Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon
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Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon are two of the big highlights in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The beach is wide and wild, with the chance of spotting Roosevelt elk right on the sand. Just inland from the beach is Fern Canyon, a short but famous hike where a creek runs between high canyon walls draped in green. To get there, you bounce along about eight miles of dusty gravel road until it finally dead ends at the trailhead parking lot.
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As soon as we stepped out of the car, we were told there were elk on the beach. Sure enough, a short walk brought us to a group of cow elk with their youngsters, grazing in the grass. We ventured further out onto the sand and spotted more elk, including a large bull. Pretty sure these ladies were his. At one point he even ran up on a couple of younger ones just to remind them who was in charge. They wisely stepped aside. There’s just something unforgettable about the elk + beach combo.
After getting our fill of elk, we grabbed our picnic lunch at the trailhead before heading into Fern Canyon. The steep 50 foot canyon walls are covered in dripping moss and lush green ferns. The trail crosses the shallow water several times, and the park service has set out wooden planks to assist. Walking through it feels like stepping back into prehistoric times. No wonder filmmakers chose this place for Jurassic Park 2.
Heading back to camp, we spotted a family of pheasants right by the road near the visitor center. Danny stopped the car so we could watch them. They started across, and then a white car came blasting through without even slowing down. Danny honked the horn, and the pheasants scattered, wings flapping, barely avoiding disaster. Hard to believe someone could miss a whole family of birds crossing. Thankfully, they made it.
I then swung by the visitor center to check on the swallow chicks I met the day before. Four were still crammed into the nest, but one was missing. The ranger told me the youngster had attempted its first flight out of the nest, but it ended badly. It dropped straight down and was gone in an instant. The others also took flight, but returned soon after. A sad reminder that nature has winners and losers.
After getting our fill of elk, we grabbed our picnic lunch at the trailhead before heading into Fern Canyon. The steep 50 foot canyon walls are covered in dripping moss and lush green ferns. The trail crosses the shallow water several times, and the park service has set out wooden planks to assist. Walking through it feels like stepping back into prehistoric times. No wonder filmmakers chose this place for Jurassic Park 2.
Heading back to camp, we spotted a family of pheasants right by the road near the visitor center. Danny stopped the car so we could watch them. They started across, and then a white car came blasting through without even slowing down. Danny honked the horn, and the pheasants scattered, wings flapping, barely avoiding disaster. Hard to believe someone could miss a whole family of birds crossing. Thankfully, they made it.
I then swung by the visitor center to check on the swallow chicks I met the day before. Four were still crammed into the nest, but one was missing. The ranger told me the youngster had attempted its first flight out of the nest, but it ended badly. It dropped straight down and was gone in an instant. The others also took flight, but returned soon after. A sad reminder that nature has winners and losers.