Discover Fern Canyon, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, CA

Pristine drops of water filtering through redwood forest. Drips of promise swept by moss fingers and fern hands. 

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For me, Fern Canyon in the Prairie Creek section of Redwoods State & National Park, in northern California, is a primal place. A place where you can hear the heartbeat of the planet. A place that is both ancient and every changing. Take a walk through Fern Canyon and listen.

five-finger fern

Primary ferns in the canyon:

• five-finger fern (Adiantum aleuticum)
• western swordfern (Polystichum munitum)
• lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina)

See the Roosevelt elk of Redwoods National Park

Explore other National Parks:

• Visit Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park
• Yellowstone National Park: wildlife, geothermal features 
• Tetons National Park - wildflowers
• Glacier Bay National Park: Longest day of the year,
  See a Whale Tail

Explore other California locations

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Meet a Roosevelt Elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti)

You never know what wildlife you might encounter if you keep your eyes and ears open.


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a younger bull Roosevelt elk; Redwoods National Park

The Roosevelt elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti) is the largest surviving subspecies of elk in North America. Comparable in size to a horse, a bull Roosevelt elk weighs between 700 and 1100 lbs., measures 5 ft to the shoulder and has a length of 8-9 ft from nose to tail.

Amazingly, despite the large size of this creature, hundreds of people walking along a trail in Redwoods National Park in California missed the huge bull elk that was feeding just on the other side of the shrubbery. I became aware of him when I heard him snort and saw the rustling of the grass.

We are very fortunate in the United States. Our national and state parks, wilderness areas, public and private wildlife refuges, and protected areas provide us with places to experience and discover the wild creatures that share our Earth. Step away from technological and human distractions and you too may discover an Earth Minute of your very own.

Discover other wildlife close-ups and places to see wildlife in California and around the world.

Visit TheEarthMinute.com each week for a new one-minute discovery