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Avenue of the Giants Scenic Drive
Exploring Humboldt Redwoods State Park
You’ll never forget your time spent along the sublimely beautiful Avenue of the Giants scenic drive north of San Francisco.
Few roads in the world rival the scenery of this highway, and you can use this guide to maximize your enjoyment of it.
We start with a little background of the area, the approach to the Avenue of the Giants from the south, and then move on to your sublimely scenic drive along the Avenue of the Giants.
Avenue of the Giants
The Avenue of the Giants is a scenic route easily accessible from U.S.101. Since trucks and the majority of traffic stay on U.S 101 rather than taking the alternate scenic route, the Avenue of the Giants is fairly quiet as well as beautiful.
For more than 30 miles, the Avenue of the Giants passes through stunningly gorgeous areas of Humboldt Redwoods State Park but also through some privately held areas that were clear cut before the park was developed. The contrast is heartrending.
The Avenue transits nearly the entire length of the park and offers numerous opportunities to pull over.
Be careful not to get back on the freeway before the Avenue ends—that’s easy to do at several intersections.
Humboldt Redwoods State Park
Generally, the further north you travel in California, the better the redwood groves—until you reach the grandeur of Humboldt Redwoods State Park. You won't find better than this.
Although not as well known as Redwood National Park, Humboldt Redwoods State Park has the largest remaining collection of redwoods in the world. An acre in this park was found to contain a greater density of organic material than anywhere else in the world—some 7 times the greatest density found in the Amazon rain forest.
Lots to do
Along the Avenue of the Giants, you’ll have numerous opportunities to pull over and enjoy peaceful, exquisite scenery at various waysides. Some spots like Williams Grove offer picnic tables.
If you have time for hiking, you're in luck. Listed here are a variety of fine hikes that you can enjoy in a short time, but there are also numerous longer and more difficult hikes available, as well as equestrian trails. I especially encourage you to enjoy the Drury Trail (handicapped accessible) to experience the wonderful trees.
Approaching Humboldt Redwoods State Park
Most travelers reach the park from the south along U.S. Highway 101.
As you travel north along 101, you’ll begin to notice second growth redwoods. These are newer trees planted to replace virgin redwoods that have been cut.
Virgin means old, in many cases more than 2,000 years old.
Think about that. Some of these trees were already tall before Christ walked the earth. They were already remarkably old when Prophet Mohammed was born.
Clear cutting
Sadly, before reaching the Avenue of the Giants, you’ll pass miles of former forests that have been clear-cut without being replanted. Time has made these cut-over areas less unpleasant.
Shortsighted and greedy lumber interests did not spend time or money to replant. How future generations would make a living didn’t enter their minds.
As a result of these self-interested and shortsighted decisions, even today throughout this region (at least in terms of higher paying skilled jobs that don't require advanced degrees) continues to be somewhat depressed.
Here and there, you’ll notice a huge virgin redwood standing alone that has somehow missed being cut. With so many trees in the early days, loggers didn’t worry if they bypassed a few harder to reach ones.
Less than 5%
Few of the virgin redwood forests remain that once blanketed the coast from southern Oregon to near San Luis Obispo.
In fact, less than 5% remain—nearly all gone in little more than 150 years of extensive logging, first for the Gold Rush and then because the West continued to grow so fast.
That’s one reason why those you'll see along the Avenue of the Giants are so special.
Battles over remaining trees
These days, there’s a robust movement to limit significant redwood cutting and to ban completely the cutting of any of the few remaining old growth redwoods not in parks or preserves.
Passions run high. As you read this, environmental activists are probably living atop trees (link to photos may open slowly), while trespassing on private lands, in order to prevent the remaining unprotected virgin redwood groves from being cut down.
Several strong groups are involved in the efforts to conserve these trees, such as We Save Trees and Save the Redwoods League, which, with Lady Bird Johnson and the Sierra Club, led the fight to establish Redwood National Park.
Nevertheless, high levels of preservation are a hard sell in a stagnant local economy that lacks alternative high-paying jobs, especially with the demand for redwood lumber higher than ever.
Redwoods offer a fine looking and resilient wood that seems perfect for decks and other weather-impacted outdoor uses. Evolving for millenniums in a damp marine climate, redwoods have become remarkably resistant to insects and rot.
And, adding more pressure to cut, vineyard interests in Mendocino and Sonoma counties want to clear groves for a product fetching ever-increasing premium prices: wine.
Richardson Grove State Park
Continue north on U.S. 101.
