Avenue of the Giants: Best Things to Do, Photos & Helpful Tips

Discover the best things to do along the Avenue of the Giants, complete with a map and photos. The Founders Grove is not to be missed, but you can also drive through a redwood tree and go off the beaten path, walking quieter, lesser-known trails through the old-growth forests.

Avenue of the Giants is one of the most iconic redwood experiences in Northern California and an easy day trip for anyone exploring the region. This famous 31-mile scenic drive winds through Humboldt Redwoods State Park, home to some of the tallest redwoods on the planet. Along the way, you’ll find countless places to pull off and explore the forest floor on foot.

We visited the Avenue of the Giants at the end of our trip to Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP). Although not officially part of RNSP, Avenue of the Giants still featured some of our favorite redwood experiences, from a beautiful scenic drive to a breathtaking walk amongst towering trees.

We had a blast spending a half a day exploring Avenue of the Giants. Walking through Founders Grove quickly became a highlight of our trip, even though we were on day five of seeing redwood trees. Still, these giants never lost their charm.

Many times we felt like we were wandering on the forest moon of Endor from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. For fans of the movie, get excited, since Humboldt Redwoods State Park was used as a filming location. Although we never spotted any Ewoks, we still found a lot of memorable redwood experiences we’ll share with you so you can best plan your trip.

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Best Things to Do on the Avenue of the Giants

Our list below details the top things to see and do along the Avenue of the Giants. From a beautiful scenic drive to peaceful nature walks amongst old-growth redwoods, Avenue of the Giants is packed with enough redwood experiences to fill a day of exploration.

How to Use This Map: Click the tab in the top left corner of the map to see a list of the points of interest and to turn layers on/off. Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest.

To take this map with you, click the star next to the title of the map which adds it to your Google account. Next, within your Google Maps app, select ‘Saved’ and then select ‘Maps’. This map title will now appear in your list.

1. Drive the Avenue of the Giants

Without a doubt, the number one thing to do here is to drive the Avenue of the Giants.

This 31-mile scenic drive runs through Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Flanked by redwood trees on either side, you can get stunning views of old-growth redwood forests without ever having to leave your car.

California State Route 254, aka “Avenue of the Giants,” is the main route through the state park. This paved two-lane road runs parallel to the larger U.S. Route 101, but is much more scenic and features numerous attractions along the way.

The best way to experience Avenue of the Giants is to stop at a few sights along your drive and get up-close with the redwoods. The remainder of our list below highlights the top attractions that you can’t miss. With stops, give yourself at least 3 hours to enjoy this scenic region of old-growth redwoods.

2. Immortal Tree

Redwood trees are known to be extra durable with incredible lifespans, and Immortal Tree is no exception. Estimated to be 1000 years old, this massive tree has lived through a lightning strike, logging attempts, a forest fire, and even a flood. It’s certainly stood the test of time and remains a popular attraction along the Avenue of the Giants.

The Immortal Tree is located directly off the main avenue. A visit here can be quick, about 5 minutes for photos and admiring this nearly 250-foot-tall redwood.

If you’re starting your drive from the north, Immortal Tree will be one of your first stops of the day. This tree is 2 miles into your drive, where you’ll find parking as well as a gift shop.

3. Founders Grove Nature Loop Trail

This was our favorite experience along Avenue of the Giants.

Enjoy a short and easy nature trail through Founders Grove and one of the best walks along Avenue of the Giants.

This flat 0.5-mile trail loops along the forest floor, leading past towering redwood trees as well as fallen redwoods.

Views are incredible every step of the way, and if you were to do one hike along your drive, this should be it.

The Founders Grove Nature Loop Trail rivaled some of the best hikes we did within Redwood National and State Parks. The trail is short and flat, so it’s great even if you have limited time. Views within the old-growth forest are amazing, and passing fallen redwoods provides a true sense of scale of these giants.

Along the walk, other highlights include both Founders Tree and Dyerville Giant, two massive redwood trees that at one time were named the world’s tallest trees.

You do not have to walk far to get incredible views. With its convenient location right off the main avenue, and its easy and beautiful trail, the Founders Grove Nature Loop Trail has a great “bang for your buck.”

There is a parking lot along with public bathrooms at the trailhead. Note that this is one of the most popular areas for hiking along the Avenue of the Giants, so expect to see plenty of other visitors.

4. Wander the Big Trees Day-Use Area

Looking for a scenic forest walk but want to avoid the crowds? How about a look at some of the tallest trees in the state park? If your answer is “yes”, this hidden gem is right up your alley.

A quiet redwood walk through the Big Trees Day-Use Area became one of our favorite and most underrated experiences along Avenue of the Giants.

To get here, take a turn off the main Avenue of the Giants onto Bull Creek Flats Road (sometimes signed as Mattole Road). It is a 4-mile drive along a paved but pothole-riddled road, so take your time. Eventually, you’ll arrive at a parking lot near the trailhead, where there are also restrooms.

From the parking lot, you can visit the “Tall Tree,” also known as Rockefeller Tree. At 366 feet tall, it was briefly known as the tallest tree in the world, until taller trees both within and outside of Humboldt Redwoods State Park had been discovered. There will be a sign marking which tree is Tall Tree (although it’s hard to miss!).

