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coastal redwoods road trip

Highway 1 – Wild Curves, Coastal Redwoods & Clifftop Camping

It’s an invigorating driving experience, this cliff-hugging, twisting route along the northern coast of California. Its one of the worlds most spectacular drives sandwiched between rugged ocean views and towering redwood forests.

The scenes are so unbelievably striking we pinch ourselves to ensure we’re not dreaming. In all our years of road tripping, only the Icefields Parkway has captivated us this way.

coastal redwoods road trip

Highway 101 and highway 1 span the entire coast of California. It’s all beautiful but its this section of the Redwood coast that is one of our all time faves. Collectively over the years we have driven the entire coast of California and this trip to the Redwoods was our 4th.

The Redwood Forest is what sends my imagination whirling, my heart pumping and my soul soaring to the tops of the trees. It is home to the tallest living things on the planet! I love it all far more than I can express and this is the first time I have ever written about it.  Why?  Because how on earth am I supposed to put into words one of my favorite places on the planet?  I don’t think there is any way I can do it justice.

So, rather than try, we figured we would capture a small portion of the drive on video, share some of our favorite spots and then encourage you to go see for yourself what all the fuss is about. I do love it all but if I had to choose, I would say the stretch of highway from Klamath to Mendocino is probably my tops.

Klamath, California

This is a teeny tiny little town with not much going on. Its peacefully quiet and the coastal redwood trails and beaches are beautiful.  I especially love High Bluff Overlook for sunset.  Also check out nearby False Klamath Cove, because it is stunning!

 

Tall Trees Grove

This is one of my favorite hikes because it’s off the beaten path, limited to a number of cars per day and requires a permit (which you can get for free at Kuchel Visitor Center). It’s a beautiful (not rv friendly) 45 minute drive to get to the trail head and requires passing through a combination locked gate and a six mile dirt road…so you really feel like its a secret location!

tall trees hike in california

It’s best known for the Libbey Tree which at one time was the world’s tallest known living thing. Taller Redwoods have since been found but this is one you can actually see. Most of the other tallest trees locations have been kept secret.

 

 

Trinidad, California

I just adore this charming little town! There is an RV friendly, ocean front day use area at the end of lighthouse road where we like to park while we explore.  We start at the Beachcomber Cafe for coffee and a pastry, hit the trails at Trinidad State Beach and finish our day off with cheap eats at The Lighthouse Grill. I dare you to go here and not fall in love. Oh, and if you decide to spend only a day here and need an overnight parking spot, we think the rest area just north of town is one of the best.

 

Westport-Union Landing State Beach

While this was our first time to stay at this state beach, I think the friendly shirtless host, never ending views and the drop dead gorgeous sunsets won us over.  We had no cell phone reception or wifi here but who cares!  We put any work we needed to get done aside and focused on the ridiculous beauty around us.  If we could have worked from this location, we may have never left.

 

There are too many gems along this route to mention, including a few Harvest Hosts stays, some great breweries and cute towns but hopefully this was enough to pique your interest. If you haven’t yet taken this road trip, do yourself a favor and add it to your bucket list now!  If you have experienced this epic drive please share your favorite stops with us.  We haven’t seen and done it all yet, but we want too and would love to hear your suggestions!

Road Report

Gear Suggestions – You will want a solid pair of hiking shoes, bug spray depending on the time of year and always be prepared for cool weather or rain. A good camera and a wide angle lens is a must if you plan to capture the trees or the vast landscapes.
Road Conditions – In places, the road has narrow shoulders and sharp drop-offs, so stay alert. This route can be tricky for larger RVs (over 35ft).
Best Time To Visit – Anytime! The temperatures don’t vary dramatically and its beautiful year round.  The summer is the busiest and I prefer to avoid those peaks.
Dates Visited – October 31 – November 7

Hello there! I honestly don’t know what to say, so I am going to tell you a bunch of random facts instead. I'm a fish eating vegetarian who hates spiders and loves snakes. I almost never took vacations growing up. I wanted to be Pippi Longstocking (still do). I misspell about every other word I write and still struggle with grammar. I love splurging on a good high tea (which is really hard to find these days). And whatever you do, don’t tell me I can’t do something, because then I'll HAVE to do it!

Comments (53)

  • Ted & Lee Denman

    Hope to be in Oregon and northern California next spring. (2018). My wife and I enjoy your “land” videos better than your “catamaran” ventures. (Sorry, we have mountain bodies, not beach bodies.)

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  • Michael Todd

    Great hwy 1 vid! Recommend Jedidiah Smith SP, site 19 one of the few long enough for most class As, Boy Scout Trail… considered to be the BEST of the giant redwoods. EPIC!
    mike n anah

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  • John Ward

    Love all your videos. The Hwy 1 trip actually began at Leggett not Klamath. I’ve driven that route a dozen times both directions.

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  • Keith Wright

    Do you have any trips up or down the Oregon coast?

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  • Patti

    Beautiful ride and scenery but NO seatbelts?

