It's not all about campfires and hiking trails in redwood country. Southern Humboldt is home to venerable tourist attractions, some of which date back to the opening of Redwood Highway in 1920, when the first hardy travelers began to steer their new-fangled automobiles northward in search of new adventures. Here is a sampling of what still awaits the modern-day visitor.

The Chandelier Tree

The Chandelier Tree park is the first large redwood grove that tourists from San Francisco and beyond encounter as they enter the realm of the coast redwood. To reach the park, take the Leggett exit at the intersection of U.S. 101 and Highway 1 and turn south into the town of Leggett. Follow the signs to the park, which is open every day from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The Chandelier Tree stands in a 200-acre virgin redwood forest. Its unique limb structure makes it resemble an ornate chandelier. The limbs themselves are unusual in that their size ranges from four to eight feet in diameter. The tree stands 315 feel tall and is still growing even though its 21-foot diameter base has a center opening large enough to drive a car through.

The park features a gift shop, restrooms, day use area, picnic area, and nature trails.

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Confusion Hill

This was one of the first tourist attractions to open on the Redwood Highway. Confusion Hill boasts the World's Largest Redwood Chainsaw Sculpture and the World Famous Gravity House. The Gravity House is especially fun to visit with children because if they stand in the right place, they can appear larger than their parents! On the seemingly flat surface of the floor, you may have trouble keeping your balance, and then there is a trough where water runs uphill.

Kids

also love to ride the venerable Mountain Train, which over its lifetime has traveled the equivalent of half the distance to the moon. There is also a gift shop and a snack bar.

Confusion Hill is open all year. The hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except in summer when it's open till 6 p.m. The snack bar is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day. It sits right by the highway, so you can't miss it.

The Shrine Drive-Thru Tree

The Shrine Drive-Thru Tree is located at the northern end of Myers Flat, next to the winery. The Shrine Tree is also a living redwood with a 21-foot opening in its base large enough for a car to pass through. The small park also features two smaller goose-pen style trees made into a Gingerbread-type playhouse where children can climb and play, and a nice gift shop. It's open daily during the summer from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.