The best family-friendly hikes and walks in Navarro River Redwoods State Park

Just past the Van Damme State Park campsites and a little less than a mile east of the Van Damme State Park Visitor Center and beach is the Fern Canyon Scenic Trail Trailhead. There is a parking area and two pit toilets, with additional restrooms in the nearby campsites. If the parking lot is full, you can park back at the beach and walk about a mile along the road. For this Fern Canyon Trail, you do not need a permit or to make a reservation (there is another one in a different part of northern California that shares the same name where you do need both of those things). From the trailhead you hike gradually uphill along an easy trail and over bridges, through a redwood forest, along Little River until you reach the pygmy forest. Fern Canyon can be quite wet, so shoes that you don't mind getting wet are a must!

Greenwood State Beach is a truly stunning beach, characterized by rugged cliffs, vast ocean views, and sandy shores. There is also a small visitor center housed in the former historic school house you can visit to learn about the history of the area. You can explore rocky outcrops and tidal pools, look for seals, sea lions, and seabirds, and, during migration seasons, enjoy whale watching. The beach is right off of Highway 1 so it is easy to enjoy beach-combing, tide-pooling, picnicking, and hiking. Swimming however is not a popular activity here; caution is advised due to strong currents and cold waters.

A transformed pathway that once served as a logging road. It's an easy, well-marked route that conveniently links the scenic Fern Canyon Trail and Pygmy Discovery Trail. As you follow this trail, you'll find yourself immersed in a landscape that resembles prehistoric times, with lush ferns and towering trees all around.

The Fern Canyon Scenic Trail is a vibrant and fern-filled forest. It feels like stepping into a world from a time long ago as you look up at the towering giants of the forest and down at the lush fern-covered ground. Along the trail, you'll encounter charming bridges and the soothing sounds of the nearby creek.

Explore the Pygmy Forest Discovery Trail, a short 300-yard loop boardwalk at Van Damme's eastern end, just two miles inland from Highway One. Over the course of 300,000 years, the forces of nature, including poor acidic soil and hardpan, have created a miniature wonderland resembling a bonsai forest. As you stroll along the boardwalk, you'll encounter interpretive panels that reveal the fascinating story behind these diminutive trees. Here, you'll find Bollander pine (exclusive to the pygmy forest), bishop pine, dwarf manzanita, and Mendocino cypress. Trees that would typically grow over 100 feet tall elsewhere are only a few feet tall here, with trunks as thin as a quarter-inch. The boardwalk hovers just above the forest floor to protect the nutrient-rich lichen. In some spots, you'll be eye-level with these ancient, tiny treetops. Don't miss the chance to explore this living testament to nature's forces!

Beautiful Bluff trail leads along the coast and along the Greenwood Creek. Some stealth camp options close to a little town. Greenwood State Beach offers beach access and a picturesque view of the Pacific Ocean. The central theme is of Greenwood as a lumber town in the late 1800's through the early 1900's. The Visitor Center is in the middle of town and provides a glimpse of what life was like in this lumber town during the late 1800's. The gallery room and main museum room are filled with photographs of the early settlers of Greenwood and nearby Cuffey's Cove, as well as photographs of the town and it's lumbering operations during that era. There is an additional room filled with period furniture including an organ, stove, washing machine, steamer trunk, and bath tub. Outdoors, you will find artifacts which were used in the lumber camps to harvest the redwoods and bark from the tan oak trees. Upon entering the Visitor Center you will see a mural depicting the Greenwood wharf, painted by well known muralist Michael Cole. The wharf, which was built by the L.E. White Lumber Company, had a unique design as it was built on a series of outcropping rocks into the ocean. The schooners would tie to the wharf while loading redwood lumber, tan bark, railroad ties and passengers all destined for San Francisco. The ultimate destination of the railroad ties was China. Postcards and books are available for sale covering a wide range of coastal subjects, Pomo Indian culture and the history of Greenwood. Volunteer docents are available to answer questions and relate historic events. Greenwood State Beach is located along the Mendocino County coast about 15 miles north of Point Arena on Highway 1. https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=447