Fern Canyon is a canyon in the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in Humboldt County, California, western United States. The park is managed in cooperation with other nearby redwoods state parks and Redwood National Park. It is named for the ferns growing on the 50-foot (15 m) high walls, through which runs Home Creek. Fern Canyon is recognized as a World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve.[1]
Fern Canyon was donated by the Pacific Lumber Company to the State to add 2,125 acres (860 ha) to Prairie Creek State Park.[2]
Fern Canyon has California native ferns covering the 10–15 metres (33–49 ft) sheer walls, giving a primeval habitat quality. Some species include:
A hiking trail follows the canyon and creek. The start of Fern Canyon Trail is reached at the bottom of the canyon by hiking a quarter mile north up California Coastal Trail from Fern Canyon Day Use Area, which is north of Gold Bluffs Beach Campground.[3] The trail loop is 0.5 miles (0.80 km), one end of the trail connecting to the James Irvine Trail.
The prehistoric ambience led to the canyon being used as a filming location for The Lost World: Jurassic Park, BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs and IMAX's Dinosaurs Alive!.[4]
