Big Tree Loop TrailThis digitally created artwork reminds me of Cal-Barrel Road in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in Humboldt County, Calif. Little-known Cal-Barrel Road in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park takes you from the old Highway 101 up into the ancient redwood forest and its where I took my lovely wife Kathleen on our first date hike together.

“Originally constructed during the mid-19th century, this road played a crucial role in connecting the isolated settlers of the area and facilitating the transportation of goods and supplies,” according to AI-Pro.

“The road derives its name from the ‘cal barrels’ used for transporting quicklime, an essential ingredient in the production of mortar used for constructing buildings. The local lime kilns, located in close proximity to the road, would produce quicklime, which was then transported via this route to various destinations.”

Big Tree Loop TrailThis digitally created artwork reminds me of Cal-Barrel Road in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in Humboldt County, Calif. You can hike the Big Tree Loop Trail that includes the Karl Knapp Trail and Cathedral Trees Trail. The hard-packed, one-lane gravel road was initially composed of only dirt, but it is moist along the coast, so gravel was eventually applied.

“As transportation North Coast roads changed, the importance of Cal-Barrel Road diminished,” according to AI-Pro. “Eventually, in the interest of environmental preservation and to protect the unique attributes of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, the road was closed to vehicular traffic and preserved as a hiking and biking trail.

Today, Cal-Barrel Road serves as a testament to the rich history of the region and a vital link to the past. Visitors to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park can explore the road’s remnants, enjoying the magnificent beauty of towering ancient redwoods. The road provides access to a number of trails, or you can walk it yourself.

Why is the road named Cal-Barrel? Because there used be the California Barrel Co. that produced products from redwood timber in Arcata, Calif.

Big Tree Loop TrailThis digitally created artwork reminds me of Cal-Barrel Road in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in Humboldt County, Calif. You can hike the Big Tree Loop Trail that includes the Karl Knapp Trail and Cathedral Trees Trail. “While the lumber industry had dominated the region for decades, the California Barrel

Co. was the principal employer in the city from 1906 to 1956 and the closure of the company was an unexpected hardship,” according to a past city of Arcata publication. “By 1936, the California Barrel Co. could advertise an annual payroll of approximately half a million dollars and almost 400 employees. The United Creameries Association and Golden State Milk Products Co. represented an annual butter production of one and one-half million dollars.”

The city said Cal-Barrel was the largest employer in Arcata after World War.

“Early on, it made barrels for the Spreckles Sugar Co., later expanding to supply containers to China and to provide wire-bound crates for produce and machinery in the United States,” according to Eureka-based newspaper, The Times-Standard, which used to work for as city editor. “The company cut spruce and other trees in several parts of Humboldt County, including Fickle Hill and a portion of what later became Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Much of its mill, just northwest of Samoa Boulevard and L Street in Arcata, still stands, recalling the days when it provided the paychecks for 1,142 workers.”

Big Tree Loop TrailThis digitally created artwork reminds me of Cal-Barrel Road in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in Humboldt County, Calif. You can hike the Big Tree Loop Trail that includes the Karl Knapp Trail and Cathedral Trees Trail. In terms of hiking the Cathedral Trees Trail, there are several options and the best is taking what is known as the Big Tree Trail Loop.

My favorite place to park to hike the 1.4-mile-long Cathedral Trees Trail is at the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway’s mile marker 127.27. You can also park at mile marker 127.96 to access it from Big Tree or park at the visitors’ center (fee required).

Redwood Hikes notes that one drawback of this trail is noise from the parkway. On busy days, when tourists flock to the North Coast, that may be true, but there are many days of the year, and even times of day, that you can strategically target for your hikes, especially if you live in Humboldt and/or Del Norte counties.

That said, noise from the parkway is nothing compared to what it was before the Highway 101 park bypass was constructed years ago. Do not let that caveat discourage you from this trail.

The photos in this post are part of my digitally created landscape art. Just click on any photo in this post to navigate to that gallery.

Big Tree Loop TrailThis digitally created artwork reminds me of Cal-Barrel Road in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in Humboldt County, Calif. You can hike the Big Tree Loop Trail that includes the Karl Knapp Trail and Cathedral Trees Trail.