The redwoods don't drop their leaves. They don't really do winter, either — the coastal climate keeps them in a permanent damp green hush. What changes is everything around them. The crowds disappear, the creeks come alive, and the fog that people complain about in July becomes the whole reason to come.
Jedediah Smith
The densest old-growth grove on the planet, and in winter you'll often have it to yourself. Drive Howland Hill Road slowly — it's gravel and one lane wide, and every turn ends in another tree that makes you stop the car. Walk the Stout Grove loop in the rain. Bring a hood, not an umbrella.
Prairie Creek
Elk in the meadow at first light, every time. Hike Fern Canyon if the creek crossings are manageable — the walls are sixty feet of solid fern, and yes, that's where they filmed Jurassic Park 2. Camp at Elk Prairie and listen to the bulls bugle at dusk.
Humboldt Redwoods
The Avenue of the Giants is thirty-one miles of old highway that wanders through the tallest trees on earth. Stop at Founders Grove. Stop at the Rockefeller Forest. Stop anywhere. That's the whole assignment.
Pack list
- Truly waterproof boots — not water-resistant. There's a difference.
- A rain shell plus a warm layer underneath.
- Dry socks in a ziploc. Future you will be grateful.
- A thermos of coffee. There are no espresso bars in old-growth.