Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
There's some real magic in the loamy soil and misty air 'beyond the redwood curtain'; it
yields the tallest trees and most potent herb on the planet. North of Fort Bragg, Bay Area
weekenders and antique-stuffed B&Bs give way to lumber wars, pot farmers and an army
of carved bears. The 'growing' culture here is palpable and the huge profit it brings to the
region has evident cultural side effects - an omnipresent population of transients who
work the harvests, a chilling respect for 'No Trespassing' signs and a political culture that
is an uneasy balance between gun-toting libertarians, ultra-left progressives and typical
college-town chaos. Nevertheless, the reason to visit is to soak in the magnificent land-
scape, which runs through a number of pristine, ancient redwood forests.
Information
Redwood Coast Heritage Trails
TOURIST INFORMATION
Gives a nuanced slant on the region with itineraries based around lighthouses, Native
American culture, the timber and rail industries, and maritime life.
Leggett
Leggett marks the redwood country's beginning and Hwy 1's end. There ain't much but a
creepy and expensive gas station (cash only), pizza joint and two markets (not always
open).
Visit 1000-acre
Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area
( 707-925-6482;
www.parks.ca.gov
; 69350 Hwy 101; per car $8; )
, 1.5 miles to the north, for picnicking, swim-
ming and fishing in the Eel River and hiking trails among virgin and second-growth red-
$35)
with hot showers book up in summer. Avoid highway-side sites.
Chandelier Drive-Thru Tree Park
(
www.drivethrutree.com
;
67402 Drive Thru Tree Road,
Leggett; per car $5; 8:30am-9pm; )
has 200 private acres of virgin redwoods with pic-
nicking and nature walks. And yes, there's a redwood with a square hole carved out, which
cars can drive through. Only in America.
child Gravity House $5/4, train rides $8.50/6.50;
9am-6pm May-Sep, 10am-5pm Oct-Apr;
)
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