Incredible Fern Canyon hike in Redwood National Park

Fern Canyon is undoubtedly the most unique and beautiful part of Redwood National Park. It is known for its 50-plus foot canyon walls covered in lush green ferns and a stream flowing between the canyon. It’s not an actual hiking trail, it’s more like walking in a fern-covered canyon with a flowing stream and fallen trees.

In September 2024, my husband and I visited the Redwood National and State Parks to explore some of the old-growth forests, and hiking the Fern Canyon was at the top of my list of hikes to experience.

I had heard that the movie Jurrasic Park: The Lost World was filmed here, but for me, the main draw was the fern-covered canyon. I love plants and nature, and I knew this would be a happy place for me.

Getting to the trailhead was an adventure on its own! The drive to reach the trailhead is not for the faint of heart, with unpaved mountain roads, stream crossings, and potholes! But once we reached the canyon, it was the most unreal and magical place I had ever been to!

So, let’s get into the details of how to get here, our hike experience, and tips for hiking the Fern Canyon.

Where is the Fern Canyon Trail?

The Fern Canyon trail is located in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park within the larger Redwood National and State Parks system in Northern California.

The Google Maps link to the trailhead location is here.

Fern Cayon is around a 6-hour drive from San Francisco, Sacramento, or Portland. It is best done as part of a larger Redwood National Park trip.

For our Redwoods trip, we stayed at the historic Requa Inn in Klamath, so reaching the Fern Canyon trailhead was about a 50-minute drive from Klamath.

It will take you around 50 minutes to drive from Trinidad. From Crescent City, it is around an hour and 10 minutes.

A couple posing in front of a lush green fern covered canyon wall — *Me and hubby at Fern Canyon*

How to get here?

Getting to the Fern Canyon trailhead was quite an experience! It involved driving on the scenic Newton B Drury Drive, another very challenging Davison Road drive, crossing three streams, and maneuvering giant potholes!

As we were staying up north in Klamath, we drove on the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway to reach Fern Canyon. This 10-mile-long road runs parallel to Highway 101, and I highly recommend you drive it. It doesn’t add much time, and you will experience some of the most beautiful old-growth redwood forests on this drive. It was our favorite drive from the entire trip!

Newton Drury Scenic Parkway, a tree-lined road winding through a forest of towering redwoods. — *Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway Drive in Redwood National Park*

Towards the end of the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway is the Prairie Creek Visitor Center. We stopped here to pick up a park map.

Right next to the visitor center is a huge meadow where we saw a herd of Elk grazing. Such a cool sight! There is a trail here that runs parallel to the meadow, but there was no fence separating it from where the elk were. Elk are wild and unpredictable, so I kept my distance.

Elk Meadow in Redwood National Park, featuring a herd of elk grazing in a wide grassy field, with towering redwood trees in the background. — *We saw a herd of Elk grazing in the Elk Meadow*

You then take the unpaved Davison Road for about 7 miles to reach the Gold Bluffs Beach Day Use Area and, finally, the Fern Canyon Trailhead.

Davison Road is an extremely narrow mountain road meant for 2-way traffic. Luckily, we were very early in the day, so while going toward the trailhead, we didn’t see any oncoming traffic, else it would have been difficult to pass. We had to go very slow and it took us around 30 minutes to drive 6 miles on that road.

Davison Road leading to Fern Canyon, a narrow dirt road surrounded by dense greenery and towering trees — *Narrow, windy, unpaved Davison Road leads to Fern Canyon Trail*

When we reached the beach level, the road widens, but this stretch of the road had huge potholes so we had to still go very slow.

*Unpaved Davison Road leading to the Fern Canyon trailhead*

Once we crossed the Gold Bluffs Beach Day Use Area, we came across the first stream crossing. The water was around a foot deep, and we debated whether we should attempt the crossing in our minivan or walk the 1.1 miles to the trailhead.

A stream crossing with water in between the Davison Road — *First stream crossing on Davison Road*

We saw a couple of cars turn back, so we turned back too and parked at the Gold Bluffs Beach Day Use Area, as we didn’t know how the other two stream crossings would be.

Later, when we walked the last mile, we realized that the other two stream crossings were reduced to low potholes, and only the first one had deep water. We could have crossed it.

A stream crossing with water and potholes on Davison Road — *Second stream crossing on Davison Road* *(in September)*

Keep in mind that we visited in September, and the water levels were low. These streams are known to have a lot of water in Winter, Spring, and early summer months. Cross at your own risk, as only you would know your car best.

Finally, we reached the trailhead. The parking lot is quite big, and there are vault-style restrooms here.

Large dirt parking lot with some cars with a backdrop of trees — *Parking lot at Fern Canyon trailhead*

Hike Details

Trail length – 1.1-mile loop, can be done as out and back
Elevation gain – not much, around 120 feet
Terrain – Involves walking through streams and climbing over fallen tree trunks
Difficulty level – Easy
Wheelchair-stroller friendly – No, uneven terrain
Dog-friendly – No
Permit/Reservation – Yes, during the summer months
Fee Required – $12 fee cash/check or ‘America the Beautiful’ annual pass

Fern Canyon Hike Experience

Fern Canyon hike was one of the best things we did in Redwood National and State Parks! The actual walk to the canyon is very easy. First, it’s a quarter-mile walk through a forest.

a narrow trail through a lush green forest — *Initial trail leading to the Fern Canyon*

On your right, you will see the canyon. You cannot miss it, as that is where the stream is and where the crowds will be.

