The Magnificent Redwood Trees of California

Seeing the beautiful redwoods of California should be tops on any nature lover’s bucket list in my opinion. These trees can reach a stunning height of 300-500 ft according to the NPS. They are so gorgeous and mysterious and so is the entire Northern California and southern Oregon coastal regions. There are many state parks, hiking trails, and attractions where you can explore these wonders of nature up close and personal. I recently put together a photo book from my trip to the Redwood National Park and the Trees of Mystery attraction in Klamath, California.

Mike and I took the PCH & 101 all the way from Southern California up to Klamath. Living in Socal at the time, we figured this was the perfect opportunity to embark on the famous drive. Why pay for a flight later on when we lived just a half hour from the start of the drive? While there are many interesting stops along this popular drive, seeing the redwoods (via state park or tourist trap) was our number one priority. We are both nature lovers and enjoy any activities to do with hiking, history, and exploring beautiful places.

Trees of Mystery

Trees of Mystery is a quirky roadside attraction located along Hwy 101. It’s worth stopping here to see the iconic Paul Bunyan statue, tour an oddball Bigfoot museum, and take a gorgeous gondola ride. It’s often called a “tourist trap,” however, I had a great time and highly recommend checking it out if anything to learn more about the trees and stretch your legs. I love the gondola ride that takes you up through the redwood trees. At the top, there is an observation deck featuring fabulous views of the trees and surrounding scenery.

Along the trail, you get to read a lot of cool history about the redwoods. Some of the jokes are funny and overall just an oddball experience. We love checking all these weird roadside attractions off our bucket list. I also love the End of the Trail Museum, which features articles and “evidence” of area sightings of Bigfoot. This entire area has a Bigfoot vibe. The eerie misty weather, tall old trees, and lack of commercialization really made me feel like I was lost in the woods, totally disconnected from regular society. I wouldn’t be surprised if a Bigfoot walked in front of our car.

Paul Bunyan's boot at Trees of Mystery — Sitting on Paul Bunyan’s boot

Misty views of the redwoods — Misty views from the overlook

Gondola ride at Trees of Mystery — The highlight of our visit was taking the gondola up the overlook. The views were fantastic!

You can read more about my experience visiting this touristy roadside stop. No matter what the reviews may say online, I thought this was a worthwhile stop.

Redwood National Forest

This is one of the country’s most beautiful and under appreciated natural areas. It is so secluded that you can’t help but feeling like you are in another world. The trees are so tall, the skies are often misty, and the entire vibe is so eerie and otherworldly. Really, it is not surprising that so many sasquatch have been sighted amongst the dense forests.

There are various parks, hikes, picnicking aras, and scenic drives to take in the beauty of these majestic trees. Learn more about all the fantastic things to do in this region via the NPS website.

Check out this pic of me standing in front of a redwood to show its’ tremendous size. According to the NPS, these enchanting trees can grow to a height of 300-350 feet with a base width of more than 20 feet! The tallest redwood currently is a 364 foot tall, 15 foot wide beauty in Humboldt County known as the “Founders Tree.”

Standing next to a gigantic Redwood in California

The roots can grow up to 10-13 vertically, while horizontally they can expand for up to 80 feet. You can read up more about coastal redwoods if you are interested in learning more.

Redwood roots — Check out the side of these roots!

As you can imagine, hiking in Redwood Country is an amazing experience. Being surrounded by these ancient trees really takes you out of our current reality. The strange and unusual happenings are easy to explain when you place yourself amongst incredible, mesmerizing surroundings.

The Gold Bear statue on Redwood Highway

Stop here for an iconic photo! Two gold bears line a bridge along Hwy 101 in Klamath. Just another fun stop on the drive to break up the monotony and stretch your legs.