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Exploring the beautiful nature of California


California Nature: Humboldt Redwoods State Park


Located along the Eel River in northern California, Humboldt Redwoods State Park contains some of the world's most majestic ancient redwood groves. The park encompasses over 53,000 acres, including 17,000 acres of old-growth coast redwoods.

In 1921 Save the Redwoods League dedicated the first Memorial Grove, Colonel Raynal C. Bolling Memorial Grove, in what is now known as Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Today the park contains a diverse coast redwood ecosystem, which includes Rockefeller Forest, the largest remaining old-growth forest in the world, and the entire Bull Creek watershed.

With more than 250 camp sites, 100 miles of hiking, biking, and riding trails, and the scenic 32-mile Avenue of the Giants, Humboldt Redwoods State Park offers something for everyone. Whether you have just a single day to visit or a week long vacation to explore, a journey into the redwood forest is sure to be an awe-inspiring experience. The park is open year 'round and recreational activities are available throughout the four seasons.
Humboldt Redwoods State Park is the place to see great redwood trees Humboldt Redwoods State Park has over 100 miles of trails, offering something for every age and ability. Trails can be accessed throughout the park.

Trail camps are for backpackers and are the most primitive camp sites in the park. These camps offer the opportunity to see the remote interior of the park while exploring many miles of backcountry trails. All five trail camps have untreated water and a vault toilet. Johnson, Whiskey Flat and Grasshopper camps also have bear lockers. There are no picnic tables, no open fires, and pets are not allowed.

Johnson Trail Camp is the most popular trail camp as well as the most accessible. Backpackers can access this trail from two locations. One location is the Big Trees Area, 4 miles west of the Avenue of the Giants on Mattole Road. This is only accessible when the summer bridge is installed. The other location, available year round, is at the intersection of Mattole Road and Grasshopper Multi-Use Trail (Grasshopper Road). The hike from Big Trees is approximately 5 miles while the hike from Grasshopper is approximately 6.5 miles. The trail climbs about 1400 feet to an elevation of 1600 feet. The camp is located in the redwoods with old tie hacker cabins left behind from a logging operation.
Grasshopper Trail Camp can be accessed year round via the Grasshopper Multi-Use Trail and from multiple trails along the South Fork of the Eel River or Big Trees Area when the summer bridges have been installed. The trail is a steep 7 mile hike one way, regardless of the starting point. The camp is located at 3200 feet and just a short hike from the camp is Grasshopper Peak, offering 100 miles of 360 degree views of the surrounding area

The South Fork Eel River provides fishing, boating, and swimming opportunities, and there are many day use areas for picnicking, family activities, or for just enjoying the pristine environment.

Some favorite locations include the Founders Grove Nature Trail, the 32 mile Avenue of the Giants Auto Tour, and the Humboldt Redwoods Visitor Center.  The Visitor Center offers a wide variety of fun and educational exhibits and activities, including a theatre, displays, a bookstore, and the famous Kellogg Travel Log.  Auto Tour brochures are available at either end of the Avenue of the Giants and at the Visitor Center. During the summer season interpretive activities including nature walks, Junior Ranger programs, and campfire programs are held daily.
Humboldt Redwoods State Park is California Nature at its best California's magnificent Coast Redwood is the world's tallest known tree and one of the world's oldest trees. Average mature trees, several hundred years old, stand from 200 to 240 feet tall and have diameters of 10 to 15 feet, and some trees have been measured at more than 360 feet. The tallest tree in the world, The Stratosphere Giant located here at Humboldt Redwoods State Park, is just over 370 feet tall. In the most favorable parts of their range, Coast Redwoods can live more than two thousand years.

Redwoods are named for the color of their bark and heartwood. The high tannin content of the wood gives the trees remarkable resistance to fungus diseases and insect infestations. The thick, fibrous bark has an even higher tannin content, and insulates them from the periodic fires which have occurred naturally down through the centuries in the redwood region.

Coast Redwoods form almost pure stands in some areas, especially on flat, silt-covered river and creek plains such as the Bull Creek Flats area and the Rockefeller Forest. Coast Redwoods are also found in mixed evergreen forest with the majestic Douglas fir, as well as western hemlock, grand fir, and Sitka spruce. On drier slopes tan oak, madrone, maple, and California bay laurel grow along with the evergreens.
Humboldt Redwoods State Park is located in northern California in a temperate coastal climate. The park receives an average of 65" - 80" of rain per year with the majority of rainfall November through May. Winter and spring are cool and moist, with temperatures often in the 50s for highs and 30s for lows. Summer is warm and dry with morning fog that usually burns off by noon. Temperatures are in the upper 70s to low 80s for the highs and the upper 50s to low 60s for lows. Fall is typically dry with morning fog and occasional rain showers. Highs in the fall are usually in the upper 60s to lower 70s and lows in the upper 40s.

Visitors should come prepared for any type of weather. The park receives between 60 and 80 inches of rain per year, the vast majority of which falls between October and May. Rain in the summer season is unusual, but does occur. In the summer there is often morning fog which usually burns off by noon at the very latest. Summer temperatures can vary widely there can be as much as a thirty degree temperature difference between the extreme north end of the park, closer to the ocean, and the southern end of the park, just 30 miles away. Winter snow is unusual but does occur at the higher elevations in the park, usually above 2000 feet. Layered clothing is recommended at any time of year.
 
 
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