Wonderful 4 hour hike at a leisurely pace. Was rated as strenuous but it really isn’t. There are two times when you have to climb about 400 feet and overall you are only going to climb about 1000’ cumulatively over about 8 miles. Gaia said the trip was over nine miles but the the trail markers indicate that the total distance is between 7.5 and 8 miles. Scenery is amazing. Prairie Creek is one of the Crown Jewels of the parks system. Rather come here than Yosemite.
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Amazing experience walking throuhg old growth forests with the majestic redwoods. Ferns were everywhere, and honestly actual Fern Canyon itself was a little bit of a let-down compared to what we had been hiking through but still very fun because of all the water crossings on logs and stones. Ending the trail with a beach hike on a pristine beach was the perfect way to complete a hike that had a bit of everything.
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