My visit to Trees of Mystery: A unique redwoods attraction!
Trees of Mystery is a unique attraction in the Redwood National and State Parks region, which has a mix of redwood forests and family-friendly fun.
On my recent visit to Redwood National Park, we stayed in Klamath. The Trees of Mystery was only a 10-minute drive from our hotel, the Historic Requa Inn. So we decided to check it out on our way to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.
I found Trees of Mystery to be a fun place, with some unique attractions like the suspension bridges and the gondola. The trails were very clean and well-maintained, and there were many unique trees to look at.
We were there at 9 AM when it opened, and the early morning fog and fewer crowds made the forest more enjoyable.
If you decide to go, I recommend going first thing in the morning. When we were leaving around noon, the parking lot was packed with tourists. So go early!
Where is Trees of Mystery?
Trees of Mystery is right off Highway 101 in Klamath, Northern California. It’s a well-marked stop with plenty of signs along the way. Plus, the giant statue of Paul Bunyan in the parking lot is hard to miss!
It is around a 25-minute drive south of Cresent City and around a 50-minute drive north of Trinidad. It is best explored as part of a trip to Redwood National and State Parks as it is around a 6-hour drive north of San Francisco.
The Google Maps location for it is here.
Things to do here
To be honest, before we visited, I thought it was an overhyped tourist trap, but I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful and well-maintained the place is. Several attractions here added a fun element to our Redwood National Park itinerary.
Paul Bunyan and Babe the Ox statues
As soon as you enter the parking lot, you’ll be greeted by two 40+ foot tall giant colorful statues – Paul Bunyan and his trusty blue ox, Babe. These statues are impossible to miss and add a fun, whimsical touch to the start of your visit.
Paul Bunyan’s voice came through speakers to talk with visitors, which was silly but fun to listen to.
Redwood Canopy Trail
The best thing to do at Trees of Mystery is to walk the suspension bridges among the redwoods. This trail is called the Redwood Canopy Trail, and to reach it, we walked through a beautiful forest trail.
We went right when the park opened, so there were fewer people on the trail. You have to climb a series of steps to reach the first bridge.
There are a total of 8 suspension bridges with wooden platform decks between them. There are two spiral staircases as well.
This was my first experience on a suspension bridge high up between trees, and I loved it! It gives you a view of the forest from above, offering a unique way to experience the redwoods.
The bridges moved a bit when we walked on them, but they were secure and sturdy. I don’t have a fear of heights, but if you do, then maybe check out the first bridge before you go further.
SkyTrail Gondola Ride
After we exited the canopy trail, the walkway led to the SkyTrail gondola. I loved how the pathways and trails made an entire loop in the park from the entrance to the exit.
The green-colored gondola cars are cute, and the ride takes you up the mountain, passing redwood forests. It was like riding in between the redwood trees.
At the top, there’s a viewing platform that gives you a panoramic look at the forest and beyond. It was foggy that morning, so we couldn’t see the ocean views from the top.
There is a wilderness trail to go back to the base for advanced hikers. We took the gondola back.
Unique Trees
We passed several unique trees like the Brotherhood Tree, Candelabra Tree, and Elephant Tree.
My favorite was the Cathedral tree, a group of nine redwood trees growing in one spot, forming a circle with a sign that compared it to a shrine/temple.
The ranger explained to us that there was a redwood tree in the middle that died, and this group of redwood trees grew around it. It was the most amazing thing to see.
Trail of Tall Tales
The Trail of Tall Tales was another fun part of Trees of Mystery. This short trail features carvings and sculptures that bring the stories of Paul Bunyan and other folklore characters to life.
The sculptures, made from redwood trees, were great to look at. There is a huge I Love You photo op sign here as well.
Is Trees of Mystery worth it?
When we visited in 2024, the entrance fee was $30 per person. With the well-maintained trails and unique attractions like the canopy trail and the gondola ride, I felt it was totally worth the price.
Even though we only stayed there for around 2 hours, as we were headed to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, you could spend a whole day here exploring the redwood forest trails.
Facilities
Restrooms – There are flush restrooms here and they are in the parking lot outside the ticketed area, so this is also a great restroom stop and as a bonus you get to see the Paul Bunyan statue in the parking lot. I am always on the lookout for proper restrooms as I hate the portables and the vault toilets. There are also several restrooms inside the park.
Gift shop—There is a huge gift shop at the entrance with many redwood gifts and local crafts.
Snack shop – The cafe here has a fudge shop that had several varieties of delicious fudge. I got the chocolate fudge, and it was yummy. There were also several other snacks and drinks to purchase.
Forest Cafe – This restaurant is right across the highway and is open for breakfast and lunch with nice forest decor.
Motel Trees – Right across the highway is Motel Trees, a simple lodging option if you’re looking to stay in the area. We stayed at the beautiful Requa Inn, which was a 10-minute drive from here.
Conclusion: Visiting Trees of Mystery in Redwoods
Overall, I feel visiting the Trees of Mystery is a fun thing to do while visiting the Redwood National Park area.
We got to experience the canopy trail and gondola and also saw several unique redwood trees.
➡️Check out some more blogs about my trip to Redwood National and State Parks –
- Best Hikes in Redwood National and State Parks
- Incredible Fern Canyon hike in Redwood National Park
- Avenue of the Giants: Scenic Redwoods Drive
⭐ Got questions about your trip?
Join my private Facebook group – California Travel Advice & Tips! It’s the perfect spot to connect with me and other California locals, as well as past visitors. It’s a great growing community and the quickest way to get answers for your visit!
