to each other. Some sites are right next to the road. The road is kinda scary, so I do not recommend the sites next to the road. The traffic noise wasn't bad. They have two restrooms with 3 stalls for both women and men. The restroom farther from the visitor center has 2 coin operated showers. So don't forget to bring quarters.

The internet said the park was open and we drove specifically up for it and it was closed. So sad…read more Went to Chatham Grove instead.

Somewhere in these 105 Acres resides my ballerina necklace. Somewhere…read more.. I loved this park when I was a kid and on my last trip still found it just as beautiful and serene as I remember. Just watch out for banana slugs!

Beautiful place but people do not have their dogs on leash. Very scary situation when you are…read morefacing unleashed large dogs on a narrow trail. I had a dog on a leash and was terrified he would be attacked. This caused avoidable anxiety and ruined the remainder of a hike. Will not be back...

I visited Humboldt State Park on the first weekend of Spring, and spent most of my visit on the…read moreNorth Bull Creek Trail (8 miles round trip). My destination was the Tall Tree, and I passed miles of banana slugs, moss, lichen, spring wildflowers, and the refreshing surge of Bull Creek with its turquoise hues. The park was far from crowded, and I was pleasantly surprised to see Park Staff tending the maintenance needs (weed abatement). I felt safe & incredibly relaxed on the trail. There are over 100 miles of trail in this park and plenty of river access, providing something for everyone. If you only drive through the Avenue of the Giants, it will be time well spent in this gorgeous paradise.

As with many of the California State Parks this park is a jewel not to be missed. For starters,…read moreadmission is FREE! The many old growth redwood groves are interesting and beautiful to saunter through. Way finding is easy and park maps and internet resources make for a wonderful road trip. Visitor centers are well stocked, have clean bathrooms with ample parking. Volunteer staff are well informed and helpful. Trails are well marked and very clean. Surprising lack of random trash so volunteers and visitors do a great job. We have learned over the past few years to avoid the crowds and cost of visiting National Parks in California when we are truly blessed with such exceptional California park options. This park is amazing and fascinating with manageable visitor sizes. Take the time to experience the area small towns too!

Avenue of the giants is a great way to drive along the freeway with a more scenic route. It was…read morebeautiful and gorgeous drive and they have stops that you can go to for view points. I suggest you go early to avoid crowds if you want to get to every site and not have toooo much traffic. Also Make sure to get the map at the first stop so you can read about each stop and decide which ones ha wanna go to.

Absolutely wonderful way to experience the Redwoods firsthand. No need to drive the whole avenue;…read moreyou can pop off the 101, drive up Avenue of the Giants for a bit, and then pop back on the 101 to resume your trip. That's exactly what I did and it worked out great. You can slow down and experience the Redwoods close up, rather than whizzing by on the highway. No fee! Don't miss it!