Fern Canyon walk

Fern Canyon is a natural gully of fern covered walls up to 50 feet high along both sides of a stream near Orrick, CA. The access road is five miles of unpaved gravel and dust. There are several dips over ruts from storm runoff, and two places where you drive through water in the creek. The park website doesn’t recommend driving in a low center auto, but we did pass a Prius coming out as we went in. July and August are the driest months and most amenable to visiting is a regular sedan. I wouldn’t try it during the rainy season (Nov-May).

It’s become quite a draw for visitors, and this year the park service instituted a reservation system. Never having visited before, the need for a reservation didn’t bother me, I picked a date a few weeks ahead and made a reservation. I read there were no stores or restaurants nearby, making a picnic essential. Packed and ready, we headed north. It takes just about an hour to get to the turnoff for Fern Canyon from Eureka. We were able to carpool from the Elk Prairie Picnic area, and were able to use a single reservation for our group despite the two cars.

The new permit system means that parking was available at the trailhead, and we set off on our hike. We walked a loop up the canyon, then back along the cliff edge looking down over the creek.

The trail follows the creekbed and in the middle of summer when we visited, it was possible to walk without getting wet by following the trail and walking on the board sections set down over the water. There were lots of opportunities for wading by those who wanted to, though in the rainy months, wet feet are a near-certainty.

There is a lot more climbing up and down than the words “creek bed” suggest, too. A lot of trees fell during the storms of last winter, and though gaps have been cut to make the path accessible, tree trunks extend into the path in many places. It was not a difficult walk, but there was a lot of up and down.

The walls of ferns and moss were beautiful, accompanied by the sound of trickling water. It was a live sound machine. We took photos of each other in front of the ferns and moss, and chatted with the hikers we passed. You don’t see them in the photos, but we visited on a Saturday when all the permits for the day were issued. We passed hikers in one and twos every couple of minutes–it’s not a solitary ramble.

I should have realized there had to be stairs as part of this loop, and our route back included steps up the side of the canyon and then back down again when we approached our starting point at the end. It wasn’t a difficult hike at all, and takes about an hour, but it’s not comfortable for anyone who struggles with stairs and slippery spots.

We picnicked at the tables near the trailhead, and agreed that Fern Canyon was a beautiful and relaxing spot. Gold Bluffs Beach is only a short walk away and is covered by the same reservation/parking permit. We went for a stroll along the waves after lunch. I’d visit again to spend more time along the beach, or make it a separate trip. The beach is very long–I could easily spend a couple of hours. This is a place worth visiting on your way through from California to Oregon, or as a day trip from either Eureka or Crescent City.