Avenue of the Giants

Scenic "Avenue of the Giants" is 31 miles of winding country highway that parallels hwy 101 between Pepperwood and Phillipsville, CA. Much of the route follows the Eel River, and enters Humboldt Redwoods State Park, home to over 50,000 acres of tall ancient coastal redwoods and Douglas-firs.  

A Visitor Center with historical displays and interpretive kiosks is about half way into the drive.

Other attractions along the route include Shrine Drive Thru Tree, The Immortal Tree, The Eternal Tree, and Chimney Tree.  Hiking trails, horseback riding camps, camping facilities, lodging, shops and restaurants are also available.

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

From our camp in Trinidad, CA we drove north to Kuchel Visitor Center near Orick.  After a short film, the park ranger pointed us toward Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway and a drive through Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

This alternative to hwy 101 was definitely worthwhile. We found the 10 mile side trip to be yet another beautiful drive twisting and turning through giant trees.

A wayside sign with an arrow pointing to "Big Tree" encouraged us to stop. We walked a short trail, and there it was...the biggest redwood we had seen so far!







The information sign nearby stated it was 286 ft tall, 24 ft in diameter, and 75 ft in circumference. These two photos show the bottom and top of this giant.


This state park has many hiking trails that lead off into the forest.  One of the more difficult trails leads to Fern Canyon, a site used for filming parts of "Jurassic Park".

Tour Thru Tree

Located on the outskirts of Klamath village is Tour Thru Tree.  A 700 year old tree has been carefully carved out to allow most vehicles to pass through.  The tree still remains alive. Tourists have been visiting this site for years.

We did it just because...


Note: there are no drive-through redwood trees within the Redwood National and State Parks system.

Trees of Mystery

Located on hwy 101 near Klamath is Trees of Mystery.  A tourist stop since the 1940's, this unique place offers several trails among the coastal redwoods forest.

The Kingdom of Trees trail highlights colossal redwoods, sitka spruce, & douglas fir, while walking along the forest floor. Informational signs provide a self-guided tour of various areas, and unique plant growth within the forest.

 Skytrail, a gondola ride, carries one up into the forest canopy, stopping at a large observation deck that offers views of the forests, mountains, and the ocean. One can either ride the gondola back down, or walk down following the challenging Wilderness trail.



Trail of Tall Tales is a series of redwood chainsaw carvings devoted to the folklore of lumberman Paul Bunyan and Babe, the Blue Ox.

End of the Trail Museum has extensive displays of Native American artifacts, with many interpretive areas. And, there's a gift shop for souvenirs...

Klamath River Overlook

 Klamath, a small village at the end of the Klamath River, was once a booming salmon & steelhead fishing town. In 1926,  Douglas Memorial Bridge was built across the river, and connected the town to the Redwood Highway.  Two devastating floods, one in 1955, the other in 1964, literally washed the town down river and into the ocean.  The hearty survivors rebuilt the town each time. What was left of the bridge is now a viewpoint along the river.  

Further along Klamath Beach Road one arrives at Flint Ridge Overlook.  From there you can see where the Klamath River meets the Pacific Ocean, with a sand bar between. From the overlook we could hear the barking of sealions or seals that lounge on the sand.


Tourism is important today with fishing and jet boat river tours available. Hiking trails are abundant along the river and coast.

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

East of Crescent City, US Hwy 199 takes one on a drive that winds through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park with its thick stands of old growth redwoods.  These trees are giants, and right along the highway!

Stout Grove, a section of the forest accessible only by trail, contains trees 300 feet tall surrounded by waist high ferns.  Other hiking trails are abundant in this park.

Smith River Scenic Drive turns off hwy 199 through a covered bridge and follows the Smith River.

Redwood National and State Parks

Established in 1968,  Redwood National and State Parks system protects a string of forests, beaches, and grasslands along the northern California coast. From the early 1900's to 1960 logging operations consumed a large percentage of original old-growth coastal redwoods. Redwoods National and State Parks joint effort was to protect and preserve the remaining trees. Some 40,000 acres of old growth, and 80,000 acres of second growth forests (those growing on previously clear-cut land) are now within the Parks system protection.

Coastal redwoods grow best here partly because of the mist and fog that moves in from the ocean and blankets the forest in a cloud.  Trees absorb lots of their moisture requirements from the fog.

Park Visitor Centers provide forest information, book campsites, and register hikers for backcountry camping. Campsites are varied, from full service with electricity and water, to those with only nature around you.  Trails are also varied...some handicap accessible, some easy and not too long, some difficult and long.  Besides walking, some trails are used for biking and/or horseback riding.

