California State of Nature Forests for Life

Forest for the Trees

See the World's Tallest Treest in Humboldt County at Redwood National Park

The world’s tallest trees can be seen in only one place: California. Specifically, Humboldt County in the far reaches of northern California. The county is a boon of rugged coastal beauty, wildlife like Roosevelt elk, canyons frilled by dewy ferns and trickling waterfalls, and yes—the tallest trees on the planet.

The marquee hike for seeing the trees is at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (located within Redwood National and State Parks). There’s an 11-mile semi-loop hike that’s got all the greatest hits, and though it’s a long hike (there are shorter options) it’s not super strenuous. But it is magical!

Start and finish on the James Irvine Trail, with an amphitheater of mighty coastal redwoods nearly the entire time as you wander beside Godwood Creek and Home Creek. The trees bathe in both sun and coastal mist as you crane your neck to look wayyy up at them.

Halfway through the hike you can get to Fern Canyon, popularly known as the “Jurassic Park hike” because some scenes from Jurassic Park 2: The Lost World were filmed here. Hulking canyon walls are draped in green ferns so lush they appear almost neon, while tiny oases spill into the riverbed.

Return from this detour on the James Irvine Trail.

TIP: Back at the trailhead, take some time to visit nearby meadows to see if you can spot the resident Roosevelt elk. Please keep your distance to give these magnificent creatures space in their home and freedom to roam.

BONUS: 2024 is the “Year of the California Grizzly Bear” thanks to a recent state resolution. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the last known sighting of a grizzly bear in California’s Sequoia National Park. At the Academy of Sciences’ new exhibition, California: State of Nature, you can now see Monarch, “California’s last grizzly bear” in public view. This magnificent mounted specimen is a symbol of a significant story in California’s history and offers a unique opportunity to understand the grizzly bear’s importance to Indigenous populations, and how ecosystems were impacted by the mass extinction of the grizzlies.

ENTER for a complimentary 2-Night Stay at beautiful Mar Vista Farm + Cottages on the Mendocino Coast, plus 4 tickets to the California Academy of Sciences at Golden Gate Park.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View
  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

    View
  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

    View
  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View