Redwoods National and State Parks, Part 1: An Introduction

Once I reached the coast I continued making my way north along Highway 101, which alternately runs along the Pacific cliffs, past low-lying wetlands, and through the forested hills. Just driving along the coast you can enjoy huge redwoods passing through the Del Norte Coast State Park as well as spectacular views of the turbulent Pacific and the plains of marshy grasses. Oh, and elk. Yes, you can spot elk – right from the road. It’s awesome.

The Redwoods National Park is hardly the only attraction here; there are multiple state parks in the area that feature a slightly different type of redwood forest, not to mention the gorgeous rocky beaches and tidal flats that can be explored. It is an area you could easily spend weeks visiting.