Are the trees at Humboldt, and the park/paths/hiking that much superior to other parks? We were planning on going to Henry Cowell, Big Basin and Muir Woods, but a friend said that Humboldt was worth the trip.

Thoughts?

IMO for scenery and atmosphere, and trail quality, Muir Woods tops the others, including anything I've seen in Humboldt County. But if you want to see big trees, I've never seen anything like Sequoia. Wide trees are a lot more impressive on hikes than tall ones.

Henry Cowell and Big Basin have some nice hikes imo, but nothing that justifies more than a few hours of driving to get there.

As with all "worth it" questions, the only person who can possibly answer it is the one who's asking.

Muir Woods is my least favorite and IF I was going to the others I wouldn't bother. Not because the trees aren't impressive - but it is a small park basically on the doorstep of the massive urban area so it gets very VERY crowded (They often have to close the parking lot and shuttle folks in). The other parks are larger and don't have the pressure of so many visitors.

Living in NorCal I've been to every one of the state and national parks - some many times. Muir Woods is wonderful - but only if one is staying in SF and only has time for the short drive.

The NPS publishes its 'tips' for how/when to visit and miss the worst crowds/parking issues

http://www.nps.gov/muwo/7-ranger-s-t...nd-parking.htm

We went to Muir Woods this morning. Arrived at 10 a.m. The primary lot was already full, the secondary lot still had spaces available, and by the time we left it was a long hike along the road to get to Muir Woods from where the car was parked. For photographs it is best to be there when the sun is high in the sky (after 11 a.m.).

Correction: it was yesterday morning, a Thursday.

janisj, true about the crowds at Muir Woods. My comment was about general forest scenery and trail quality. I've been to all these parks also, imo Henry Cowell and Big Basin are downright dull compared to Muir, although they are much larger parks.

fdecarlo: I (sort of) agree w/ you, assuming one can get near Muir Woods. But the OP is mainly (I thought) asking about Humboldt and the other northern parks - which IMO are much superior to Muir/Cowell/Big Basin.

We will be close to Henry Cowell and Big Basin as we will be staying in Carmel by the Sea.

We could then see Muir Woods on the way to Sonoma.

My thought was we carve some days off here and there, and drive to Humboldt from Carmel, possibly staying overnight in Bodega Bay or Healdsburg.

We love big trees so I'm thinking it might be worth it.

My thought was we carve some days off here and there, and drive to Humboldt from Carmel, possibly staying overnight in Bodega Bay or Healdsburg.

We love big trees so I'm thinking it might be worth it.

In my mind the thing that distinguishes the northern redwood groves (such as the Avenue of the Giants and other parts of the Humboldt County groves) isn't as much that the trees are bigger than those in Big Basin or Muir Woods of Big Sur (they may well be) but that the overall environment is bigger. To me at least, one has a sense of being in a region - a real forest - of big trees rather than an area where they're the exception rather than the rule. Does that make sense? I find this feeling even stronger in the Del Norte groves (those between Eureka and the Oregon state line) but if you only have time to get to the Avenue of the Giants, say, then so be it.

We could then see Muir Woods on the way to Sonoma.


Your parking will be far from the entrance unless you leave Carmel around 6 a.m.

I wouldn't bother w/ Muir Woods in your situation. The drive up from Carmel to Sonoma will be long enough as it is w/o the detour to Muir Woods and the parking would be awful by mid-day or the early afternoon.

If you can spring time from Sonoma to run up 101 to the Avenue of the Giants (and drive the whole thing or just the first couple of legs) that's what I'd do. Just drove the whole Avenue again in the middle of September and one forgets how amazing it is (I agree w/ Gardyloo about the farther north parks but they are too far for a day trip really)

.a friend said that Humboldt was worth the trip.

Why would a "friend" make you discontent with your choices?

We love the redwoods in northern California for the reasons others have noted.
However, if your object is walk among redwoods, you will have that experience in the places you have chosen. Get away from the crowds, to ponder the majesty of the trees.

Muir Woods is not may favorite because of the paved walkway and the crowds.

If Humboldt fits into your plans, go there. If not, don't.

HTtY

I don't think our friend was trying to make us "discontent" with our choices, merely suggesting, that Humboldt was worth the trip.

Anyway, we have shortened some of our time in some other places, and will spend a little more time north of San Franciso.

We have a 4 night rental slightly south of Fort Bragg, and when we leave there we will drive through Humboldt from the south, then 2 nights in Ferndale so we can hike some in Humboldt.

Now if Super El Nino will just stay away from CA in March!

OOH -- How far south of Ft Bragg? Caspar or Mendocino? And are you renting or staying in a B&B in Ferndale?

I visit Ft Bragg/Mendocino pretty often and was just there for two nights and a night in Ferndale three weeks ago.

March can be wet even w/o a super El Nino but as long as it isn't raining sideways you can still have a great trip.

If you take the 128 between the 101 and Route 1/the Coast Highway, you'll be driving through the redwoods as you near the coast. If, instead, you drive up the 1 from some point farther south, the coast just north of Jenner is spectacular.
Although it's been four years now since our last trip to Mendocino (too far now to drive from SoCal), we loved the North Coast. Mendocino and Healdsburg were our favorite places.

janisj ~ we have a lovely VRBO rental about 13-15 min north of Mendocino. In Ferndale we chose The Victorian Inn. Any restaurant recommendations?

bon_voyage ~ any recommendations for lunch?

>>We have a 4 night rental slightly south of Fort Bragg>we have a lovely VRBO rental about 13-15 min north of Mendocinoin Ft Bragg

Sounds like you are near the Botanic Gardens. (Be sure to visit the Gardens -- they are wonderful)

Haven't stayed at the Victorian Inn -- stayed at the Gingerbread Mansion. But in Sept I did eat at the restaurant on the Victorian Inn. The food was good - though the service was a bit shall we say scattered Our waitress was also the hostess and was very pregnant and I think hormones and exhaustion were taking over.

The Hotel Ivanhoe and Curley's are the other main restaurants in town . . . Your fine dining will be in Mendocino

In Ft Bragg -- be sure to go down into Noyo Harbor (it is the mouth of the river below the highway bridge) there are several seafood restaurants w/ terrific views and really fresh fish. Silvers is maybe the best but Cap'n Flints and another one next door that I can't remember the name are good too.

wrenwood, checking my trip report, I saw that we particularly enjoyed Mendo Bistro in Fort Bragg on that trip. Agree with janisj re Noyo Harbor. We weren't lucky with our restaurant that night but really liked the setting. If you find yourself near Petaluma, a cute town nearer to San Francisco, we had excellent lunches on two different trips at Della Fattoria. Again, these are four-year old recs, a very long time in restaurant world.