1966 Map of Fern Canyon

About this map

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park dominates this coastal landscape, where the redwood forest meets the steep shoreline of the Pacific Ocean. This 1966 field-checked survey highlights the complex drainage system of the North Coast, featuring the eponymous Fern Canyon and the towering Gold Bluffs. The map documents a primitive network of access, notably the series of numbered paths including Zigzag Trail 1, Zigzag Tr 2, and Zigzag Trail 3, which descend toward the beach from the interior ridges. Numerous coastal streams like Ossagon Creek and Butler Creek cut through the bluffs, while the eastern portion of the sheet follows the upper reaches of Ah Pah Creek across the Del Norte Co Humboldt Co line. This survey was produced as a collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey and the California Department of Water Resources, capturing the region's hydrography before modern infrastructure expansions.