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Stephen Moehle\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n
With an estimated 1.2 million visitors per year (via KTLA News<\/a>), Sequoia National Park is massively popular, and for good reason. For example, it has the world’s largest tree by volume and the tallest mountain in the continental United States. But also located in California, along the state’s cool and foggy northern coast, is another lesser-known, peaceful alternative: Harry A. Merlo State Recreation Area<\/a>.<\/p>\n Like Sequoia National Park, Harry A. Merlo State Recreation Area has acres of soaring redwood trees and scenic hiking trails. But unlike the\u00a0Land of Giants, this smaller, under-the-radar park also offers fewer crowds to enjoy peaceful fishing and coastal scenery.\u00a0Plus, while Sequoia National Park may have giant sequoias, Harry A.\u00a0Merlo State Recreation Area has coast redwoods, which are the tallest trees on the planet.<\/p>\n Discover the ways Harry A.\u00a0Merlo State Recreation Area delivers rugged coastal beauty and many of the same awe-inspiring forest views as Sequoia National Park, without the swarms of tourists.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Explore old-growth coast redwoods and fish along a serene lagoon<\/p>\n Located less than 10 miles\u00a0from the famous Redwood National Park, Harry A. Merlo State Recreation Area covers\u00a0955 acres<\/a> of protected redwood forest. Reddish-brown or gray and encircled by lush ferns and moss, the redwood trees in this area of California differ from the giant sequoias found in\u00a0Sequoia National Park. They are not as large by volume\u00a0but taller, reaching heights of 380 feet<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n As you wander among\u00a0the groves of Sitka spruce trees and gape up at the old-growth coast redwoods, you may find yourself stumbling upon a herd of Roosevelt elk grazing, as this traveler reported in a review of the park on\u00a0Google<\/a>, writing, “Beautiful wetland and lagoon views.”\u00a0Hike\u00a0past wetlands and ponds along a coast dotted with sea stacks, where you may just spot the\u00a0splash of a gray whale.\u00a0“Big on natural beauty!” writes another\u00a0Google<\/a>\u00a0reviewer, taking in a hazy peach sunset over the ocean.<\/p>\n Hugged by the rugged coastline is the Big Lagoon, an approximately 1,600-acre<\/a> coastal lagoon that’s part of one of North America’s largest lagoon systems<\/a>.\u00a0A\u00a0popular fishing spot<\/a>\u00a0for steelhead and cutthroat trout,\u00a0you may see anglers casting their lines from the rocky shore or reeling in their catches aboard small boats. Because the lagoon is somewhat isolated from the Pacific Ocean by a narrow sand spit, the waters are calm, making it an ideal fishing spot.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Escape the crowds into the misty coastal forests of Harry. \ufeffA Merlo State Recreation Area<\/p>\n Quiet, serene, and with fewer crowds than other California parks, the\u00a0Harry A. Merlo State Recreation Area\u00a0provides ample opportunities to see\u00a0shorebirds, waterfowl,\u00a0harbor seals,and other wildlife. Enjoy a peaceful, unhurried lunch along the water at one of the lagoon’s day-use beach areas and designated picnic spots\u00a0or stroll the beach, scanning the horizon for\u00a0migrating gray whales. A\u00a02021-2022 state park report<\/a> shows that the park receives just a little over 9,000 visitors per year, so you may even find you have nearly the entire lagoon to yourself.<\/p>\n While the Harry A. Merlo State Recreation Area is a day-use destination, the nearby Big Lagoon County Park offers tent and RV camping with convenient access to the water.\u00a0As the park is a\u00a0recognized dark sky location<\/a>,\u00a0you can end the day with stargazing in the cool, salty breeze.<\/p>\n Dining options can be found in nearby Orick, a coastal town with uncrowded views and rustic charm<\/a>, just about a 10-minute drive north of the park,\u00a0and Trinidad, California’s secret beach city with old-school seaside charm<\/a>, about\u00a09 miles south. For lodging, choose from a variety of options,\u00a0such as historic inns,\u00a0woodland cabins, and oceanfront hotels.<\/p>\n
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