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  • Deborah Kerr

    Just want to say Thanks for the ride!! Beautiful scenery-I felt like I was right there and my stress just melted away – ha, I didn’t even have to drive!! Great job 🙂

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  • Cal 20 Sailor

    If you like smoked fish, the next time you’re traveling through Klamath on Highway 101, DO NOT miss Paul’s Famous Smoked Salmon shack just off the road! I’m not affiliated in any way…I’m just a huge fan of their product, though I haven’t been there in twenty years… The Samoa Cookhouse, in Samoa across the bay from Eureka, CA, is another great eatery in NorCal. Love your videos!

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  • Jay and Sherry

    This is on our bucket list hope to get there next fall. Really enjoyed the camera trip it was nail biting, l would have told Sherry to keep her hand in the Rv.
    Driving Ms Daisy
    Jay and Sherry

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  • Great videos. My husband is from Crescent City and we are very familiar with Hwy 1 and 101. Beautiful area! We pull a 31 ft trailer with a 15 pass van – some of those curves are beyond nail biting for a passenger….Michael seems to take it in stride. LOL Thanks for the beautiful footage.

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  • Jon Albinson

    Based on your drive comments, do you think it would be a mistake for me to drive this with a 42″ fifth wheel behind an F350 diesel with duals?

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  • Jon Albinson

    I have put this camping location and route in my Bucket List folder. Thanks Guys.

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  • T C Spencer

    We’re on the road right now from California to Texas. Why Texas…
    because for the first time in our full timing lives, Jason has jury duty
    While you are in Dallas, you should have annual dental x-rays for
    hidden cavities and your teeth cleaned if you don’t want toothaches.

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  • Dan

    Have you taken Hwy 101 North towards Eureka? Some of the road can be very windy, but you can visit Ferndale and part of the “Lost Coast”. There are several breweries in the region as well.

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  • Will & Naomi

    Beauty highway 1 I love it I cannot wait to get my Rig to start my adventures I am so ready you just can imagine. Love you guys. Nowill

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  • Debra

    Awesome. I love your adventurous spirits. Your travel videos put a smile on my face. Thanks for sharing.

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  • Howard Brooks

    Love that country. I attended a private boys school at Stillwater Cove, 4 miles north of Fort Ross. Front yard the Pacific Ocean, back yard the Redwood Forest. Awesome.

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  • Loved your video! Especially the OMG timelaps. Many memories of this area! We just have to laugh again! We are still traveling the opposite direction criss-crossing each others paths. We did the Redwoods CA/OR coast before our Alaska Adventure. We feel like we have spent the whole Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter together, but not. I think you were across the Hwy from us in Palm Springs, while we were refreshing tanks, doing laundry at TT Palm Springs – ARG hard to go to TT after Wild Camping! We were headed to Chino, CA to have our Truma AquaGo installed – the old one FINALLY gave up at the Xscapers Convergence in Q! yeah! One of these days it would be awesome to actually meet up at the same intersection (of life) Now we are in Glendale, AZ visiting family! Hummm

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  • Mark of SJC

    What a tremendous gift you’ve given us! Thanks so much for the artistry!

    I’m a little confused on your recommendation…would a 45′ coach, towing a car, actually fit on that road? On one hand, the logging trucks do, which would seem a more difficult thing to drive there, but on the other hand….

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    • John S.

      Hi Mark of SJC

      See my post below – RV’s 40′ and longer are prohibited on that road.
      (http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/trucks/bus-motorhome/bus-maps/busmap-d01.pdf)

      Buses are also prohibited but loaded logging trucks must have a special use permit. Some of the hairpin turns are 180° in less than 100′ – busses and larger rigs would be unable to make the turns staying in their proper lane. When you see the 10 MPH signs at the turns that means a maximum speed, and for good reason.

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      • Robin M.

        We have a GMC 3500 HD and a 31 ft airstream. Is the restriction for total length (TV + TT) or for one component?

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  • Diane Sanderbeck

    Loved it all!! Can’t wait until I get to go. I’ll be traveling south to north. Thanks for all the tips on places to stay! Love y’all! Safe travels!

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  • illya

    Your photos are amazing! I know a girl who takes these photos with her cell that are truly art, and i’ve known some top photographers that have huge reps and charge big money to time magazine, nat geo and the like who are good but it’s not like they just point and shoot.. you have a real talent for it. It’s like ya don’t even try either, just a natural. One tip unrelated though, if that’s salt water get some die electric grease on your electrical connections like that add on anderson connector for the extra solar panel. Photography is a conveyance of feelings captured by the artist, you got art my friend..
    Thanks, illya

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      • illya

        Thanks Mrs. Wynn, I’ve only seen a few photos in my lifetime that have the artistic ability to convey a feeling of being moved by them. It is all in the eye of the person taking it. I think many are just by accident also. Many people get into it to express their feelings to others, get attention, be somebody, many reasons, but sometimes it is just this natural ability like a gift. I have a photo somewhere in my stacks of photos of my great grandfather x4 maybe? very old anyways of him and his 3 daughters he raised alone, all dressed up for the photographer to come on a horse drawn wagon I’m sure, all girls have signs of tears running down their faces, photo is in front of their house, a shack basically, I didn’t notice the tears until i really looked, quite a photo though. i will try to find it. The only other is this girl who just takes photos and they are unreal sometimes. she has that gift also. i most definitely don’t. lol
        Thanks, illya

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  • Joe Green

    I have been following your videos for several years. I think you have made a wise decision by doing this while your young. I love your videos and I think you and Nikki have a safe ride. Just a little side note; I watch a show called Going RV where they show people coming in buying RVs and to my suprise there was the two of you looking at motorhomes.

