Have you been to the Redwood Sky Walk at Sequoia Park Zoo (3414 W St., Eureka; (707) 441-4263)? What are you waiting for? The almost ¼-mile-long redwood structure rises to reach an eventual height of 100 feet. Its gentle ascent ramp, platforms and bridges are designed to accommodate wheelchairs (but no strollers, please). The park has two wheelchairs available, and a stroller parking lot for your convenience. Learn along the way with interpretive panels that tell you who hangs out in these massive trees, like the copepods (shrimp-like creatures) who live in the redwood canopy. There are benches to sit and reflect upon the lifespan of such giants, and more interpretive panels because the redwoods are absolutely fascinating. The flexible foot bridges (they sway!) in the more challenging Adventure Segments may give you a sense of apprehension as they sway with every step, but you will persevere distracted by spectacular beauty. The sky walk also gives you a birds-eye view of the zoo’s celebrity bears (but not their wild ursine cousins who visit after closing, as one did to viral fame), and the public trails in Sequoia Park (outside of the zoo enclosure) with herds of wandering Homo sapiens. Time your visit for Zoo Lights, when illumination comes to the sky walk for the holiday season. The Redwood Sky Walk is included in Sequoia Park Zoo’s admission so why not enjoy the river otter tank’s crawl-through tube as well? Imagine being eye to eye with the clowns of the water. The cheerful cafe and enticing gift store can feed your body and mind, and Humboldt County residents, military, recipients of EBT, BIC and WIC, seniors, and children 3-12 (2 and under free) are all eligible for admissions discounts.
After communing with the canopy, learn more about life on the ground at the Trinidad Museum (400 Janis Court, Trinidad; (707) 677-3883). The Native American Room exhibits “Luffenholtz Fish Camp – 1950,” black and white photographs taken by Barbara and the late Chuck Snells, documenting Yurok tribal members Mamie Parton, Alice Spot, Minnie Shafer and their families as they traditionally caught and dried surf fish. The exhibit includes artifacts from the museum’s permanent collections, including an Iris fiber fishing net and an eel hook by James Gensaw. The Native Plant Garden has new handcrafted plant ID signs with handy QR codes so you know what plants to get for your own patch. Enjoy a garden so cool it got a shout out in the California Native Plant Society’s magazine Flora (Fall 2025). The museum is open Thursday to Sunday, but the garden is strollable all week long.
Madison ain’t the only county with historic covered bridges (Madison only beats us 5-3). Whether you have a thing for an old-fashioned tearjerker or just love water-spanning architecture, there are three ways to get your covered bridge on. Two out of three are located in the unincorporated community of Rosewood, just south of Eureka. You can find the Berta’s Ranch Covered Bridge about 2.5 miles from U.S. Highway 101. Take the Herrick Avenue exit and turn right on Elk River Road. Follow it south until the right turn onto Bertas Road and the one lane bridge. (Caution: They are all one lane bridges.) Built by the Works Progress Administration in 1936, this is the oldest covered bridge in Humboldt and considered the most westerly in the U.S. After rumbling over Berta’s beams, head south on Elk River Road for just under a mile. Turn right onto Zanes Road, where you will discover the second-oldest covered bridge in Humboldt. This is the Zane’s Ranch Covered Bridge, built by the WPA in 1937. To make the covered bridge trifecta, head north to Bayside. The Brookwood Covered Bridge, built in 1969, is about 2.5 miles from the U.S. Highway 101/Bayside Cutoff exit. Follow Jacoby Creek Road to Brookwood Drive. Wow your passengers with your knowledge of trusses (Berta’s and Zane’s are Queen type; Brookwood’s are Howe type).
This article appears in Humboldt Insider Winter 2026.