Suddenly, you’re gliding through the virgin redwoods of Richardson Grove State Park. What a sight.
Note how the trunks of giant redwoods touch the pavement. If you let your mind wander a moment while driving, you might run into one! Road builders cut as few trees as possible. Consequently, there's no shoulder along the highway here.
This is a lovely area, but don’t linger, because it’s impossible to get away from traffic noise and enjoy the usual solitude found in these groves.
Continue north on 101.
Garberville
Garberville, the largest town in the area, just off the U.S. 101 freeway, provides a good stop for a meal, picnic provisions, and fuel.
Take the first Garberville exit, which leads directly onto Redwood Drive, the main street.
You’ll return to 101 at the north end of town.
Although we don’t stop often enough to make an “official” recommendation, try the Woodrose Cafe on your right at 911 Redwood Drive, just after you come into town, for great breakfasts until it closes in the early afternoon.
The nicely spiced organic potatoes and eggs served at breakfast are especially good.
At Woodrose, most customers are locals, who appreciate well-prepared organic food. Vegans are served well, too.
You’ll find more than a dozen other places to dine along or just off of Redwood Drive, as well as grocery and natural food stores in this small town.
Continue north on U.S. 101.
Avenue of the Giants exit
Take the Avenue of the Giants exit off of 101.
This is exit number 645.
Many travelers pass by this exit because they don’t know what they are missing. A flood of traffic on the U.S. 101 freeway becomes just a trickle on the Avenue of the Giants.
That’s good for us, but sad for those who miss this incredibly scenic drive.
Drive north on the Avenue of the Giants.
Entering Humboldt Redwoods State Park
After going through the village of Phillipsville, you’ll reach a portion of Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
At times in this area, you’ll see virgin redwoods preserved in Humboldt State Park on one side of the road and clear-cut private lands on the other.
Soon, though, you’ll be only among the majestic trees.
Watch for bicyclists. Although there’s no room for a bicycle lane without cutting many trees, lack of much traffic and lack of steep grades, as well as the fantastic scenery, make this an ideal and popular bicycle route.
Humboldt State Park entrance fees
There are no fees for bicycling, driving, or walking into most California state parks, such as Humboldt. You only pay fees at the most popular parking lots. Many parking areas along the Avenue of the Giants have no fees.
Once you have paid a parking fee at one lot, it is good that same day at any other parking area in the same park. Just keep the receipt visible.
It keeps getting better—
Once you've paid a parking fee in a California state park, it is valid that same day at all other California state parks, as long as their fees are not higher. Again, keep the receipt visible.
You'll find this especially useful along the redwood and Mendocino coasts, where state parks are close together (some just minutes apart) and their fees often the same.
Visitor Center
Continue north until you reach the Humboldt Redwoods State Park Visitor Center. This is a must stop.
The Visitor Center pops up on your right just after the Hidden Springs Campground.
The volunteer rangers are exceptionally helpful. I always offer a donation. Buy the cheaper trail map.
If you wish, also ask about guided nature walks, more challenging hikes than the ones listed here, or equestrian trails. We talk about camping in this park in Part 12: Camping along your redwood scenic drive.
In front of the center stand three young redwood trees:
- The coastal redwood you see throughout the park,
- A not yet so Giant Sequoia from the Sierras, and
- A Chinese dawn redwood, a species thought to be extinct until the 1940’s.
Side by side, the trees provide a nice way to compare the 3 types.
In the next section
In the next section, we’ll explore the central and northern portions of the Avenue of the Giants.
You’ll find descriptions of a variety of short hikes, including an exceptionally lovely one that is wheelchair accessible.
Go on to Part 5: Avenue of the Giants scenic drive (continued), and continue your scenic drive!
Part 1: Redwood and Mendocino scenic drive introduction,
Part 2: Directions from San Francisco to Mendocino,
Part 3: Mendocino scenic drive,
Part 4: Avenue of the Giants scenic drive,
Part 5: Avenue of the Giants scenic drive (continued),
Part 6: Scenic drive from Avenue of the Giants to Arcata,
Part 7: Arcata travel guide – what to do,
Part 8: Humboldt and Mendocino counties in depth,
Part 9: Scenic drive from Arcata to Redwood National Park,
Part 10: From Redwood National Park to San Francisco,
Part 11: Motels and hotels along your redwood scenic drive,
Part 12: Camping along your redwood scenic drive, and
Part 13: Mendocino and Redwood parks airport choices.
