Redwood Highway - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 134

8. Azalea State Reserve
NamedforPresidentWilliamMcKinleyafterhisassassinationin1901,thetownofMcKin-
leyville becomes a fragrant paradise each April, when the 30-acre Azalea State Reserve
bursts into bloom. Well-marked trails guide visitors through this unique natural garden,
where the pink and white blossoms of western azaleas enliven the banks of quiet forest
creeks.
9. Trinidad
NeartheoldfishingvillageofTrinidadisafoggypromontorycalledTrinidadHead,where
sitka spruce tower over ocean cliffs and, in winter and spring, hikers can glimpse migrat-
ing whales. A white granite cross at the summit marks the spot where the region was first
claimed by Spanish explorers in 1775. Memorial Lighthouse, a replica of the 1871 origin-
al, stands at the edge of town, overlooking offshore rocks where sea lions doze and, to the
north, Trinidad State Beach, a windswept stretch of tidepools and driftwood.
10. Patricks Point State Park
FivemilesnorthofTrinidad,theheadlandcalledPatricksPointjutsseawardfromthecoast.
Its 650-acre forested park includes a reconstructed Yurok Indian village as well as flower-
ing meadows, sandy beaches, and dramatic cliffs carved by the pounding surf. A broken
wall ofseastacks—portions ofthemainland orphanedbyerosion—frames theoceanview.
11. Humboldt Lagoons State Park
Comprising several inland bodies of water, Humboldt Lagoons State Park is a naturalist's
delight, with several distinct habitats coexisting in harmony. Salt- and freshwater marshes
support numerous birds migrating along the Pacific Flyway, including herons, egrets, pel-
icans, and many species of ducks and geese. To the west a 15-mile-long barrier beach pro-
tects the lagoons from the raging sea.