Hard to miss along US-101, thanks to the massive statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox looming over the highway, the Trees of Mystery (daily 8 am–dusk; $12; 707/482-2251) are literally and figuratively the biggest tourist draws on the Northern California coast. Along the “Tall Tales Trail,” chainsaw-cut figures, backed by audio-taped stories, stand in tableaux at the foot of towering redwoods. There’s also a Sky Trail gondola lifting passengers up into the treetop canopy, a huge gift shop, and a small free museum of Native American art and artifacts. Across the highway, Motel Trees (707/482-3152) has standard rooms from $60 and a coffee shop.
Along the banks of the mighty Klamath River, four miles south of the Trees of Mystery, the town of Klamath (pop. 650) is a brief burst of highway sprawl, supported by anglers who flock here for the annual salmon runs. At the south end of town, drive through the Tour-Thru Tree ($2), then cross the Klamath River on a bridge graced by a pair of gilded cement grizzly bears.
