40.35611, -123.923442
THIS ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE STUNNING AVENUE OF THE GIANTS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COVERS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DRIVING THIS FAMOUS REDWOOD ROUTE.
Hidden up in the far reaches of Northern California is a drive so pretty that it is worth delaying your road trip by at least a couple of hours. No seriously, in our opinion, the Avenue of the Giants is one of the most scenic highways in the whole USA (sorry Big Sur). Spanning a distance of 32 miles, this narrow two-lane route is a great way to explore the beautiful coastal redwood groves that dot the Northern California region.
The scenic drive is done almost entirely in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, which was established by the Save the Redwoods League in 1921. Most of the land that was eventually protected, was purchased from the Pacific Lumber Company - which was once one of California's biggest logging and sawmill operations (it was even nicknamed the Redwood Empire). Today, Humboldt Redwoods State Park protects 51,651 acres of beautiful land. Including, the famous Rockefeller Grove, which is presently the largest remaining contiguous old-growth forest of coast redwoods in the world.
Within those 50,000+ acres, of which 17,000 acres is made up of old-growth redwood forest (the largest expanse of ancient redwoods left on the planet) you can find more than 100 coast redwood trees that reach over 350 feet (110 meters) in height; including, the 4th-tallest measured living redwood - the Stratosphere Giant - which was measured at just over 370 feet (or 113 meters) in 2004. In fact, up until the mid-2000s, the Stratosphere Giant was thought to be the tallest known living redwood tree in the world. It wasn't until the discovery of three taller trees in the nearby Redwood National and State Park that he got knocked down to the fourth spot.
The Avenue of the Giants scenic drive takes you through some truly stunning redwood forests and groves. Along the route, you really begin to realize how small you are as a human - or more, just how massive the redwoods really are. If you are hoping to learn more about this part of the country, or if you just want to see these massive trees for yourself, then we cannot recommend driving (or even biking) the magnificent Avenue of the Giants enough.
Below you will find our in-depth Avenue of the Giants Travel Guide which covers everything you need to know about visiting this part of Northern California; including, how to get there, where to stay and what to do during your visit.
THE BASICS | TOP THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT VISITING THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS
DO YOU HAVE TO PAY TO ENTER THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS?
No, it is free to drive and explore the Avenue of the Giants. The only times you will have to pay is for nights in the state park campgrounds (which costs $35 per night).
🌼 California State Park Pass
If you are thinking of combining your trip to the Avenue of the Giants with other outdoor California adventures, then we highly recommend purchasing an annual California State Parks Pass. There are two pass options available for purchase: the California Explorer Annual Day Pass, which gets you into ALL California State Parks, and the Golden Poppy Annual Pass, which gets you into all state parks in the northern part of the state. The first pass is $195, while the Golden Poppy Annual Pass is $125.
You can learn more about and purchase your California State Parks passes here.
HOW LONG IS THE DRIVE THROUGH THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS?
It is roughly 32 miles one-way. You can go north to south or south to north depending on which way you are driving in from. For example, if you are driving from San Francisco to the Avenue of the Giants you will start at the southern entrance.
HOW LONG DO YOU NEED IN THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS?
This is totally dependent on what you want to do in the Avenue of the Giants, but we would say you need at least 1-4 hours. We spent about 6 hours there, but this included doing a couple of short hikes and a bike ride.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS?
The summer months - mainly May through August - is the best time to visit the Avenue of the Giants. This is due to two things: first, everything will be open - including the three campgrounds (most things close after Labor Day Weekend); secondly, this is when you can expect the best weather - including sunnier days and warmer temperatures.
In our personal experience, we visited the Avenue of the Giants in mid-June and it was absolutely wonderful. The weather was great (lots of sunny skies), it wasn't super crowded and the wildflowers were in full bloom.
IS THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS DOG FRIENDLY?
You can totally drive through with your pet, but most of the hiking trails are not dog friendly.
WHAT ARE THE CLOSEST TOWNS TO THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS?
There are a couple of towns close to, and even in, the Avenue of the Giants. This includes the towns of Phillipsville, Miranda, Myers Flat, Weott and Redcrest. Many of these towns do have food and lodging options available. You can read more about this below.
The closest major cities to the Avenue of the Giants are Fortuna (16 miles from the northern entrance), Eureka (33 miles from the northern entrance) and Willits (75 miles from the southern entrance). These three cities will have large grocery stores, chain restaurants and hotels, and lots of services.
\\ How to Get to the Avenue of the Giants
The Avenue of the Giants is almost entirely in the very large Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The road, which is just a split off of the much busier Highway 101, is easily reached from a couple of major towns and cities. Below are the basic driving distances and times from a couple of the most well-known and popular cities nearby.
FROM SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA TO THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS
It is approximately 212 miles from downtown San Francisco to the southern entrance of Avenue of the Giants (where the auto tour begins or ends). This drive can take anywhere from 3 hours and 45 minutes to 4.5 hours depending on traffic.
About 95% of this drive will be along Highway 101, which you can easily pick up in San Francisco by the famous Golden Gate Bridge. Along the way, you have the opportunity to stop off in such places as Healdsburg and Geyserville, which are known for their beautiful wineries, and Leggett, which is home to one of the few remaining drive-thru redwood trees.
💬 INSIDER TIP: if you are planning to fly to California and then drive up to the Avenue of the Giants, then we suggest booking a flight into San Francisco International Airport (SFO). From the airport, it is easy to rent a car and hop on Highway 101. Plus, then you get to drive over the famous Golden Gate Bridge!
FROM PORTLAND, OREGON TO THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS
It is approximately 441 miles from Portland to the northern entrance of the Avenue of the Giants. This drive can take anywhere from 7 hours and 45 minutes to 8.5 hours depending on traffic and road construction.
Most of this drive will be spent on Interstate 5 (until the town of Grants Pass), Highway 199, which follows the beautiful Smith River, and Highway 101 through Crescent City and Eureka. Along the way, you have the opportunity to stop off in such places as Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve, Redwood National and State Parks, and many beautiful northern California beaches.
FROM CRESCENT CITY (AND REDWOODS NATIONAL AND STATE PARKS) TO THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS
From the small town of Crescent City, which is located quite close to Redwoods National and State Parks, it is around 2 hours and 15 minutes to the northern entrance of Avenue of the Giants. This drive is entirely done on Highway 101. Along the way, we recommend checking out the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge and many of the rocky Pacific coast beaches.
➳ If you are looking to learn more about the best things to see and do while road tripping to the Avenue of the Giants, then we highly recommend checking out Roadtrippers. This easy to use app shows you all of the best places to eat, sleep, and explore while out on the open road. You can check the site out for yourself here.
EXPLORE MORE | 25 TIPS TO BE A MORE SUSTAINABLE VAN LIFER
\\ Where to Stay in the Avenue of the Giants
There are a lot of options when it comes to finding a place to stay in and around the Avenue of the Giants. Below are a couple of great options. From luxury hotels nearby to rugged campsites within the heart of the redwoods, you can find the perfect base camp for all of your needs.
<