Land of the Lost
Green Mile: There's a reason The Lost World: Jurassic Park was filmed in Fern Canyon: The narrow gorge teems with five kinds of ferns and makes the perfect environment for a T-Rex comeback. Scale fallen redwoods, hop over streams, and listen as water slips like silver tinsel over 50-foot canyon walls blanketed in shiny green ferns. The 1-mile round-trip loop through Fern Canyon isn't to be missed—or rushed. Stay and play awhile (bring your best water-shoes). Afterward, stroll out to nearby Gold Bluffs Beach; chances are good you'll cross soggy wetlands to get there, but the sandy solitude is well worth the slosh.
Tall Tales: You'll need to pick up a free permit and the combination to a locked gate guarding the entrance to the tallest trees in the world. A 2.5-mile round-trip hike takes you to Tall Trees Grove, a spectacular gathering of 350-foot-plus redwood royalty, including the 368-foot Libby Tree (though a recently broken-off branch brought its height down a few notches!). The 14-mile drive to the trailhead, on a curvy and partially paved road, is half the adventure!
Go to the visitor center in Orick (open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the summer) and pick up maps, directions, and hiking information for the area. They also give out the free permit and combination to access Tall Trees Grove (only available on the day you do the hike). No dogs are allowed on any trails in Redwood National and State Parks.