Girl standing on a wooden plank over a stream crossing at Fern Canyon Trail, featuring towering canyon walls covered in lush green ferns. — *Me at the Start of the Fern Canyon*

Walking through the Fern Canyon is not a hike, it’s more like walking through a stream bed at the base of the canyon walls. There were a lot of fallen tree trunks, and we had to go over them several times.

Fern Canyon Trail, featuring towering canyon walls covered in lush green ferns, a slowing stream and fallen tree trunks on the trail — *The trail has a lot of fallen tree trunks and a slowing stream*

There were wooden planks in places to help cross the flowing stream. But depending on the level of the water, you will get your feet wet. The water was ice cold and refreshing! Waterproof boots are a good idea if you don’t like getting your feet wet.

Fern Canyon Trail, featuring towering canyon walls covered in lush green ferns with a shallow stream running through the trail. — *Fern-covered canyon walls*

The star of the show was the spectacular fern-covered canyon walls. The walls were also covered in moss in places, and trickling waterfalls added to the place’s mystique.

Girl admiring the fern covered canyon walls — *Me admiring the ferns*

We went around half a mile to the end of the canyon, but then the fallen trees made it impassable. There were just too many obstructions. So we stayed in Fern Canyon and didn’t attempt to complete the full loop. The loop part of the trail is the James Irvine Trail.

Huge fallen tree in the fern canyon trail path — *We turned around after this part. We tried to cross this tree, but it was huge*.

We walked till the end of Fern Canyon and returned the same way, making it an out-and-back trail. That way, we could experience the magical canyon twice!

Reservation and fee to hike the Fern Canyon

Advance reservations are required to visit the fern canyon during the summer months. For 2024 the reservation timeframe is May 15th to September 15th, and the reservations can be made online here.

If advance reservations are unavailable for your dates, there are a limited number of day-before reservations available at 9 AM the day before, and they can be booked using the same link above.

After September 15th, you no longer need a reservation and can visit at any time during the fall, winter, and early spring months.

Signboard showing the reservation details and distances of Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon — *Signboard at the ticket booth at the start of Davison Road*

There is a $12 fee to hike the fern canyon, which is collected at the entrance station at the beginning of Davison Road. There was no ranger at 8 AM when we passed the entrance station, but there was a collection box there to deposit the fee. Make sure to carry $12 cash or a check with you.

‘America the Beautiful’ annual pass is accepted here, so we didn’t have to pay the fee.

Tips for hiking the Fern Canyon

Below are some travel tips based on my experience so that you know what to expect.

Facilities at Trailhead

There is a large parking lot at the trailhead and vault-style restrooms. There is another smaller parking lot at Gold Bluffs Beach Day Use Area for about 10 cars. This is where we parked.

Best time to hike the Fern Canyon trail?

We visited in September, towards the end of summer, and the canyon was still lush and green. The advantage of late summer and fall months is that the trails are dry, and the water levels in the streams are low. Summer to fall would be the best time to hike the Fern Canyon when the weather is drier.

I would not advise hiking during winter and rainy months due to the unpaved and narrow Davison Road, as it would be extremely challenging to drive on that during the rains.

For the time of the day, my #1 tip is to go early in the day. We aimed to reach at 9 AM, as our reservation time stated, and it was so much less crowded. The canyon is best experienced with fewer crowds for some solitude.

Do you have to pay to hike the Fern Canyon?

Yes, there is a $12 fee to hike the Fern Canyon, which can be paid in cash or by check. If you have an ‘America the Beautiful’ National Park annual pass, the fee is covered.

Gril admiring the Fern Canyon, featuring towering canyon walls covered in lush green ferns with a shallow stream running through the trail. — *Me admiring the Fern Canyon*

What should you pack for the Fern Canyon hike?

Waterproof shoes are a must in Spring and early summer. During fall months, regular sneakers might work as the water in the stream is low.
Layered clothing, as the canyon can be cold and misty.
Plenty of water, especially during summer.
Snacks for the road trip
First-aid kit, just in case

Where to stay for hiking the Fern Canyon?

We stayed at the historic Requa Inn in Klamath, and it worked perfectly for exploring the various Redwood National and State Parks in the region. We stayed in a cottage that had a living area and a full kitchen.

Two beds in a spacious loft — *Spacious loft with a king and queen bed at our Requa Inn Cottage*

View Crest Lodge in Trinidad is also at a great location, and has 1 or 2-bedroom cottages with full kitchens.

➡️ Check my detailed blog about where to stay for Redwood National and State Parks.

What else is nearby?

After exploring the Fern Canyon, we went to Gold Bluffs Beach for a while. It’s a really nice beach next to the Gold Bluffs Campground.

Trillium Falls trail is at the start of Davison Road and is a short 2.5-mile loop trail. It is one of the best hikes in Redwood National Park, and it is family-friendly.

White sandy beach with blue ocean and sky — *Gold Bluffs Beach*

Final Takeaways: Hiking the Fern Canyon Trail

Overall, Fern Canyon was a mystical place and our favorite place in our entire Redwood National Park itinerary.

Pictures cannot do the place justice, I believe you have to be there to experience it fully. Even though the road to get there is challenging, seeing the canyon was well worth the drive.

I highly recommend experiencing the Fern Canyon hike if you are visiting the Redwood National and State Parks in Northern California.

Read my detailed blogs about some of the places we explored in our Redwoods trip:

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