Avenue of the Giants and Chandelier Tree

After leaving Ferndale heading down 101, I opted for the scenic bypass Avenue of the Giants, a 30 mile parallel road that goes through Humboldt Redwoods State Park.

Now THIS is my kind of drive and when I'm especially happy to have such a big windshield!

Who could resist hugging these guys??? While there were some spots large enough for a motor home to stop and allow us to interact with the giants alonside the road, there were lots of places I wanted to see and couldn't due to lack of parking. If possible, I'd recommend taking the time to stay nearby and explore this beautiful road slowly in the tow car.

We fell into one of the tourist traps along the way, like this one in Leggett, boasting of the "Drive-Through Tree." It makes me sad to think of the harm cutting through its heart did to this majestic creature, and I thank God they're not making any more of these now that we're a bit more "enlightened" and more interested in preserving their health rather than driving through them. This tree is thought to be about 2,400 years old and is 315 feet high (that's 30 stories tall!)

Here's mom waving as we drive through. As you can see, only the smallest cars can make it, but there is parking big enough for RVs and a nice duck pond and picnic area next to the requisite tacky gift shop.