Exclusive to guests of the Benbow Historic Inn
Utilize our experienced local Naturalist Guides to make the most of your visit to the Redwoods! A Private Guided Tour is often the highlight of our guests’ visit. Let our Naturalists unravel the many wonders of this place for a more in depth and intimate experience.
Due to the deep ecology of the ancient Redwood Forest, emerging data on Sequoia sempervirens, and the long creation history of the many parks that protect this forest, the area can be challenging to explore and fully appreciate as a visitor.
All tours are Private Programs that can be customized to meet your interests and abilities, let us do the planning for you! Tours are approximately 3 hours in length, beginning and ending in the lobby of the Benbow Historic Inn.
Forest Bathing Tour:
Forest Therapy is scientifically proven to improve physical, mental, and emotional health outcomes. It is not a ‘hike’ or a vigorous form of exercise, nor is it a naturalist walk. Forest Bathing is designed to be accessible and therapeutic for individuals from all walks of life. Forest Bathing has been scientifically shown to reduce stress, boost immune function, restore attention, improve sleep, mood, memory and much more. Forest Bathing is the practice of spending mindful time in the forest, and is perfect for those that want a calm, slow, and peaceful experience
This program is perfect for those that want a calm, slow, and peaceful experience. On these adventure experiences, we tend to not walk more than half a mile. Our time is spent sauntering in the forest, sitting, contemplating, and breathing.
Our experienced local Naturalists will guide your group through this process of a mindful, slow-paced forest experience. This is a great way to slow down and feel the forest more deeply as you learn of the wonders of the ancient Redwoods.
Originating in Japan as “shinrin-yoku”, this activity has been shown to have a plethora of benefits to our bodies, physically and mentally that are measurable in reduced stress, increased immunity and enhanced emotional well-being. Forest Bathing invites participants into a process of self-discovery that aims to reconcile the separation between who we think we are and what we naturally are.
Avenue of the Giants Redwood Forest Eco Tour:
The Avenue of the Giants and Humboldt Redwoods Park is the largest remaining contiguous old-growth coastal redwood forest in the world. The deep ecology of the forest, emerging science for Sequoia sempervirens, and the long conservation history of the parks can make this area difficult to learn, appreciate, and explore fully on your own.
This Tour features an extensive variety of plant life as well as the option to see Founders Tree, once considered to be the world’s tallest tree at 346.1 ft. Another highlight of the hike is the now fallen Dyerville Giant, another former world record holder. After a half mile walk through Founders Grove, a short drive away, the tour continues through Rockefeller Grove, just across the Eel River. This is a family-friendly hike and is accessible to disabled persons as well.
The Details:
Private Tours are $125/person and include transportation to and from the Benbow as well as a Forest Bathing expert.
Please contact us via email to request a time slot for your tour. Morning and afternoon tours are available.
*All tours are weather permitting.
*Tours are good for groups of 2-6 guests.
*Larger Groups Possible with Advance Notice.
Testimonials
~”This a must do when visiting The Redwood Forest. It was the highlight of our vacation. Our guide Justin Legge was awesome and interacted very well with our teenagers. He is very knowledgeable and went out of his way to make sure we had a great experience.”
~”Our guide, Justin, made our introduction to the Redwood Forest a great experience. This was our first visit to the Redwood Forest and this tour really helped us better understand what to look for as we toured. Our guide was very informative and interesting with his explanations in answering all of our questions. We would recommend wearing comfortable hiking clothes and hiking boots. The “layered approach” for clothing is recommended – at least for a morning tour.”
~”I’ve visited the Redwoods area in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and spent many hours/days with naturalist/guide Justin each time in the Redwood forest all over Humboldt county. He is professional, courteous, knowledgeable and most importantly a kind human being. My experience in the forest was made so much more memorable and heartfelt with his guidance. He helped me connect with the forest in a deeper, meaningful way that I think about almost daily ever since. Truly life changing! He also helped me find things in the area that I didn’t know existed and totally enhanced my visit to and my experience in Humboldt county. I highly recommend! ?” Diana Wedell
~”A fantastic use of $ and time! Our guide was amazing and provided us with information we couldn’t have gotten anywhere else. We highly recommend this excursion! My wife and I did this with our 19 and 17 year old kiddos. Thank you!” Cassandra Roberts Hesseltine
~”Amazing experience! What a gift to be able to do this! I am forever grateful. Just to slow down and really take in the beauty. It was epic! Thank you Justin!!!”
~”We had an incredible stay. The room was magnificent, with a grand fireplace and garden view, and giant redwoods in our view! The best part of the stay was an incredible tour of the redwoods by Justin Legge. He is so incredibly knowledgeable about the redwoods, and had the best stories! It was truly a wonderful experience. I highly recommend this amazing tour.” Beth Polsky 5/5
~”When we travel we like to stay at historic hotels that have character. We selected Benbow for that reason and we weren’t disappointed. The hotel is filled with antiques and art that support its historic past. The sole reason for our trip was to see the coastal redwoods on the Avenue of the Giants. The hotel arranged a tour of the redwoods with Justin, a local naturalist and he was outstanding! He took us to areas that weren’t crowded with tourists where we could enjoy the peacefulness and majesty of the forest. Justin was very informative and answered all of our questions about the plant life and history of the redwoods in this area. He also provided us with sources for additional reading. The tour with Justin was the highlight of our trip and we will be back for a follow-up.” Bruce Albert
~”My husband and I stayed at Benbow Historic Inn for two nights and are rating it a 5.0 because of the highlight of our stay – the Forrest Bathing experience with our AMAZING guide, Justin. He knows and loves the forest with such passion, curiosity and wonderment, it transports you in to a whole other magical world! Not only was it refreshing, but we also learned so much. We hope we can come back soon just to go on another Forrest Bathing excursion :). We highly encourage anyone who stays here to book a tour!” Seema Patel
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