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Point Sur lighthouse - photo National Ocean Service
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Coquille River lighthouse - photo Harold Litwiler
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Corkscrew tree - photo Jeff Crider
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Klamath River jet boat tour - photo Jeff Crider
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Klamath River salmon fishing - photo Jeff Crider
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Stone Lagoon school - photo Jeff Crider
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Rogue River rafting - photo Bureau of Land Management, Oregon
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Stout Grove - photo Ray Bouknight
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Trees of Mystery - photo Ben Stanfield
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Trees of Mystery
By Perry Mack
Good enough for Steven Spielberg
Heading south from western Canada, one of the least explored spots on the West Coast is an area called the Wild Rivers Coast, a stretch of scenic highway that runs from Bandon, OR southward in a blink of an eye to the town of Orick, CA.
This drive takes you along some of Oregon ’s prettiest coastline and into the heart of Northern California’s “Bigfoot Country,” an area with lush redwood forests, rushing rivers and museums with Native American artifacts.
This is the place to see California ’s famed coastal redwoods, the world’s tallest trees. The trees are protected by several state and national parks, all of which offer easy hiking trails that take you deep into lush, moss laden forests with massive chest- and shoulder-high sword ferns.
Bandon, OR: This quaint town is located near scenic stretches of coastline with massive rock formations that provide settings for beautiful sunsets. Sites to see include Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint, Kronenberg County Park and the Coquille River Lighthouse.
Gold Beach and the Rogue River: Jet boats based in Gold Beach provide access into the wild and scenic sections of the Rogue River on trips of 100, 130 and 170 km (64, 80 and 104 mi) roundtrip. Excursions include lunch or dinner at upriver lodges. www.goldbeach.org
The End of the Trail Museum in Klamath: This free museum has one of the world’s largest collections of Native American artifacts, including baskets, pottery, arrowheads and tools of the local Yurok, Karok and Tolowa tribes, as well as artifacts from other tribes across the United States. The museum also has several original goldstone photographs by Edward Sheriff Curtis, who spent 30 years photographing Native American tribes starting in the late 1800s. The museum is located on the same site as Trees of Mystery, a tourist attraction that includes a 480 m (1,570 ft) tram ride that climbs through a forest of redwoods to a viewpoint overlooking the forest. www.treesofmystery.net
The Klamath River: This scenic 400 km (250 mi) long river is popular with salmon fishing enthusiasts, particularly in August and September, when salmon make their way up the river to spawn. The river is famed for its Chinook or king salmon, steelhead trout and red tailed perch. Wildlife enthusiasts will also enjoy Klamath River ’ s jet boat tours, which take visitors on two-hour trips 32 to 40 km (20 - 25 mi) up the river. The tours include visits to the Klamath Beach, a sandbar that separates the Klamath River from the breaking surf of the Pacific Ocean. The sandbar is a favoured resting site for pelicans, seals, sea lions and sea otters. www.jetboattours.com
Jedediah Smith State Park and Redwood National Park: These parks provide numerous easy hiking trails with access to lush forests filled with ferns and redwood trees. Be sure to see the Stout Grove, which some have described as the world’s most scenic stand of redwood trees.
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park: This redwood filled park is home to Fern Canyon, a hidden gorge where Steven Spielberg filed “The Lost World: Jurassic Park.” The scenic gorge is covered with thousands of ferns that receive constant moisture from tiny waterfalls and underground springs. Other attractions at this park include the famed “Corkscrew Tree,” which has a twisted trunk.
The Stone Lagoon School in Orick: This is a tiny red schoolhouse that has been converted into a free museum. The world’s largest herd of Roosevelt Elk can also be seen wandering freely in this area.
Venturing further south along the California coast are numerous historic lighthouses. Some of the more scenic lighthouses include:
The lighthouse at Point Reyes National Seashore: Point Reyes is the windiest place on the Pacific Coast and the second foggiest place on the North American continent. The Point Reyes Lighthouse, built in 1870, was retired from service in 1975. https://www.nps.gov/pore/index.htm
Ghost tours at Point Sur Lighthouse near Big Sur: Originally opened in 1889, the Point Sur Lighthouse is considered to be one of most haunted lighthouses in the U.S. Many shipwrecks have taken place here, and the spirits of those who perished in nearby shipwrecks are said to haunt the lighthouse. Tours are available year round. Haunted ghost tours are available in October. www.pointsur.org
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