Big Tree Bonanza

Giant Redwood hikes at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in Humboldt County

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park hike

Roosevelt elk, canyons draped in ferns and dripping with small waterfalls, oh … and the tallest trees on the entire planet! Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (located within Redwood National Park) has all the fixings for world-class hiking. For a truly remarkable ramble, hit the trail early and go on an 11-mile semi-loop hike through the park’s greatest hits (shorter options are available). Don’t be scared by the mileage: This hike is not strenuous as far as terrain … it just requires you to designate a day for it. And it's well worth your time!

Hiker looking at the tallest trees on the planet at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in Humboldt County

Hiker at Fern Canyon in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in Humboldt County

Hiker on the James Irvine Trail among the tall trees at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in Humboldt County

You’ll start and finish on the James Irvine Trail. Hiking beside Godwood Creek and Home Creek, you're surrounded by mighty coastal redwoods nearly the entire time. Unlike some of the old-growth redwood parks in the Bay Area where you get a grove here and a grove there, the James Irvine Trail has miles of old-growth beauties the entire way … you simply can’t escape them. And you won’t want to! These behemoth trees soak in sun and mist with equal enthusiasm, so be sure to stop and look up every once in a while. Wayyy up.

At the hike’s halfway point you gain access to another park favorite: Fern Canyon. This canyon is so dramatic that Steven Spielberg used it as a film location for Jurassic Park 2: The Lost World. Fifty-foot walls of bright green ferns hang like emerald silk, glistening in tiny waterfalls trickling into the canyon’s riverbed.

Hike Fern Canyon Prairie Creek Redwoods

The canyon goes back about half a mile before you reach a network of giant fallen trees, tangled on the route. Use this as your turnaround point to rejoin the James Irvine Trail, or navigate around it and take a set of  stairs back up to James Irvine, which you'll take back to the trailhead.

Roosevelt Elk at Redwood National Park in Humboldt County

ROOSEVELT ELK BONUS: There are plenty of meadows in the area where you can pull over to view the magnificent wild Roosevelt elks.

This hike is a semi-loop of 11 miles. The parking lot to the trailhead is at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park visitor center just off US Hwy 101, along Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. Take the James Irvine Trail to Miner’s Ridge, then merge right on Clintonia Trail. Take this trail until the junction that connects back to James Irvine, and follow signage to Fern Canyon. Return via James Irvine. For a shorter 9-mile version, take only the James Irvine Trail to Fern Canyon and back. Be sure to pick up a map and get info at the trailhead visitor center. No dogs.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

    View
  2. Gentle Giants

    Some people visit national parks to marvel at the iconic sights, while others come seeking solitude in nature. With visitation on the rise, it can be hard to find both. But in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, this pair of trails offers both....

    View
  3. Rio Del Mar-velous

    Rio Del Mar State Beach in Aptos might be one of the best places for a treasure hunt. Its location between two other beaches makes for a good stroll featuring a spectacle of wildlife as you search the sand for sea glass and seashells.

    View
  4. Hiker taking a photo of sunset at Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve

    Sunshine and Skyline

    Head to Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve for a 4-mile out-and-back hike on the Bay Area Ridge Trail that offers a front-row seat to spectacular sunsets.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Walking the Los Angeles River Trail Through Frogtown

    Frogtown Strutter’s Stroll

    Don’t go dismissing the Los Angeles River as merely a 51-mile concrete channel. It’s a genuine urban artery that links real neighborhoods, and its riverside bike/ped paths endear i

    View
  2. Sponsored

    Chase Fall Colors & Family Fun in Reno Tahoe

    Ready to Reno? We’re so with you! Reno Tahoe is the ultimate urban basecamp for gathering family and friends for all kinds of fall fun and festivities.

    View
  3. Griffith's Golden

    With over 4,200 acres and hundreds of trails, Griffith Park is the gold standard. Opt for the lesser-hiked northwestern end of the park and visit the 2.25-mile Skyline and Oak Canyon loop from Travel Town.

    View
  4. Ernie's Walk

    Stretching 51 miles from Canoga Park to Long Beach, the Los Angeles River has no shortage of walkways to enjoy. One segment that is particularly special is Ernie’s Walk in Sherman Oaks, a 0.3-mile stretch that is a delight to visit, and pay respect to its inspiration.

    View