Redwood Highway (page 2 of 5)

Points 5-9

5. Humboldt Redwoods State Park
Occupying some 50,000 acres along the avenue's most scenic stretches, Humboldt Redwoods ranks as the largest state park in northern California and is home to one of the largest remaining old-growth redwood forests. Along the riverside flats, great stands of ancient trees darken the fern-carpeted forest floor; in the rolling uplands, mixed hardwoods and gentle grasslands bloom in spring with orchids, lilies, and huckleberries.

Scattered along the route, more than 100 memorial groves bear the names of men and women who helped to save the redwoods. The Dyerville Giant, once honored as the champion of coastal redwoods, toppled in 1991. The sight of this 362-foot Goliath in repose is one of the park's main attractions.

6. Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Continuing north, the highway moves from forest to ocean, and the second-largest natural harbor in California (after San Francisco). Though guarded by treacherous waters, Humboldt Bay itself is calm and can be safely explored by tour boat or kayak. Along this 15-mile stretch of protected waters, porpoises, sea lions, and playful harbor seals reward those with a watchful eye.

Extensive wetlands and broad tidal flats make the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge one of northern California's premier spots for bird-watching. More than 200 species of waterfowl, raptors, and shorebirds reside here year-round or visit during spring migrations. For the most rewarding glimpses of avian life, take the Hookton Slough Trail, the Shorebird Loop Trail, or South Jetty Road.

7. Eureka
Lovers of period architecture will delight in this charming bayside city, once a rough-and-tumble frontier town, whose whimsical name (meaning "I have found it") recalls California's gold rush days. More than 10,000 Victorian homes line Eureka's picturesque streets, with styles ranging from the understated to the opulent: Carson Mansion (now a privately owned club) surely ranks among the most ornate homes in America.

Fronting Humboldt Bay and Eureka's busy harbor, the Old Town section is steeped in the flavor of frontier life. Once a seedy neighborhood of bordellos and saloons, the area was transformed by city planners into an inviting commercial district of museums, shops, and eateries, all housed in vintage buildings.

8. Azalea State Reserve
Named for President William McKinley after his assassination in 1901, the town of McKinleyville becomes a fragrant paradise each April, when the 30-acre Azalea State Reserve bursts into bloom. Well-marked trails guide visitors through this unique natural garden, where the pink and white blossoms of western azaleas enliven the banks of quiet forest creeks.

9. Trinidad
Near the old fishing village of Trinidad is a foggy promontory called Trinidad Head, where sitka spruce tower over ocean cliffs and, in winter and spring, hikers can glimpse migrating whales. A white granite cross at the summit marks the spot where the region was first claimed by Spanish explorers in 1775. Memorial Lighthouse, a replica of the 1871 original, stands at the edge of town, overlooking offshore rocks where sea lions doze and, to the north, Trinidad State Beach, a windswept stretch of tidepools and driftwood.

• • Road Trips

• Mt. Shasta-Cascade Loop
• This drive visits sky-shearing volcanoes, flourishing forests and wetlands that teem with life, and even otherworldly underground chambers.
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• Pacific Coast Highway
• From the roller-coaster hills of San Francisco to the dazzling seascapes of the North Coast, this California highway is paved with scenic riches.
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• Magnificent Mt. Rainier
• This gleaming colossus in the heart of Washington presides over miles of deep snowfields, flower-filled meadows, pristine streams, and lush evergreen forest.
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• Nevada 93
• In a land of bewitching beauty, a mix of crinkled mountains and parched valleys contrasts with chilly caverns and a mammoth man-made lake.
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• North Cascades Loop
• This drive takes travelers through volcanic peaks, glacial lakes, sun-drenched farm fields and misty coastal islands.
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• More Great Road Trips!
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