State Scenic Highway 254 254

State Scenic Highway 254, the Avenue of the Giants, is a roughly 31-mile former alignment of U.S. 101 through Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Running between Phillipsville, north of Garberville, and Stafford, south of Fortuna, the two-lane road parallels the South Fork Eel River beneath some of the tallest and oldest coast redwoods on Earth, passing through the small communities of Miranda, Myers Flat, Weott, Englewood, Redcrest, and Pepperwood, several of which grew up as tourist stops after the road's redwood-canopy drive became a destination in its own right. The route carried the U.S. 101 designation until a freeway bypass opened in 1960, after which it was renumbered Route 254 and kept as a scenic alternate for travelers willing to trade speed for a drive beneath the trees. Despite its fame, the Avenue remains on California's eligible list for scenic-highway status rather than officially designated, since that step still requires a local corridor protection program.

• Avenue of the Giants, ~31 miles
• Humboldt Redwoods State Park
• parallels the South Fork Eel River
• former US 101 alignment before 1960 bypass
• eligible for, not yet officially designated, scenic highway status