A Weekend Adventure Hiking Among Giants
Discovering the allure and magic of northern California’s redwood coast.
Through the wonders of social media, I learned Avelo Airlines added direct flights from Burbank to Northern California’s Redwood Coast at affordable prices. Like a true adventure-thirsty Angeleno, I impulsively purchased a ticket for a 48-hour weekend getaway.
The allure of Northern California’s Redwood Coast had captivated me for years! And I was thrilled to finally be able to experience it firsthand.
The flight to Northern California’s Redwood Coast was under two hours. As the plane descended, I was enthusiastic at the sight of the lush, green landscape stretching for miles, reaching the ocean shore. “I’m about to hike among giants,” I told myself.
Getting my rental car was painfully slow, but after a couple of hours, I finally arrived in Eureka, a town boasting beautiful Victorian homes and foggy water views. The city is home to the iconic Carson Mansion, one of the most famous Victorian homes in the country.
The town is also home to an iconic creature best known for his street cred name, Big Foot.
I woke up early the following day and drove to Redwoods National Park. Setting foot on the trails was like stepping into a surreal world of towering giants. The tallest and oldest trees on Earth are the Coastal redwood trees. This area of our world is stunningly beautiful and houses Hyperion, the world’s tallest tree.
This UNESCO biosphere reserve is indeed a wonder to be admired.
I started hiking the James Irvine Trail, an 11-mile lightly trafficked out-and-back trail that ends on the Fern Canyon and Gold Bluffs Beach. Enveloped by the world’s tallest trees, their grandeur, and majesty left me in awe and feeling ever so tiny, like an ant trying to hug an elephant.
Yes, I did hug the trees. I’m not ashamed.
While trekking through these giants, a profound sense of peace came over me. The sheltering branches were outstretched arms trying to reach the sky. Sunlight pierced through the canopy, casting a soft, ethereal glow on the gargantuan roots and tree trunks.
I felt like this is Mother Nature’s most magnificent Cathedral.
Redwood National and State Parks are famous for their ecological diversity. I sometimes caught glimpses of small wildlife amidst the giant tree trunks and ferns. The air now and then would break the noise of my steps with the melodies of birds and the rustle of wildlife in the ferns.
I’m convinced I would call this home if I were a mystical creature. This is where the “tree people” from the Lord of the Rings would live along with Lady Galadriel and good ol’ Big Foot.
After several hours of hiking and often picking my jaw off the ground, I found myself at the Fern canyon trail loop, famous for its vibrant and verdant plant life. The trail took me through a canyon, where ferns covered the walls wildly and beautifully.
I get why Steven Spielberg chose this place for The Lost World: Jurassic Park scenes. It’s like Velociraptor heaven here — nowhere to run, plenty of opportunities to trip and fall, and you even have a beach nearby after you’re done feasting.
I spent the day hiking fifteen miles. At the end of my hike, I saw two beautiful Roosevelt elk grazing away in tranquility. On my way back to Eureka, I stopped to admire the lagoons and beaches, home to so much wildlife. I felt grateful and blessed. I know how lucky I was to hike Redwoods National Park and experience all its natural wonders. I do not take it for granted.
Like most people I talked to in the area, I also fell in love with these magnificent trees. I will be back in the future to keep exploring this wonderful part of our planet.
Experiences like this are a real-life education.
And who knows, maybe I’ll bring some Nair for Big Foot as a thoughtful gesture!
