Redwoods In Northern California: See Before You Die
In a town where the oldest trees can be found in the Scotch 80s and history is imploded before we get a chance to protect it, thinking of things 2000 years old is quite foreign. But the Redwoods in Northern California bring all of that and more, and it is a road trip you need to take before you die.
I have written about my occasional adventures before, and let’s not get it twisted: I am not Mister Outdoorsy. I am often plopped on my couch and relaxing. But occasionally I end up taking an adventure that changes my life. Seeing the Redwoods in Northern California is that trip.
Getting To The Redwoods In Northern California Isn’t Convenient
The drive to Avenue Of The Giants from Las Vegas clocks in at 12 hours. Quite the hike (and even longer if you need to charge your electric car).
United Airlines does fly to nearby Arcata with a stop, but the flights begin at $300 round trip and are few and far between. Avelo Airlines briefly had a direct flight, but that got axed. Flying into San Francisco International Airport and renting a car will likely be your best bet.
I chose to drive considering my car offers enough space to lay flat in the back and sleep in. Roughing it isn’t so bad, especially considering most of the accommodations in Eureka, California are.
But Dear God Is The Hassle Worth It
“Big trees. Cool. Why the hell would I drive to see trees slightly larger than average?”
Listen, if I am raving about the place, it’s that good. You won’t see me chained to your nearby elm or palm tree stopping it from being mowed down. But I am nauseous knowing that 95 percent of these majestic and truly jaw-dropping trees were cut.
What remains is an awe-inspiring, towering canopy of some of the largest trees you will ever see in your life. The problems in your life seem all too small once you step foot off any area of Avenue Of The Giants. Trees so large that some have been cut into, and you can drive into them with your car. It’s unbelievable.
To put it lightly, the Redwoods in Northern California is a spiritual place. As soon as you cross into Humboldt County, you’re out of the grasp of Corporate America, bumper to bumper traffic and the ridiculous election that is upon us.
That relationship that didn’t work out is all of a sudden not so big. Neither are you. Priorities and our place in this world are genuinely put into context walking amongst trees that were around way longer than your deepest branch of Ancestory.com.
Hidden Treasure Of The Redwoods In Northern California
If you stopped at Avenue Of The Giants, you’d be quite fulfilled. But it isn’t until you veer off, onto Mattole Road and head towards Mattole Beach that you get the treat of a lifetime.
Beginning at the Founder’s Tree and ending in the community of Ferndale (hometown of ‘Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives’ host Guy Fieri), this 88 mile, 3-4 hour adventure will have you towering above the Redwood canopy, seeing a beach that meets an estuary that looks more like the coast of Ireland than California, and seeing cows and horses essentially free-roaming on the hills and towards the beach.
This drive is not well publicized or advertised. But every time I have taken this drive (now three times) has been better than the last. The pictures in this article simply do not do it justice.
Listen. Life is an absolute slog sometimes. Bills, dead end jobs, family drama… it can be a lot. But life is also an adventure. Traveling to the Redwoods in Northern California is the activity equivalent of therapy and meditation. It is good for the soul and good for perspective.
So fly into SFO, rent a convertible and pack some light hiking gear. It is a promise that your first trip to the Redwoods in Northern California will change your life for the better.
