Avenue of the Giants
Humboldt, California

The world’s tallest trees, the giant coast redwoods stretch for 40 miles along California’s northern coast. These ‘gentle giants’, grow so tall, nearly 350 feet (they are not the most massive, as in the giant sequoias) due to the large amounts of rain, and the temperate climate. The average age of the trees is around 600 years old, but they can live to be in excess of 2200 years. As a consequence, these are some of the planets longest living and most extraordinary things.

In 1968, the federal government created a sanctuary for these hearty trees by creating the National Redwood Park and three additional state parks. Only an estimated 1% of the original 2 million acre forest still remains today. The forest was logged heavily from the 1850s onward for the uniquely fire-resistant and termite resistant timber. These trees created the lumber for the boom towns of California.

A very special section of the redwood forest is the 31 mile-long, Avenue of the Giants, which is within Humboldt State Park. This highly concentrated section of luminous redwoods runs parallel to Highway 101. This is one of the most awe-inspiring and humbling drives you will ever take in your lifetime. The trees form a magical cathedral of branches and leaves, and the size of the trunks and the root structures is simply, unbelievable.

There are fun little stops along the way. Some high-brows may consider them tacky and environmentalists may consider them non-PC, but your kids will love them. This is where you can drive your car through the tree (like in the famous vintage postcards). You can also visit the One-log House and the Hollow Chimney Tree.

The best recommendation is to pull over and walk up to one of these amazing creations of nature. They will garner both your imagination and respect. These trees have survived the millennia, and withstanding a forest fire or other disaster; they will continue to greet the many wide-eyed generations to follow. They are something rather miraculous, really.