Eureka's greatest asset is its position within reach of the largest surviving old-growth coast redwood forests on earth. The Avenue of the Giants — a 31-mile scenic road through Humboldt Redwoods State Park, about 45 minutes south of Eureka — is one of the most spectacular drives in California, passing through groves of trees 300 feet tall and more than 1,000 years old. The Founders Grove and the Rockefeller Forest, the largest continuous old-growth redwood forest in the world, are accessible from this road.
Redwood National and State Parks, about 45 minutes north on Highway 101, protect the tallest trees ever measured. The Prairie Creek Redwoods section has a herd of Roosevelt elk that frequently stands beside the highway, making wildlife sightings almost guaranteed. Lady Bird Johnson Grove, a short loop trail near Orick, is among the most accessible old-growth groves in the park system.