Day 73: Coalescing Carbonic Spires. Arcata to Humboldt Redwoods State Park

They just keep going up. For anyone who hasn’t had the chance to visit a redwood forest in person, you begin to feel a bit small upon first entering given just how massive these trees are. The light levels drastically change as the canopy 300 feet up and the volume of trunks block the sun enough to produce a significant cooling and wind-blocking effect on the ground. These trees are as neat as they are imposing; their wide trunks enter the ground and simply disappear with hardly any trace of roots. Existing among the largest living plants on Earth as well as our final night of camping made this day a favorite among the Bike America Team.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 57.8

Elevation: +2119’/-2111’

General Direction: Proceed south and turn left onto U.S. 101 via Bayside Cutoff, at mile 8.0 exit onto the Waterfront Drive through Eureka and rejoin the highway at Exit 702, take Exit 698 to follow Tompkin Hills Road, rejoin at Exit 696, take exit 681 to navigate through Scotia and rejoin at Main St. onlet, take Exit 674 to ride on Avenue of the Giants and stay on this road to meet the campground on the left 14.8 miles later.

Points of Interest: Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Avenue of the Giants, Founders Grove, King Range National Conservation Area, Eel River

Tales of the Trail

The day began rather gray as the team headed south from Arcata on a road that would become very familiar during this final chapter of the ride: U.S. 101, a scenic and important California artery as well as the road that crosses the Golden Gate Bridge. As easy as it would be to stay on this road, we would opt to take exits often to allow for a little more exploration and variance of scenery (and avoid highway brain). Riders pedaled through the larger town of Eureka which provided views of the entrance to Arcata Bay and a brief sight of the ocean, our last until the bridge. We eventually joined the Eel River and followed it through the towns of Fortuna and Rio Dell as the clouds broke. Already we began to see giant trees appearing on nearby hills, and at mile 43, almost immediately, we took the exit off of 101 to suddenly be immersed in another world.

Nina, Adam, Hanna, and Patty rolling along the coast.

Jaylen, Emily, and Jean pedaling through downtown Eureka.

Kathryn, Edward, Sam R, JY, and Olivia exiting off 101 for the first rest stop.

A classic Paul pull as the clouds break.

The Avenue of the Giants may be the most aptly named road we have come across on this journey. Forests of 300 foot tall coast redwood trees that we had to crane our necks to see the tops of surrounded us on all sides. A rest stop at the beginning of the road allowed the team to climb one of these fallen trees and take plenty of pictures before continuing on one of the most beautiful stretches of the entire ride. The next fifteen miles were truly unforgettable as groups were greeted by thousands of these red giants forming their own sort of canyon along the road’s edge. We arrived into Burlington Campground in the early afternoon.

The mileage today meant more time to explore, and that we did. First, we took the van to the town of Miranda for some much-needed late lunch, coffee, and ice cream. Most of the team then opted to take a swim in the Eel River and we finished out the night with some beans, rice, and hot dogs. We even met a couple of bikepackers (many frequent the 101 within this part of California) traveling from Oregon to Mexico who asked to use our floor pump and we swapped stories of our one ride and their many rides around the world. The sunset seemed to arrive early as the trunks continued to block the light, and sleeping under these giant trees was a truly epic experience. Tomorrow, we will leave this graceful and awe-inspiring park and continue along the 101 toward the town of Willits nearly 100 miles away.