Tsunami and Earthquake Country

In 1964 a great earthquake in Alaska triggered a tsunami that destroyed Crescent City's business district.

Along hwy 101 , these blue & white signs indicate risky and safe tsunami areas, as well as evacuation routes inland and uphill from the coast.

Battery Point Lighthouse, Crescent City, CA

Built in 1856, historic Battery Point Lighthouse sits on a small island 100 feet offshore.    It is accessible only by foot and only at low tide.  Tide charts are posted. Guided tours of the lighthouse and museum are available.

Del Norte County California

On October 18 we drove from Oregon into California on hwy 101.  Crescent City, the most sizable town in Del Norte County would be our base right in the heart of Redwood country.   Within easy driving distance by car were Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. 

Crescent City had lodging & restaurants,  history museums, interpretive displays in city parks, a marine mammal rescue center, Ocean World Aquarium, and some fantastic rugged coastal scenery.  Redwood National Park Headquarters and Visitor Center is located there.

Oregon Highway 101: Brookings

Our final camp site in Brookings, OR was within walking distance of the marina. Nearby the Chetco River meets the ocean. Harris Beach State Park was a short drive away. 

 We could hear ocean waves and sea gull cries...

just a few miles south on hwy 101 we entered California.

Oregon Highway 101: Samuel H Boardman State Scenic Corridor

Samuel Boardman State Park, a long narrow park consisting of about 12 miles of rugged coastline and pocket beaches, is located along hwy 101 between Gold Beach and Brookings.  Viewpoint waysides offer access to several named coastal features:

Arch Rock and Natural Bridges

Whalehead, and Thomas Creek Bridge.





Built in 1961, is the highest bridge in Oregon, crossing 345 feet above creek bottom.

Oregon Highway 101: Cranberry Bogs

Cranberry bogs are visible from hwy 101 near Bandon, the "Cranberry Capitol of Oregon".  We stopped at one bog and were lucky to be able to talk with the farmer who was starting the harvest:
He explained that Oregon is second to Wisconsin for cranberry production.  His crop was ready for harvest...first step was to flood the field with water.  The machine he was steering through the field was cutting the berries from the plants.  Once cut, the berries float on top of the water.  A rope boom corrals the berries so they can be pulled to one end of the bog.  Loading into trucks involves an elevator-type machine.  Trucks carry the berries to a sorting facility: sorted by color, size, etc. From there they are processed into a final product such as juice, raw whole berries, or dried fruits.

Plants are left in the bog to regrow and produce more berries next season...

Oregon Highway 101: Face Rock

Near Bandon is Face Rock State Park, a day use state park with beach access and trails.  The main attraction, as observed from the viewing platform, is Face Rock.

Oregon Highway 101: Bandon

Bandon, rebuilt after a 1936 fire destroyed the entire business district, and many homes, sits on the Coquille River.  The Coquille River lighthouse served as shelter for residents during the fire.  No longer operational, it has the distinction of being the only lighthouse on the Oregon coast that is decorated with holiday lights in December.

We had lunch at a small crab shack near the pier.  After lunch we browsed the Farmers Market and some shops in the Old Town district.  

One shop of interest was "Washed Ashore" a community art project using salvaged marine debris to create art...I liked the turtle. 

In Bandon we also watched people "crabbing" from the pier...crab pots baited with fish heads or chicken are dropped in the water. After 20-30 minutes the pot is pulled out. Crabs of the correct size can be kept; smaller ones are returned to the water.

Oregon Highway 101: Cape Arago Scenic Loop

Our drive on Cape Arago Scenic Loop (Oregon highway 540) began in downtown North Bend.  This loop highway leads to Charleston, a quaint fishing village, and ends at Cape Arago State Park.  We stopped along the loop to see Shore Acres and Simpson Reef.

Shore Acres was the home of timber baron Louis Simpson; a huge mansion and beautiful botanical gardens florished, until fires destroyed the mansion.  The gardens remain, along with a caretaker's cottage (now gift shop).  More amazing are the unusual rock formations found along the shore. Formed by sediment, underground upheaval, and action of the waves over time the rocks themselves looked like a garden.




 Simpson Reef, part of Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, is home to a large number of sea lions and seals.  The "barking" could be heard even before seeing the reef.

The loop dead-ends shortly after the reef.  We returned to highway 101 via Seven Devils Road, an equally scenic drive.

