The natural crown jewel of the county is Humboldt Redwoods State Park. This is the definitive spot to see the magnificence of California’s famous coastal redwoods. In the early part of the last century there was a nationwide effort to save what remained of the old-growth redwoods on California’s North Coast. Philanthropists and civic clubs began buying groves of trees for the … [Read more...]
#22 – Eel River Swimming Holes
One of the most striking features of Humboldt County is the magnificent Eel River. The North and Middle Forks of the Eel have been designated as part of the National Wild and Scenic River system, and its watershed is the third largest in California. The river flows through five counties with winding lazy curves to churning whitewater. It runs parallel to the coast and Hwy 101. … [Read more...]
#23 – Shrine Drive Thru Tree
Once upon a time promoters of California’s tourism industry devised a clever way to entice visitors to see the captivating beauty of the redwood forests — cut a tunnel through a redwood and charge people a fee to drive their cars through to the other side. It was a great photo opportunity that quickly caught on. In time there were drive-thru trees, drive-on trees, walk-through … [Read more...]
#24 – Redwood Hiking Trails
Humboldt Redwoods State Park has hundreds of miles of trails — there are so many it’s hard to decide where to hike. View our map on pages 28 and 29 to see the location of different trailheads along the Avenue of the Giants. Listed here are the five best hikes chosen by the volunteers of the Humboldt Redwoods Interpretive Association who staff the Visitor Center. There is also a … [Read more...]
#26 – Cuneo Creek Horse Camp
Cuneo Creek Horse Camp is a complete campground designed specifically for equestrians and their horses. The camp features five family campsites, accommodating up to eight campers each, with two corrals on each site. Two group campsites accommodate up to 90 campers and their horses, with a total of 28 corrals. The different sites also accommodate large trailers and RVs. The camp … [Read more...]
#27 – Redwood Visitor Center’s Travel Log
Inside the Humboldt Redwoods Interpretive Visitor Center resides a curious behemoth of a vehicle. It just may be the original RV. In 1917, Charles Kellogg, an American naturalist and lecturer, hoisted a 6-ton hollowed-out giant redwood log onto the chassis of a Nash Quad, a large truck the Nash Company built for the military in World War I and one of the very first 4x4 … [Read more...]
#28 – California Federation of Women’s Clubs Hearthstone
Early in the 20th century, women’s civic groups around California organized a statewide campaign to protect the redwoods in Humboldt County. In response, the California Federation of Women’s Clubs purchased a grove of giant redwoods next to the South Fork of the Eel River. In 1931, renowned San Francisco architect Julia Morgan, designer of the Hearst Castle, fashioned a … [Read more...]
#29 – The Immortal Tree
Along the Avenue of the Giants off Hwy 101 stands one of the most durable trees in history. The Immortal Tree is over 950 years old, and has experienced more trials and tribulations than any single tree should. It has been a victim of lightning strikes, fires, floods and the logger’s ax. Yet it still stands and continues to grow heartily. Look up and you’ll see a wooden fish … [Read more...]
#30 – The Eternal Tree House
The Eternal Tree House is a fascinating stop on the Avenue of the Giants, a one-time natural colossus that stood for more than 2,500 years before being reduced to a surviving stump. The still-living stump contains a huge cavern caused by fire centuries ago. It had been used first by Indians and later trappers, hunters, travelers and their livestock for shelter. In the early … [Read more...]