Forest walks in 4K: redwoods, rainforests and mossy trails

Giants of the Pacific coast

Along the coast of northern California grow the coast redwoods, the tallest trees on Earth. Walking among them feels like entering a cathedral: the trunks rise straight up into the fog and the forest floor is carpeted with ferns. Redwood National and State Parks protect some of the largest old-growth groves, and Muir Woods, just north of San Francisco, is the easiest place to see them in the morning quiet.

Further north, the Hoh Rainforest in Washington's Olympic National Park is one of the few temperate rainforests in the world. Heavy rain feeds a forest where moss hangs from every branch, creating some of the greenest scenery you will ever see. The forests of British Columbia, across the border in Canada, share the same towering cedars and firs.

Japan's ancient forests

On the island of Yakushima, south of Kyushu, cedar trees thousands of years old grow in a landscape of moss, granite and constant rain. The island has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993, and its mossy valleys are often said to have inspired the forest in Princess Mononoke. On the main island, the slopes of Mount Daisen in Tottori hold beech forests and old stone paths that feel just as timeless.

Europe's woodland trails

Germany's Black Forest is named for its dark, dense spruce and fir woods, crossed by well-marked hiking trails between farmhouses and valleys. In Norway, autumn turns birch forests yellow and gold under low northern light. Choose a walk below, turn the sound up and let the forest set the pace.