Highway 101 and Seeing the California Redwoods in Half a Day
A trip to Northern California isn’t complete without a side trip to one of its many redwood forests. Choosing which route to take can be tough to do since there are so many regional and state redwood forests worth seeing! One of the more popular north-to-south routes between California and Oregon is Highway 101. It’s along this iconic route where a family can easily spend several hours (or several days) in taking in attractions, visiting museums, and hiking a few trails in old growth redwood forests.
Our family recently finished up a month long road trip with a drive through northern California along Highway 101. It was the stretch of highway between Leggett to Crescent City where we found all sorts of great attractions including these:
Confusion Hill in Piercy
I remember visiting this unusual roadside attraction back in 1964 and was delighted to discover that it still looks the same after all these years. This family owned business is all about optical illusions and was recently listed as a “California State Point of Historical Interest”. The attraction also features a 1.5 mile narrow gauge railroad built in switchbacks. Check out their website at Confusionhill.com for prices and hours.
Chandelier Tree
For $5, your family can drive through the Chandelier Tree near Leggett which has been fascinating motorists since the 1930s. Sure it’s touristy but a cool attraction that’s worth the admission price for what is truly a unique experience.
Avenue of the Giants
While Highway 101 does take you through the redwoods, you’ll want to peel off the highway just past Garberville and onto the Avenue of the Giants, a 31 mile country road that winds you through what is the largest stand of virgin redwood forest in the world. So that you won’t miss a thing, be sure to download at map from Avenueofthegiants.net.
Humboldt State Park
The Avenue of the Giants takes you through Humboldt Redwoods State Park where there’s also lots to see. Check in with the Visitors Center where you can pick up some trail maps and visit a mini museum. If you only have time for one short trail, we recommend the one-half mile loop through the Founder’s Grove where you’ll come face to face with these magnificent trees.
Eternal Tree House in Redcrest
This free attraction boasts a 20 foot room inside of a living tree. Worth a stop because, hey, who doesn’t secretly long to be a Keebler Elf?
Trees of Mystery
Sixty eight miles north of Eureka is the Trees of Mystery, another iconic redwoods attraction that has been delighting families since 1946. The attraction has 1.8 miles of trails through unusual redwood tree formations, a .3 mile sky trail through the forest canopy, and the best redwood souvenir shop along Highway 101. Check out their website at treesofmystery.net for prices and hours.
Even though the distance between Leggett and Crescent City is about 130 miles, we managed to make this trip and take in these many sites in about 6 hours. For families who are short on time but still want to experience the California redwood forests, Highway 101 is a fantastic option.
More by this contributor:
How to keep fit on a family road trip vacation.
How to manage laundry while on vacation
Healthy car snack that travel well on a road trip.
