Fern Canyon
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]
History
[edit]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]
Ferns
[edit]Fern Canyon has California native ferns covering the 10–15 metres (33–49 ft) sheer walls, giving a primeval habitat quality. Some species include:
- Adiantum aleuticum
- Struthiopteris spicant
- Polypodium californicum
- Polypodium glycyrrhiza
- Polystichum munitum
Access
[edit]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.
Filming location
[edit]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]
41°24′09″N 124°04′06″W / 41.4026218°N 124.0684063°W[5]
Gallery
[edit]-
A northern red-legged frog, Rana aurora, in Fern Canyon -
Fern Canyon's lush walls -
Moss cascades down the side of Fern Canyon where water trickles over the edge -
Roosevelt elk at the entrance to Fern Canyon -
Fern Canyon in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
References
[edit]- ^ Turner, Dennis W.; Turner, Gloria H. (2010). Place Names of Humboldt County. Orangeville, California: Dennis W. & Gloria H. Turner. p. 92. ISBN 978-0-9629617-2-4.
- ^ "Pacific Lumber Co. Donates Fern Canyon In State Deal". Humboldt Standard. 1965-05-11. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "Fern Canyon Trail in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park". hikespeak.com. hikespeak. Retrieved 2017-01-14.
- ^ "Filming Locations for The Lost World: Jurassic Park". The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations. Retrieved 2007-06-30.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fern Canyon.
External links
[edit]
 | This Humboldt County, California–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This protected areas-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |