California State Route 254
Encyclopedia
The Avenue of the Giants is a scenic highway in Northern California
, U.S.A., running through Humboldt Redwoods State Park
. It is an old alignment of U.S. Route 101, and continues to be maintained by the state
as State Route 254.
, and the northern entrance is south of Fortuna
. The highway is notable for the Coast Redwoods that overshadow the road and surround the area. It is from these towering trees that the Avenue of the Giants takes its name. The road winds alongside the scenic Eel River
, and connects several small towns such as Phillipsville
, Miranda
, Myers Flat
, Burlington, Weott
, Englewood, Redcrest and Pepperwood. The two-lane road has a number of parking areas, picnic sites, and attractions for visitors. The nearby river provides many excellent swimming locations, such as those at the Rockefeller Forest redwood grove.
Being situated just off a major highway, and having attained some degree of international fame, the Avenue has many attractions for visitors, both natural and human-made.
The route contains the site of the annual "Avenue of the Giants Marathon".
strike which removed the top 45 feet (13.7 m) of the tree (making its original height close to 300ft). It is from its age and the perceived hardiness to the fates that the tree derives its name. Markers are visible on the tree, denoting the heights of where the loggers' axes and the floodwaters struck the tree.
Situated in the northern half of the Avenue, The Immortal Tree is easy to find, and has a large gift shop and parking area in front of it.
, is located in Drive-Thru Tree Park in the town of Leggett
. Shrine Drive-Thru Tree is near the town of Myers Flat and Klamath Tour Thru Tree, the northernmost of the three trees, is located in the town of Klamath, California
. Each tree is privately owned and requires a small fee to drive through.
, this is actually a house that is, albeit partially, built within a giant redwood.
Visible from the road, and with tours available, the front of this house is entered through the hollow trunk of a still-living tree. The front door and windows are clearly visible to passers-by, and the rest of the house adjoins the rear of the tree in a more traditional style.
of the river, but also features the branching of the South and Main forks to its north.
The entire route is in Humboldt County
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Postmile
!Destinations
!Notes
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|0.00
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|Interchange
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|4.84
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Maple Hills Road to US 101
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|Myers Flat
|12.33
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|Interchange
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|Weott
|18.29
| Newton Road to US 101
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| Dyerville Loop Road to US 101 – South Fork
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|Bull Creek Road – Honeydew
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| Sorenson Road to US 101
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| Barkdull Road to US 101
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|46.53
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|Interchange
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, U.S.A., running through Humboldt Redwoods State Park
Humboldt Redwoods State Park
Humboldt Redwoods State Park is located south of Eureka, California in southern Humboldt County, within northern California. Established by the Save-the-Redwoods League in 1921 with the dedication of the Raynal Bolling Memorial Grove, it has grown to become the third largest park in the California...
. It is an old alignment of U.S. Route 101, and continues to be maintained by the state
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
as State Route 254.
Route description
The southern entrance to the Avenue is just north of GarbervilleGarberville, California
Garberville is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located on the South Fork of the Eel River south-southeast of Eureka, at an elevation of 535 feet . The population was 913 at the 2010 United States Census...
, and the northern entrance is south of Fortuna
Fortuna, California
Fortuna is a city in western-central Humboldt County, California, United States. The population was 11,926 at the 2010 census, up from 10,497 at the 2000 census. The city lies on the northeast shore of the Eel River , and is on U.S...
. The highway is notable for the Coast Redwoods that overshadow the road and surround the area. It is from these towering trees that the Avenue of the Giants takes its name. The road winds alongside the scenic Eel River
Eel River (California)
The Eel River is a major river system of the northern Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. Approximately 200 miles long, it drains a rugged area in the California Coast Ranges between the Sacramento Valley and the ocean. For most of its course, the river flows northwest, parallel to the...
, and connects several small towns such as Phillipsville
Phillipsville, California
Phillipsville is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located on the South Fork of the Eel River north of Garberville, at an elevation of 289 feet . It is the southernmost town on the Avenue of the Giants. Near the town is the Chimney Tree...
, Miranda
Miranda, California
Miranda is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located northwest of Phillipsville, at an elevation of 351 feet . The ZIP Code is 95553. The population was 520 at the 2010 census....
, Myers Flat
Myers Flat, California
Myers Flat is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located south-southeast of Weott, at an elevation of 203 feet . The ZIP Code is 95554...
, Burlington, Weott
Weott, California
Weott is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located 375 km north of San Francisco, California and 40 km due west of the Pacific Ocean. Lower Weott is situated at an elevation of 100m along the Avenue of the Giants and in the flood plain of the South Fork of...
, Englewood, Redcrest and Pepperwood. The two-lane road has a number of parking areas, picnic sites, and attractions for visitors. The nearby river provides many excellent swimming locations, such as those at the Rockefeller Forest redwood grove.
Being situated just off a major highway, and having attained some degree of international fame, the Avenue has many attractions for visitors, both natural and human-made.
The route contains the site of the annual "Avenue of the Giants Marathon".