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  • john brunson

    looks awesome… but for a newbie driving a 36′ Class A, the approach looks terrifying…. I have about 1000 miles under my belt, when can I expect to “De-Pucker”????

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  • There is NO WAY you could loan us that loaner RV for a year. Or two.

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  • We drove highway one from south to north last year. I liked being on the inside lane most of the time. Just north of Jenner, coming down a steep grade, a tanker had overturned and caught fire. The fireman said the road would be closed the rest of the day. Our only option was to do a uturn. We had done one in the Via, but not while towing the Jeep. Unhooking the Jeep on the steep grade was not an option. The fireman said he would watch the edge of the cliff. We made it with just inches to spare! Needless to say, after checking into a campground in Jenner, we explored the coastline beaches and saw many seals. Great memories!

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  • Jeff & Wendy Evans

    Loved your film and loved the trip, we took our time making a similar journey last summer and enjoyed every minute. Monterey being our favourite place on the planet.

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  • Thanks so much Jason & Nikki for sharing your RV adventures in such a fun and professional way. Photography and videos are excellent. We are big fans. You guys inspire us to start our own adventure. We recently became full time RVers living in a 2016 Fleetwood Bounder in SW Florida at this time, but can’t wait to hit the road and see California coast. We will continue following your adventures. Sincerely, Paul & Sandra from Cruz N Together.

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  • John S.

    Hi everyone,
    I just had one of those déjà vu feelings. That road in the video (hwy 1) is super twisty and a group of us rode it on our motorcycle tip to Mexico some years ago. I remember that it is, basically, a paved logging road with several narrow hair-pin turns.

    It took us about 23 minutes to ride from Leggett to Rockport – a distance of about 18 miles – and the first view of the Pacific Ocean popping into view is, as Nikki said, breath taking.

    Please note that RV’s 40′ and longer are prohibited on that road.
    (http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/trucks/bus-motorhome/bus-maps/busmap-d01.pdf)

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  • mary van

    Uncle Mike and I drove from Sacramento to San Simenon and met with Aunt Cindy years ago. It is an incredibly beautiful drive on the coast. One of the most memorable trips in California I have had! You’ve heard the stories. 🙂

    The photos are beautiful!

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  • Jill Fyffe

    We drove that road many years ago, pulling a trailer and I swear on every hairpin turn there was a logging truck coming from the other direction.

    They take their half of the road from whatever part they needed to. Made for a very hairy drive.

    Also had a little voice from the back seat asking repeatly, “Are we there yet?” We had foolishly said we were only going a short distance today not knowing how time consuming it would be.

    Views are amazing. Seems in the 35 years they have built more turn-offs.

    Thanks for the memories ?

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  • John S.

    Great blog and love the photos. The video was great till the end – the time lapse was 13 seconds too short!
    In other words: loved it, hope to see more.

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  • Joe the computer guy

    Wow. I did pch from north of LA to San Fran a few years ago. What you show here puts that to shame. Hope to get back there and continue north. Jason, you have def found your calling, amazing photography. Thanks for sharing. And when are you passing through Tampa again?

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  • James

    Thank you for the ride down Highway 1. Someday, Lord willing, my wife and I will try that trip ourselves. We can not wait for your next video. And, sense we are on the subject of video, what software do you use to edit and add music onto the video?

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  • Jimmy May

    You did an awesome job as always. I always look forward to seeing your e-mails in my box. I would love to live your life Thanks for inspiring me.

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  • Sandy Wetzel

    Great job filming. Yes it’s curvy, but there is nothing like the California coast and our redwoods both coastal and Sequoia. Further south (am sure you know this) there is a lovely little grove of coastal redwoods in Felton next to Roaring Camp. Take the train to Santa Cruz and back.

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  • Nice pics and vid guys. I love that area and have towed our trailer on that road. I will take it any day over the 405 in LA! If you have 4wd the back roads (Usal) into the Lost Coast where Highway 1 ends our awesome.

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  • Thank you for the fun drive down the coast. I love the redwoods. So… awe inspiring! We have a stand of old growth cedar at Silver Lake County Park here in Washington. I wrote a poem about trees there.

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  • The whole video was awesome, as usual. But the ending…. HOLY $#!T!!! That time-lapse was astounding! Can’t wait for the heart of the milky way to be visible this year so I can practice what you taught me. You show-offs are makin’ it hard for me though! Miss ya, and hope you’re having a good drive. 🙂

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