RVcruzer.com - Northern California Redwoods

The Pacific Northwest really begins in northern California, where the Sierra Nevadas end and the Cascades begin. The coastline is studded with tall Redwoods that tower up to 350' over the land. The coastal range forms a wall for moisture to nourish the soil to allow these giants to grow along the coastline. It's an area rich in growth of all kinds. Wildlife is abundant and widely varied here. The unique California coastline is the southern anchor of our trip.

Eureka is situated on the California coastline, approximately 100 miles south of it's northern border with Oregon. Highway 101 rejoins the coastline here and scenic drives will take you through and past massive groves of Redwoods. Eureka is also home to Humboldt Bay Wildlife Preserve. This bay houses nesting areas for many kinds of shore birds. The bay is protected by the Humboldt Bay spit, a long tongue of land sheltering these waters from the raging sea. On the seaward side of the spit sandy beaches lead to sand dunes that are very popular with off road sportsmen. To the north of the spit, the Samoa region houses relics of logging operations long past.

This Great Egret was seen taking off from a colony inside the Humboldt Bay Wildlife Preserve. Birds such as these will nest and hatch young if left protected and unmolested and they thrive in these colonies.

Eureka's modern marina is in stark contrast to the Victorian Architecture of it's downtown section. In addition to the sea, Eureka relied heavily on the logging industry for it's prosperity. Timber cut in the Sierras was transported to Eureka, where it was loaded onto ships for delivery to other areas. Fortunes made on timber often translated into lavish homes by the lumber barons featuring detailed craftsmanship in their woodwork.

Fern Canyon is a state park just north of Eureka, near the small town of Orick. The very high bluffs of the pacific coastline give way to a grassy beach area which gives access to Fern Canyon. This canyon begins by cutting into the tall cliffs and tapering back into the terrain as it extends inward from the shoreline. It may be best recognized as a shooting location for the movie "Jurassic Park II" where a number of location scenes were filmed. This narrow canyon is covered with ferns and the runoff from the higher elevations trickles down it's canyon floor on it's way to the sea.

Roosevelt Elk range from northern California up into the Olympic Peninsula of Washington. The cow and calf on the left were seen in the grassy areas along the coastline in Fern Canyon State Park. The image of the young bull was taken near the end of June. Elk shed their antlers every spring and the new growth is covered with velvet to nourish them as they grow throughout the summer.

Large groves of tall Redwoods surround the Eureka area. Many of the Redwood groves were heavily logged in the last century but preservation efforts have set asides large tracts along the coastline. This grove, Avenue of the Giants, is found in Humboldt State Park and features a scenic drive that passes through a number of groves.

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park begins immediately north of Eureka and follows the coastline. On the seaward side of the bluffs a rugged coastline extends north to the mouth of the Klamath River. Inside the coastal range are groves of Redwoods. The remnants of a World War II radar station can still be found on the bluffs in this area.

This section of the Jedediah Smith State Park is particularly moist. In addition to the towering Redwoods, Sword Ferns line the forest floor. This area was used as a filming location for the Star Wars movies and was used as the location for the Ewok village.