Avenue of the Giants

The Avenue of the Giants is a 31-mile two-lane road that runs parallel to US-101 through Humboldt Redwoods State Park, threading between some of the tallest living things on earth. The redwoods here are coastal giants — some over 300 feet tall and more than a thousand years old — and the road passes within a few feet of them. There are no barriers. You can pull off, get out, and stand next to a tree wider than your car.

The drive itself takes about an hour without stops, but the point is to stop constantly. Founders Grove, near the northern end, contains the Dyerville Giant — a fallen tree 362 feet long, lying on the forest floor like a toppled skyscraper. The Rockefeller Forest, reached by a short side road, is the largest intact old-growth redwood forest in the world. Either way, allow at least a half-day.

things to do sight
A story
In 1963, the Save the Redwoods League and Humboldt County worked together to reroute the planned freeway away from the old-growth groves. The Avenue was preserved as a scenic byway specifically so travelers would have to slow down and pass through the trees rather than bypass them entirely. Without that effort, much of what stands today would have been cleared for highway construction.