Pristine, wild , magical and nothing like you have seen before
Living in and around California coast, a visit to the redwood forest is on everyone must do list. But a visit to the Candelabra Redwoods will take the magic of redwoods to another level. These can be found in the forests of Northern California north of Mendocino in the Enchanted Forest. Their awkward shapes, difficult of transportation, the size of the trunks were not attractive enough for logging, hence the candelabra redwoods survived the logging era of 1800s.
So glad these were left behind for nature lovers like us to enjoy.
Outdoorsy tribe made their journey to this truly enchanted forest which has been shaped with the weather elements, the ocean breeze, fog and wind that passes through the Shady Dell over many years causing the branches of these trees to take bizarre candelabra shape.
Getting to the enchanted forest requireds 4x4 off-roading vehicle, roads are narrow and rough. Recommend first time visitors to get there in daylight. From CA-1 take Usal Road to Usal Beach Campground. This is a primitive campground (available on a first come first serve basis) with no facilities, so plan to carry all you need including food and water. The access to the forest is a short hike from the Usal Beach Campground on the Peter Douglas Trail.
Download maps from google.com/maps and alltrails.com for offline access for the Peter Douglas Trail, the trail is maintained and was opened for public in 2016 by savetheredwood.org league.
Trip · 1-2 days camping at Usal Beach Campground ⛺️
Distance ~ 6 miles to off-road to get to the Usal Beach Campground
Trail Peter Douglas Trail
Ideal Time · Dry season is ideal
Pets · Allowed on trail
Learning's from the tribe - This is a remote location and may not be for everyone. Magical candelabras will not disappoint if you do happen to make this journey through NorCal's Lost Coast.