Immortal Tree
Though not the oldest redwood in the forest, this large tree is over 950 years old, and is currently around 250 ft (76.2 m) tall, though originally it was much taller. It has survived not only the ravages of time but also the 1964 flood of the area, a 1908 attempt at logging, and a direct lightningLightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
strike which removed the top 45 feet (13.7 m) of the tree (making its original height close to 300ft). It is from its age and the perceived hardiness to the fates that the tree derives its name. Markers are visible on the tree, denoting the heights of where the loggers' axes and the floodwaters struck the tree.
Situated in the northern half of the Avenue, The Immortal Tree is easy to find, and has a large gift shop and parking area in front of it.
Founder's Grove
Near Weott, this grove has an easy 1/2 mile self-guided walk with informational booklets available at the beginning of the trail. This well-travelled trail is a good example of old-growth redwood forest and contains a few very big trees, including the Founder's Tree (346 ft. tall) and the Dyerville Giant (~370 ft. tall) which fell down in 1991.Drive-Through Tree
Avenue of the Giants features three trees in Northern California that visitors can drive through. The southernmost of these trees, Chandelier TreeChandelier Tree
The Chandelier Tree is a 315 foot tall coast redwood tree in Leggett, California with a 6 foot wide by 6 foot 9 inch high hole cut through its base to allow a car to drive through. The hole was carved in the 1930s. A vintage postcard of the Chandelier Tree was shown during the opening credits of...
, is located in Drive-Thru Tree Park in the town of Leggett
Leggett, California
Leggett is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California. It is located on the South Fork of the Eel River northwest of Laytonville, at an elevation of 984 feet . It is home to some of the largest trees in the world...
. Shrine Drive-Thru Tree is near the town of Myers Flat and Klamath Tour Thru Tree, the northernmost of the three trees, is located in the town of Klamath, California
Klamath, California
Klamath is an unincorporated, rural, census-designated place in Del Norte County, California, situated on US Route 101 inland from the mouth of the Klamath River. The population was 779 at the 2010 census, up from 651 at the 2000 census...
. Each tree is privately owned and requires a small fee to drive through.
Tree House
Not a traditional tree houseTree house
Tree houses, treehouses, or tree forts, are platforms or buildings constructed around, next to or among the trunk or branches of one or more mature trees while above ground level...
, this is actually a house that is, albeit partially, built within a giant redwood.
Visible from the road, and with tours available, the front of this house is entered through the hollow trunk of a still-living tree. The front door and windows are clearly visible to passers-by, and the rest of the house adjoins the rear of the tree in a more traditional style.
Eel River and South Fork
The Eel River is the third largest river in California. It carves deep canyons down great mountains, through flat valleys, and past majestic and ancient redwood forests. The Avenue of the Giants follows the South ForkSouth Fork Eel River
The South Fork Eel River is the longest and largest tributary of the Eel River, in the north-central part of the U.S. state of California. The river flows north from Laytonville to Dyerville/Founders' Grove where it joins the Eel River on the left bank...
of the river, but also features the branching of the South and Main forks to its north.
History
The Avenue of the Giants was once part of U.S. Route 101 until a freeway bypass was completed in 1960, assuming the 101 designation. The Avenue was then designated as CA Route 254 by Assembly Concurrent Resolution 10.Major intersections
- Note: Except where prefixed with a letter, postmileCalifornia postmileCalifornia uses a postmile system on all of its state highways, including U.S. Routes and Interstate Highways. The postmile markers indicate the distance a route travels through individual counties, as opposed to mile markers that indicate the distance traveled through a state.-Format:A postmile...
s were measured in 1964, based on the alignment as it existed at that time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage.
The entire route is in Humboldt County
Humboldt County, California
Humboldt County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located on the far North Coast 200 miles north of San Francisco. According to 2010 Census Data, the county’s population was 134,623...
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
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|0.00
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|Interchange
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|4.84
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|Myers Flat
Myers Flat, California
Myers Flat is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located south-southeast of Weott, at an elevation of 203 feet . The ZIP Code is 95554...
|12.33
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|Interchange
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|Weott
Weott, California
Weott is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located 375 km north of San Francisco, California and 40 km due west of the Pacific Ocean. Lower Weott is situated at an elevation of 100m along the Avenue of the Giants and in the flood plain of the South Fork of...
|18.29
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|Bull Creek Road – Honeydew
Honeydew, California
Honeydew is an unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California. It is located south of Scotia, at an elevation of 322 feet ....
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|Interchange
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|46.53
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|Interchange
See also
- Humboldt Redwoods State ParkHumboldt Redwoods State ParkHumboldt Redwoods State Park is located south of Eureka, California in southern Humboldt County, within northern California. Established by the Save-the-Redwoods League in 1921 with the dedication of the Raynal Bolling Memorial Grove, it has grown to become the third largest park in the California...
- Eel RiverEel River (California)The Eel River is a major river system of the northern Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. Approximately 200 miles long, it drains a rugged area in the California Coast Ranges between the Sacramento Valley and the ocean. For most of its course, the river flows northwest, parallel to the...
- Coast Redwood
- Chandelier TreeChandelier TreeThe Chandelier Tree is a 315 foot tall coast redwood tree in Leggett, California with a 6 foot wide by 6 foot 9 inch high hole cut through its base to allow a car to drive through. The hole was carved in the 1930s. A vintage postcard of the Chandelier Tree was shown during the opening credits of...