Visitors to the Redwood forests preserved along the California coastline will see amazing sights. The ancient trees in these forests grow to hundreds of feet in height and dozens of feet in diameter. It's easy to be overwhelmed by all the different features of the Redwood National and the redwood state parks, as well as by the several local private reserves and parks. However, a few areas of the Redwood Forest stand out in the overall landscape that offer major visual impact and cultural significance for the visitor.
Fern Canyon is a dramatic canyon with walls covered in large ferns that brings home the realization that the Redwood Forest is a prehistoric rain forest. The canyon is essentially two sharp rock cliffs split by a small creek and is so visually interesting that it inspired Steven Spielberg to film part of "Jurassic Park" on location at the park. Head to the canyon via Davidson Road, which is off Highway 101. Drive down Davidson for nine miles until you see the signs for the canyon and Gold Bluffs Beach.
Three drives through Redwood trees exist around the Redwood National Forest (redwoods.info), including the Klamath Tour-Through Tree, Shrine Drive-Through Tree and the Chandelier Tree in the Drive-Through Tree Park. Each is a separate private park which charges admission to drive through the trees, and all of them are located along Highway 101.
If you get tired of looking at redwood trees, you can move on to view the wildlife at the Klamath River Overlook in Redwood National Park (nps.gov/redw/planyourvisit/things2do.htm), which offers a prime view of a Pacific Coast estuary and is a great spot for whale watching. Other animals you can spot from the overlook include salmon, seals, sea lions and various seabirds. The overlook is off Highway 101, just 2 1/4 miles north of Klamath, California.
Visitors to the redwood forest are treated to a one-of-a-kind view of the trees from an airborne gondola, an attraction on a private tree reserve placed right in the middle of the Redwood National and state parks. You are charged admission for access to several trails, but a ride on the gondola Skytrail (treesofmystery.net/skytrail) is included. The Skytrail takes you to the top of Red Mountain to view the old growth stands from a platform, and then you ride back down on the gondola to return to the base of the mountain.
