Hidden In The Heart Of California's Redwood Forest Is A Coastal Town With Uncrowded Views And Rustic Charm

Behold the mighty coastal redwood. Capable of hitting heights of 380 feet, coming in wider than two cars, and storing more CO2 than hundreds of standard tree species, these are very much the giants of the forest. If you're keen to lay eyes on one, know California is ground zero for redwood viewing. It's home to the lush paradise of the Humboldt Redwoods State Park and another national park that has the world's tallest trees, which, incidentally, is also precisely where you'll find the charming coastal town of Orick.

It ain't big like the trees that surround it. Nope, Orick counts just 296 permanent residents across its mere 2.3 square miles of urban space. That's but a pinprick on the map of vast California, and just a dot amid the 39,000-acre sea of old-growth redwoods that is the conjoined reserves of the Redwood National and State Parks. And as if all that's not tempting enough for the budding urban escapee, Orick also faces the open Pacific Ocean. Follow a bend in the highway to the west and you'll hit the wave-battered sands of Redwood Creek Beach. You can smell the salt in the air there!

Like pretty much all the towns in this corner of the Golden State, Orick clings to the snaking 101, which is better known here as the Redwood Highway. As the name implies, it's a beauty, linking the sandy beaches and forests of Prairie Creek with the Jedediah Smith Redwoods just a whisker shy of the Oregon border. Driving up from San Francisco, which hosts a major international airport at SFO, promises to be a road trip to remember, taking close to six full hours.

Orick is one of the best bases in the whole of California for getting out and about in the lush, mist-covered wilds of the redwoods. It bills itself as the home of the world's tallest trees for good reason: The behemoth that is Hyperion, the tallest living tree on planet Earth, sits amid the forests of the Redwood National Park just south of town. That giant is better left sleeping, though, since there's no marked trail to its base.

The good news is that there are stacks of other mighty trees to enjoy on proper paths around the preserve, all within easy striking distance of Orick itself. The clue's in the name of the Tall Trees Trail, for example. It's a thigh-buster that drops 800 feet to a creek and then climbs the same back up again. Along the way, it'll whisk you through the fabled Tall Trees Grove, a cluster of massive specimens that hit over 350 feet in height. Just be ready for a bit of a drive in on rumbly roads, and be sure to get the right hiking permit — daily footfall is limited on the trail, keeping the forest quiet and the views uncrowded.

The more-accessible Trillium Falls Trail is a great option for seeing old-growth redwoods without too much hassle. It begins just six minutes' drive north of Orick itself, and is relatively short, looping around a stand of trees where a waterfall trickles through the middle.

So, Orick has one leg firmly placed within the vast greenery of the redwoods. But where's the other? Why, it's splish-splashing around in the roaring Pacific Ocean, of course. Long, uninterrupted beaches filter off either side of Redwood Creek just to the west of town. They're still within the national redwood reserves, so they offer up those ubiquitous, dedicated day-use areas.

Freshwater Beach peels away to the south beside a lagoon, pressing up to dunes and wetlands. It's a wild showing of dark sand and rock arches that's battered by strong waves and sucky rip currents. Farther north, the Redwood Creek Picnic Area Beach offers a visitor's center and fine views of its namesake creek entering the Pacific.

Once you're done feeling the full force of the ocean waves and wandering amid the immense coast redwoods, head back to Orick to enjoy a touch of North California charm. It's sleepy and small, yet packed with surprising little additions, such as Mojo Pizza, which has garnered an enviable five stars on Google after more than 400 reviews. They've got to be doing something right!