Explore Fern Canyon

Entry: you need to pay to enter, or have a state park pass. Drive: the drive to get there is fairly dangerous. Before you even enter the park there's a long windy, one lane road, you have to watch for potholes and oncoming traffic. You need to drive slowly and manage space for the other car in the other direction and deal with drivers behind you wanting you to drive faster. Once you get in the state park, the roads gets wider but WORSE with pot holes galore. It's possible in a sedan but NOT recommended. Some of these pot holes are enormous and not visible in low profile cars, people have damaged their front ends going to Fern Canyon. In addition, in parts of the year there are streams of water you have to drive through. It's doable in a sedan/compact car but NOT advised. My car got some damage when a huge pot hole was hidden from the angle driven near the end when it wason the other side of a bump. These pot holes are no joke. The road is ideal for a jeep. If you're not comfortable driving in pot holes and in water, people driving close up next to you, risking damaging your car, it might not be worth the risk. Hike: once you get to the fern Canyon parking lot, the hike to the canyon is straightforward and simple. Parks of the Canyon are difficult to pass through, requiring some climbing, jumping, balancing, and good water proof shoes. I did the hike from one side of the canyon to the other in 10 minutes. I saw a number of people give up half way through because of the gaps, climbing and water. It's a nice canyon but honestly, the pay off is questionable for all the effort to get there.

Great stop! So much fun to hopscotch through the water. Easy to get to with a small SUV or crossover (pickup recommended). I’d not recommend it in a car but it is possible for an experienced driver if you take it slow and easy. Short hike in, to, and out of.

Go here. Wear water boots or waterproof shoes! Winter is a little underwhelming but summer when I went the first time was the real deal! Jurassic park filmed here! My friend found an agate in the creek!

The drive is not too bad and I enjoyed getting to look around on the way there. Not a difficult hike, just some climbing over trees and passing through creeks. Our two year old made the whole hike without much help. She was wearing Crocs, and I went barefoot so I didn't get my shoes wet.

The gate all the way to the trail was closed because of all the water. Added about a mile to our hike. There was a lot of water in the canyon. Made it through with waterproof shoes just fine. Lots of jumping on logs and climbing over to avoid the streams. Very beautiful though.