Oregon Highway 101: North Bend/ Coos Bay

A drive across Conde McCullough Memorial Bridge led into North Bend.  At the time this bridge was built in 1936 it was the longest (5,305 feet) bridge along the coast.  It rises high over the water for easy boat traffic clearance.

Coos Bay, close neighbor to North Bend, is the largest city  on the Oregon coast. History and art museums, theater, antique & gift shops, lodging and dining are abundant. 

Oregon Highway 101: Winchester Bay

Lunch one day was at a small crab shack on the pier in Winchester Bay, a fishing village near the mouth of the Umpqua River.


Close by was Umpqua River Lighthouse.  It is unique in that it is the only lighthouse on the Oregon coast that emits both red and white light.

Near the lighthouse was a whale watch viewing platform; we saw none! This Steller's jay came to see if we had any handouts...

In a protected area close to shore one could see rows of cage-like devices
used for aquafarming of clams, oysters, etc.

Oregon Coast Journey Begins

Touring the Oregon coast by traveling highway 101 was planned. We would set up camp, then use the car for sightseeing trips. On October 10 we left Eugene, headed west to Florence and started our journey south.


At Reedsport we followed the Umpqua River several miles east to  Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area. The river drive along hwy 38 was scenic with tall trees, steep rocky cliffs, and a highway with lots of twists and turns. We were able to see some of the Roosevelt elk scattered along the river flats.  Ducks, geese, and other birds also use this area as a rest stop on their migrations.

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area Visitor Center is also located at Reedsport.  The dunes extend for miles along the coast.

Our first camp was at Lakeside, a small town on Tenmile Lakes.  In the 1930's Lakeside was a resort town favored by Hollywood stars.  Now it is a popular fishing spot.

Oregon Highway 101: The Dunes

South of Lakeside we found Horsfall Dunes Beach Access.   The Oregon Dunes extend along a large portion of the coast.  Huge piles of white sand can be seen from the highway in many places. They attract "dune buggy" ATV/OHV vehicles, horse-back riders, and hikers.

 At Horsfall there are campgrounds, picnic areas, and lots of access to the dunes and beaches. A handicap accessible wooden ramp allows easy access to the top of the dunes, where you can look down on the ocean shoreline.   Many off-road enthusiasts were seen zooming up and down the sandy slopes.

The dunes seem to end near here, where the Umpqua River reaches into the ocean.

Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument

Mount St. Helens is an active volcano, located in the Pacific Northwest between Seattle, WA and

Portland, OR.  On the morning of May 18, 1980, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake shook the mountain.  This triggered a major avalanche on the north face.  Rock, mud, trees, etc. plummeted downward. The avalanche released pressure from within the volcano...a powerful lateral eruption blasted to the north; a vertical eruption shot ash up to 12 miles into the air.  Eruptions continued into the afternoon...mudflows and pyroclastic flows (mixtures of hot gasses, pumice, and ash) flowed down the mountain, clogging streams, lakes, and valleys, mowing down millions of trees, damaging bridges, highways, and homes.  Lives were lost...

In 1982, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument was established. Johnson Ridge Observatory Visitor Center, at the end of highway 504,  had two excellent films...one covers the eruption, with lots of news footage from 1980; the other covers recovery of the mountain in the years following.  New lakes have formed; mud-filled valleys now provide grazing areas & refuge to elk and other wildlife; forests are being re-established either through planting efforts and/or just letting nature take it's course.

Thick clouds and fog above 3000 ft elevation blocked our view of many sights the day we were there. It was still a memorable trip.

Craters of the Moon National Monument

Craters of the Moon was established as a national monument in 1924 to preserve what was then described as "a weird and scenic landscape, peculiar to itself".  It included 750,000 acres of lava features, some created 15,000 years ago (most recent eruption likely about 2000 years ago) as lava well up from the Great Rift to produce this vast ocean of rock.  In 2000 the Great Rift, a 52 mile long fissure adjacent to the lava field, was added to the national monument site.

Located along US hwy 20 in Idaho, it's hard to miss the black, unearthly like rock.  The park has a visitor center with excellent displays and films as introduction to the lava features.  An on-site campground is available for those who like to take time exploring the trails.  A 7 mile loop road allows one to drive to designated features or trail-heads.  Many trails are wheelchair accessible.

We learned that the lava fields even provided a training ground for moon bound astronauts in 1969.  Here they learned basic volcanic geology and could practice walking among the cinders and lava flows.