what hikes in Redwood Forest - Cali?

[jman]

I'm doing a road trip in June to Cali and stopping at the Redwood Forest. I searched for a little bit and found some hikes that look fun, I suppose.

Could any locals or veterans recommend any good hikes/things to see please?

[stefan]

the redwood forest? i guess the question is which part of the redwood forest. the redwood forest sits on a long strip about 450 miles long from central california and extending just a tad into southern oregon.

the largest tracks of old-growth coastal redwoods lie along the northcoast of california, primarily in Del Norte and Humboldt counties. these tracts were all saved before the federal government could pull its head out and establish a park there.

the state parks have been established by "save the redwoods league" by purchasing the old-growth. redwood national park is a sort of afterthought. there are some stands of old-growth but has primarily been logged. the purpose of the park is to (A) provide continuity between the state parks in the area and (B) after a few hundred years may contribute to a more extensive mature forest which ultimately could develop into old-growth.

something like 90% of the forest on Redwood National Park lands had been previously been logged.

just fyi, it's been quantified in detail, about 4% of the original redwood forest still exists (used to be 5% in 1990), and only something like 2.5-2.75% has been protected. (if it wasn't obvious i care a great deal about trees.)

the largest tracts are in Humboldt, Prairie Creek, Del Norte, and Jedediah Redwood State Parks (extreme northwest california) and each has some marvelous hiking trails in them. there are many many other smaller state parks all over the range of the redwood. the most substantial in the south is Big Basin near santa cruz.

the newest, largest track of protected old-growth is the headwaters forest reserve (lotta sad history here). it encompasses 7,500 (of a larger 60,000) acres but has very difficult access and is subject to closures for wildlife.


it's hard to realize these massive forests once were so extensive across coastal california


so where are you planning to be?

[Brewhaha]

I'd highly recommend reading The Wild Trees by Richard Preston before going. It's a pretty light and easy read. It doesn't give hiking information but it describes the whole world of the redwood giants and will add alot to your visit.

[denaliguide]

i remember going to a place called "gold bluffs beach" it was somewhere north of san francisco near a place called orick. in the pine creek redwoods state park. you camped on the beach and there were some trails up into the big redwoods there. it was beautiful. fern canyon was one of the walks. even had a herd of elk walk through camp one afternoon. if i'm ever in the area again i'll go back to this one.

http://gorp.away.com/gorp/publishers/foghorn/fall_ca7.htm

[stefan]

i remember going to a place called "gold bluffs beach" it was somewhere north of san francisco near a place called orick. in the pine creek redwoods state park.


actually it's prairie creek redwoods, in northern humboldt county, north of arcata and eureka.



fern canyon was one of the walks.


this is a gorgeous canyon. you can drive to it or hike to it, either as a day hike, or a backpack in with a couple possibilities. gorgeous wild beaches in this area.

[denaliguide]

the turnoff into the prarie creek state park is actuall quite a ways north of arcata and eureka. its just north of orick and berry glen. see map.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/lat_long_map/default.asp?lvl_id=51