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C O A S T A L  R E D W O O D S
We drove up to the California/Oregon border, taking our time in the Redwood National, Humboldt Redwoods National, Prarrie Creek Redwoods, Jeddiedah Smith Redwoods, and Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Parks. The coastal redwoods are amazing and you truly need to see them in person to appreciate their size. The highlight of the trip was a morning drive down Howland Hill Road near Crescent City. We were the only car on the unpaved road that morning (after an overnight rain). It was cool, crisp and the trees were breathtaking. We also explored the Smith River National Recreation Area, and survived the road down to the Lost Coast and Shelter Cove.
Date Start ~ End Stops Sights
S A N  F R A N C I S C O  T O  U K I A H  (+/-)
October 18, 2005 San Francisco ~ Ukiah Tiburon Drove from San Francisco to Ukiah, In & Out Burger, Motel 6
U K I A H  T O  E U R E K A  (+/-)
October 19, 2005 Ukiah ~ Eureka Willits McMuffin's
Ukiah ~ Eureka Leggett
Ukiah ~ Eureka Garberville Ray's Supermarket
Ukiah ~ Eureka Myers Flat Shrine Drive-Thru Tree, Garden Club Grove, Rockefeller Forest
Ukiah ~ Eureka Avenue of the Giants Founder's Grove (loop hike), Immortal Tree
Ukiah ~ Eureka Eureka Ramada Inn, Old Town Eureka, Cafe Marina
E U R E K A  T O  C R E S C E N T  C I T Y  (+/-)
October 20, 2005 Eureka ~ Crescent City Eureka 10:15am Eureka Golf Course (mas-93)
Eureka ~ Crescent City Arcata Humboldt State University
Eureka ~ Crescent City Clam Beach Clam Beach
Eureka ~ Crescent City Moonstone Beach Moonstone Beach
Eureka ~ Crescent City Trinidad Trinidad Head, Trinidad State Beach
Eureka ~ Crescent City Humboldt Lagoons State Park
Eureka ~ Crescent City Praire Creek Redwoods State Park
Eureka ~ Crescent City Redwood National Park
Eureka ~ Crescent City Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park
Eureka ~ Crescent City Crescent City Crescent Beach
Eureka ~ Crescent City Crescent City Downtown Crescent City, Anchor Beach Inn, Harbor View Grotto
C R E S C E N T  C I T Y  T O  A R C A T A  (+/-)
October 21, 2005 Crescent City ~ Arcata Crescent City Ray's Supermarket
Crescent City ~ Arcata Jeddiedah Smith Redwoods State Park Howland Hill Road, bridge at Smith River, Stout Grove (loop hike), hiked down to Smith River
Crescent City ~ Arcata Smith River National Recreation Area Smith River, Hiouchi
Crescent City ~ Arcata HWY-199 to HWY-197 to HWY-101 To the Oregon Stateline
Crescent City ~ Arcata Praire Creek Redwoods State Park Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway
Crescent City ~ Arcata Patrick's Point State Park Patrick's Point Scenic Alternate
Crescent City ~ Arcata Arcata Downtown Arcata, Motel 6, Jambalaya
A R C A T A  T O  G A R B E R V I L L E  (+/-)
October 22, 2005 Arcata ~ Garberville Arcata Downtown Arcata Farmer's Market, bought "Little Reddie"
Arcata ~ Garberville Samoa Samoa Dunes, Samoa Cookhouse
Arcata ~ Garberville Ferndale
Arcata ~ Garberville The Lost Coast Mattole Road, Capetown, Cape Mendocino, Petrolia, Honeydew
Arcata ~ Garberville Humboldt Redwoods State Park Rockefeller Forest
Arcata ~ Garberville Avenue of the Giants
Arcata ~ Garberville Garberville Sherwood Forest Inn, Cecil's
G A R B E R V I L L E  T O  S A N  F R A N C I S C O  (+/-)
October 23, 2005 Garberville ~ San Francisco King Range Conservation Area Shelter Cove Road
Garberville ~ San Francisco Shelter Cove Shelter Cove Road, Shelter Cove, Cape Mendocino Lighthouse, almost swept away at Black Sands Beach
Garberville ~ San Francisco Briceland-Thorn Road Stephen's Grove
Garberville ~ San Francisco Garberville Calico's Cafe, The Hemp Connection
N O T E S  (+/-)
Howland Hill Road In Crescent City, Howland Hill Road is an unpaved road which winds through the Jeddiedah Smith Redwoods State Park and The Smith River Recreation Area. Just South of the Crescent City center (heading North on HWY-101) turn right on Elk Valley Road, then turn right again at Howland Hill Road (which will be a couple miles down). Howland Hill Road will eventually turn into an unpaved one-lane road through the park. It will take 2+ hours to drive to the end of the road with all the stops you'll want to make. Definitely try the Stout Grove hike. Howland Hill Road ends up at HWY-199, near the Hiouchi Information Center.
Cape Mendocino Driving through Ferndale from HWY-211, Mattole Road begins at the far end of town. Just follow the signs down Main St, right on Ocean Ave, left on Wildcat Rd/Mattole Rd (which will be the first left on Ocean Ave). Mattole Road will take you to Cape Mendocino along the Humboldt County coastline, then back up through Petrolia and Honeydew and through the Humboldt Redwoods State Park back to HWY-101. Make sure you have a full tank of gas as this drive will take you 3-5 hours and most of the road is only two lanes.
Arcata Farmer's Market Arcata Farmer's Market in the downtown center (13th and G Streets) every Saturday and Sunday (Jun-Oct).
C O A S T A L  R E D W O O D S