#ferncanyon #humboldt #humboldtcounty #lostcoast
Fern Canyon is a magical place to explore within Redwood National & State Park in Northern California. The windy bumpy journey along Davison Road to the Gold Bluffs Beach Day-Use Area is definitely worth the effort.
To protect this fragile area, the parks have moved to timed reservations in recent years. Please note, permits are only required if visiting between May 15th and September 15th. If you’re not able to secure a permit for your summer visit, you can always access the canyon via the James Irvine Trail starting at the Prairie Creek Visitor Center, but it’s going to add 9-miles to your stroll through the canyon.
When visiting the canyon, you’ll want to wear shoes with good traction that are ok to get wet, especially if visiting in the winter months when the creek runs high.
Does this canyon look familiar to you? It might, if you’ve seen Jurassic Park’s The Lost World, as several scenes were filmed here. It’s not difficult to imagine giant stegosaurus stomping through the canyon and if you've seen the movies, you can’t help but hear the Jurassic Park soundtrack playing in your head as you wander.
The hike through the canyon is only about a mile with a very slight elevation gain, though unfortunately, it’s not a trail suitable for strollers or wheelchairs.
This is a family-friendly experience we highly recommend if you find yourself in Humbold County in Northern California.
Note: There is a California State Park entrance kiosk to access the area. California State and federal entrance passes are honored at this kiosk.
