California's Golden Parks

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is a 14,000 acre sanctuary of old growth coast redwoods, which offers hiking, nature study, wildlife viewing, beach combing, picnicking, a visitor center with exhibits and a nature store. Join Huell as he hikes to Fern Canyon, one of this state park's most enchanting locations.

Huell travels to the city of Pacific Grove located on the Monterey Peninsula to visit Asilomar. Meaning "a refuge by the sea," Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds sits on 107 breathtaking acres. The conference grounds began in 1913 as a camp and conference site for the YWCA, and its historic buildings were designed by the California architect Julia Morgan, who also designed Hearst Castle. Today, among other activities, the facility is home to the California State Parks training facility.

Huell travels to Eureka and the Civil War military post, Fort Humboldt. Ulysses S. Grant served there briefly in 1854. The details of his tenure, along with other important historical facts can be experienced at this state historic park set on a grassy bluff overlooking Humboldt Bay.

Situated in the Oakland Hills, with sweeping views of the Bay Area, Joaquin Miller Park contains one of the only urban second growth redwood groves in existence. It is named for Miller,” Poet of the Sierras, who settled in the hills above the “City of Oaks.”

Located east of San Diego and encompassing 25,000 acres, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park was devastated by the wildfires in October 2003. Join Huell on a somber visit to the park as he learns about plans to help these wildlands recover quickly and prevent future damage to this fragile landscape.

Huell’s off to the Irvine Ranch Land Reserve. More than 50,000 acres of permanently protected open space in the heart of Orange County which offers a rich menu of recreational opportunities. The land is diverse; stretching 22 miles from the mountains to the sea and comprising more than half of the historic 93,000-acre Irvine Ranch.

A visit to Alum Rock Park in San Jose.

Huell visits one of our state’s most scenic and important State Parks. China Camp State Park is located right on San Francisco Bay and is the last remaining example of the numerous Chinese fishing villages that once dotted the shoreline. Not only does he walk through the quaint village and learn about its colorful history, but he sails out on the Bay in a recently constructed replica of an early Chinese junk. History is so fragile and this is a fine example of how we are preserving it for further generations.

There’s nothing quite as exciting as uncovering a hidden treasure. And that’s exactly what Huell does when he visits one of our smallest and least-known state parks. Located on the rocky, windswept coast of Sonoma County in Northern California, this entire park is only 60 feet in circumference and goes over 100 feet in the air! It’s been mysteriously perched there since 1970 and leaves a visitor with more questions than answers. Join Huell as he learns about the Bufano Peace Statue.