Humbolt Redwoods State Park: Driving the Avenue of the Giants

Before we visited all the U.S. national parks, we had a clear image in our heads of what a national park was supposed to feel like. A rustic but inviting visitor center tucked in the woods. A narrow road winding through towering trees so tall you couldn’t see the tops. Picnic tables and camp sites set in quiet clearings of old-growth forest. While that picture doesn’t fit every park, some places still match it almost perfectly.

A state park that feels like a national park.

About 40 minutes south of Eureka along Highway 101 in northern California, Humboldt Redwoods State Park protects the largest remaining contiguous grove of old-growth redwoods on the planet. From the moment we pull off the highway and onto the park road, it feels like we’re entering a 53,000-acre time capsule.

Driving the Avenue of the Giants (the road through the park), you feel that national park vibe without ever leaving your car. This 31-mile road runs directly through massive redwoods that stand just feet from the pavement.

There is no dramatic entrance sign or station. You leave Highway 101, and everything shifts. I would even say it’s cozy, with the close-in trees, filtered sunlight, and slower pace.

An open road through the park

What makes the Avenue of the Giants special is how accessible it is. You do not need a permit or a long hike to experience it. Pullouts are spaced every few miles, making it easy to get out of your car and take a closer look at the magnificent surroundings.

Some of the park’s best-known groves sit right along the road, including Founders Grove, where a short loop passes towering trees and the fallen Dyerville Giant.

The buildings and campgrounds along the avenue complete the experience. Wood signs, simple structures, and quiet campsites give the whole corridor a mid-century feel, as if visitors have been enjoying the park the same way for decades.