Fern Canyon, California

First, check in at the Crescent City Ranger Information Center in Crescent City to pick up your free backcountry permit and get permission to park your car at the Crescent City Beach Education Center off of Enderts Beach Road. This is the safest place to park at due to numerous car break-ins at t...

Follow the trail leading from the end of the parking lot down onto the beach. From the parking lot to the beach the walk is about a quarter of a mile, with a slight decrease in elevation as you move down to the beach.  To get to the beach, take 72B off of Highway 101 and turn west onto Main Stree...

Park in the large parking lot at Trinidad Beach. The trailhead is at the south end of the parking lot. The loop trail can be hiked in either direction.The trail is half dirt singletrack, half paved switchbacks, and climbs steadily to the top of Trinidad Head. The view of the ocean and California ...

The Howland Hill Road is the premier drive through Redwood National and State Parks. Approximately 6 miles long, the hard-packed gravel road varies in surface durability depending on season and when the road was last graded. Expect plenty of dust in the dry summer months and keep an eye out for p...

On a road trip with a friend in July of 2019, this beach came recommended to us. The tidepools, rocks cutting into the sea, and photography opportunities made it a spectacular stop.  There are stairs down to the beach and we were the only ones at the park.  If I remember correctly, it’s quite a n...

With a profusion of titanic trees and an ever expanding landscape, the extraordinary Boy Scout Tree Trail is not so much a hike as it is a showcase of the world's most scenic old growth redwoods. Located within Redwood National and State Parks, this pristine trail feels wonderfully remote. Hardly...

Marked with adequate signage, parking for the Stout Grove Trailhead is off Highland Hill Road, a road through the south end of the park. It's a narrow, dirt road so be cautious traveling through the state park. Pit toilets are available in the parking area. The trail is a .6-mile loop. It is wide...

Walker Road is one of the places where parts of Star Wars IV: A New Hope were filmed! It's a beautiful site in the Redwoods with an extra amount of huge, leafy ferns. Once you turn onto Walker Road, it's a quick drive through the redwood trees and ferns to the Smith River at the end. There are a ...

Located in extreme Northern California, the Siskiyou Mountains are the largest sub-range of the Klamath Mountain range and among the most rugged. The Siskiyou Wilderness, designated in 1984, encompasses three national forests: Siskiyou, Klamath and Six Rivers for a total of 182,802 acres. Because...

If you wish to experience the beauty of the Siskiyou Wilderness and avoid the crowds associated with The Devil’s Punchbowl, then consider a visit to Raspberry Lake. Beginning at the Young’s Valley Trailhead (Coordinates: 41.889919, -123.654755), this hike is a great option for those seeking wide...

The Marine Garden at Harris Beach State Park is one of the 7 designated Marine Garden's on the Oregon Coast where the ecosystem is protected and the collection and disturbance of tidal flora and fauna is prohibited. Interpretive hikes and guides are available through the State Park system, as are...

Harris Beach State Park on the Southern Oregon Coast and about a quarter mile north of the town of Brookings, Oregon features a variety of campsites, including yurts, full RV hookups, and even a hiker/biker camp for individuals hiking the Oregon Coast Trail and/or biking the PCH.  From either the...

The Marble Mountains are part of the Klamaths, a biologically and geologically diverse range of peaks and ridges often overshadowed by its western neighbors in the Cascades. The Marble Rim is the signature feature of this subrange, a white wall of rock that glimmers in the sun. The nearby Sky Hig...