While here, we recommend crossing Bull Creek for a short, beautiful forest walk. There’s a seasonal footbridge that crosses the stream but it is removed during the winter. When we visited in September, however, the creek had run dry and we could walk across the riverbed without soaking our feet.

Crossing Bull Creek will lead you to the short Bull Creek Loop. This flat, 0.6-mile nature walk passes by both Giant Tree and Flatiron Tree, some of the tallest trees in the state park. There are signs highlighting both of these trees. This trail also has solid views every step of the way, and we found ourselves taking new photos at each bend in the trail.

The Bull Creek Loop trail is flat and peaceful, offering interpretive signs, lush forest scenery, and plenty of photo-worthy spots. It’s also incredibly quiet, with the only thing you can hear being the faint sounds of bird calls. There’s also fewer people here than at Founders Grove, making this perfect for those who want a more secluded redwood experience. Though it takes a bit more effort to reach, the payoff is worth it.

There are numerous signs throughout the Avenue of the Giants warning visitors to stay on the trail because of poison oak. This is what it looks like.

5. Shrine Drive-Thru Tree

You’ll see plenty of redwoods on your visit to Avenue of the Giants, but how often do you get to drive through one?!? Located just off the main avenue in Myers Flat, guests can pull into a small park and wait their turn to drive through the hollowed-out base of Doust Tree.

The base of Doust Tree was hollowed out by fire and later widened by the property owner, yet the tree still survives. It’s also been a popular tourist attraction since the early 1900’s, and one of the first major sites along the Avenue of the Giants. You’ll find photos online of Ford Model T’s passing through the tree.

We recommend having a compact car for this. We skipped this drive since we were in a Kia Telluride SUV and concerned we wouldn’t fit through the tree. We also saw larger vehicles and trucks turn around when they realized they wouldn’t fit.

The Shrine Drive-Thru Tree is a fun experience that’s just off the main avenue. It’s a quick 10-minute visit that comes with a unique memory. Just be prepared to pay a few USD in cash to enter.

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Best things to do along the Avenue of the Giants, California. How to add it on to your trip to Redwood National and State Parks.

How Much Does it Cost to Drive Avenue of the Giants?

It is free to drive the Avenue of the Giants, since is is a public highway. However, there is a fee (approximately $10 per car) to drive through the Shrine Tree.

How Much Time Do You Need Along the Avenue of the Giants?

You can see everything on this list within half a day. That gives you enough time to drive the full length of Avenue of the Giants, enjoy a few nature walks, and stop for a few other attractions. If you’re staying nearby, such as the city of Eureka, you can give yourself more time within Avenue of the Giants, as you’ll spend less time driving there and back.

WHAT WE DID: We included Avenue of the Giants with a trip to Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP). From the city of Eureka, an hour drive south of RNSP, we drove down to Avenue of the Giants in the morning. We spent three hours driving the avenue and seeing everything on this list, before continuing south to San Francisco to end our trip.

Where Should I Stay to See Avenue of the Giants?

Eureka is a large coastal city in northern California. You’ll find plenty of options for hotels and restaurants, and it’s also a convenient place to stay if you plan on visiting RNSP. Eureka is an hour drive south of Redwood National Park, and a 40-minute drive north of Avenue of the Giants.

We stayed at the Home2 Suites by Hilton Eureka, a relatively new hotel that gets very good reviews. Other options include Carter House Inns and Holiday Inn Express & Suites Eureka.

Fortuna is a smaller city located 20 minutes south of Eureka. You’re closer to the Avenue of the Giants, but there are fewer options for hotels and restaurants. Fortuna also isn’t as convenient as Eureka if you’re planning on visiting RNSP to the north. Two hotels that get good review scores include the Best Western Country Inn and Super 8 by Wyndham Fortuna.

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Is Avenue of the Giants Worth It?

Yes, the Avenue of the Giants is absolutely worth it.

This 31-mile scenic drive takes you through some of the most accessible and breathtaking old-growth redwood groves in Northern California. It’s easy to add to any road trip, free to visit, and offers countless spots to pull over for short walks and photos of towering giants. Even if you’ve already visited Redwood National and State Parks, the Avenue of the Giants is worth half a day of your time.

Please practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace: plan ahead, stay on the trail, pack out what you bring to the hiking trail, leave areas as you found them, minimize campfire impacts, be considerate of other hikers, and do not approach or feed wildlife.

How to Also Visit Redwood National and State Parks

Located in northwestern California, Redwood National and State Parks protect most of the world’s last remaining coastal old-growth redwoods. RNSP consists of four parks: Redwood National Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

RNSP is roughly a two-hour drive north of the Avenue of the Giants. It’s best to see these two on different days to minimize driving time, but you can easily include RNSP with a visit to the Avenue of the Giants.

The best way to see these together is to use either the cities of Eureka or Fortuna as a “home base,” as they’re located between RNSP and Avenue of the Giants. Spend one day driving Avenue of the Giants, seeing the sights along the way. The following day (or days), visit the Redwood parks to the north.

If you have any questions about how to visit the Avenue of the Giants, let us know in the comment section below.