Fern Canyon

Beautiful Canyon With Fern-Lined Walls

What do you picture when you hear of an abandoned gold mine? Would it be a barren stream with nothing but mud left in the bottom? Or possibly a ghost town that was once a stop-over for those seeking fortune in the beds of California rivers and tributaries. While these are accurate depictions of the “gold rush,” there is one place that defies history with its spectacular beauty of majestic redwoods and walls draped with natures green miracles. Such a place, nestled along the coast of Northern California, is called Fern Canyon.

The name is all too fitting, for many ferns grow not only from the ground, but straight out of the jagged walls and fallen trees that scatter the two-mile long trail. The natural beauty is absolutely breathtaking, and a person could spend an entire day on the trail in awe of nature’s magnificence. It is almost impossible to imagine that at one point in time, under the luscious green wallpaper that covers the walls and floor of the ravine, Fern Canyon was once a dull, gray, miners’ haven.
Although the canyon produced only one million dollars in gold (which during the 1850s was a meager amount of money to come from a mine), miners were, up until the mid-1900s, still ravaging the area in hopes of striking it rich. It is absolutely astounding that the land revived itself in just 50 years

Fern Canyon may seem familiar to you. This striking setting was used in 1997 as a backdrop for scenes in The Lost World: Jurassic Park and again for the BBC series Walking With Dinosaurs in 1999. With these famous cinematography credits to its name, Fern Canyon has become a must-see attraction on the North Coast.
Remember to bring your camera. While visiting the area, it is likely that you will spot herds of stately Elk roaming the hills and fields in and around Fern Canyon. If history, or even the paranormal, interests you, the two-mile trail is well worth the walk. About mid-way through your hike you will come across an abandoned mining town—or “ghost town”—an adventure in itself for the entire family, as well as the budding historian.

Whether you have a day or a week to explore the North Coast, don’t miss the one-of-a-kind beauty of Fern Canyon.

Fees: $6 Day pass. $15.00 Overnight
Note: Day pass from any other state park will get you into Fern Canion on the same day. Also Fern Canyon day pass will get you into any other state park.

Directions: From Highway 101, drive approx. 2 mile north of Orick to Davison Road and turn left. Follow through Elk Meadow and off of the paved road. Follow this spectacular scenic drive for 6 miles until you reach Gold Bluffs Beach(motorhomes and trailers are not allowed on this road). Once at the coast, follow the road along the beach for another 3 miles (fording through several small streams) until the parking lot at the end. The trailhead to Fern Canyon is there, about 1/4 mile from the actual start of the canyon.

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