1 Samoa Peninsula
Even though this trip is
about misty primeval
forest, the beginning
is a study of opposites:
the grassy dunes and
windswept beaches of
the 7-mile long Samoa
Peninsula.
At the peninsula’s
south end is Samoa
Dunes Recreation Area
(hsunrise-sunset), part
of a 34-mile-long dune
system that’s the largest
in Northern California.
While it’s great for
picnicking or fishing,
the wildlife viewing is
excellent. You might see
200 species of migrating
waterfowl in spring and
fall, songbirds in spring
and summer, shorebirdsin fall and winter, and
waders year-round. Or,
leave the landlubbers
behind and take a
Harbor Cruise (www.
humboldtbaymaritimemuseum.
com; 75-minute narrated cruise
adult/child $18/10, cocktail
cruise $10) aboard the
1910 Madaket, America’s
oldest continuously
operating passenger
vessel. Leaving from the
foot of C St, it ferried mill
workers before the Samoa
Bridge was built in 1972.
The $10 sunset cocktail
cruise serves drinks from
the smallest licensed bar
in the state.5 p131
The Drive » Head north on
Hwy 101 passing myriad views
of Humboldt Bay. Pass Arcata
and take the exit to Trinidad.Note that the corridor between
Eureka and Arcata (p122) is a
closely watched safety corridor
(aka speed trap), so keep it slow.2 Trinidad
Perched on an ocean
bluff, cheery Trinidad
somehow manages an
off-the-beaten-path feel
despite a constant flow
of visitors. The free town
map at the information
kiosk will help you
navigate the town’s cute
little shops and several
fantastic hiking trails,
most notably the Trinidad
Head Trail with superb
coastal views; excellent
for whale-watching
(December to April).
If the weather is nice,
stroll the exceptionally
beautiful cove at Trinidad
State Beach; if not, make
for the HSU Telonicher
Marine Laboratory
(%707-826-3671; http://www.
humboldt.edu/marinelab;
Ewing St; h9am-4:30pm
Mon-Fri, noon-4pm Sat
Sep–mid-May; c). It has
a touch tank, several
aquariums (look for the
giant Pacific octopus), an
enormous whale jaw and
a cool three-dimensional
map of the ocean floor.
You can also join a
naturalist on tidepooling
expeditions (90 minutes,
$3); call ahead to ask
about conditions.5 4 p131
The Drive » Head back north
on Patrick’s Point drive to hug
the shore for 6 miles.TRIP HIGHLIGHTNorthern
Redwood
Coast
This.trip.may.have.been.charted.in.the.glory.days.
of.the.midcentury.American.road.trip.–.roadside.
attractions.include.giant.Paul.Bunyan.statues,.
drive-through.trees.and.greasy.burger.stands.–.
but.that.might.as.well.be.yesterday.in.this.land.
of.towering,.mystical,.ancient.redwood.forests..
Curving.roads.and.misty.trails.bring.visitors.to.
lush,.spectacular.natural.wonders.that.are.unlike.
any.other.place.on.earth..Prepare.to.be.impressed.
10