Scotia

About ten minutes after rejoining Hwy 101 north from Humboldt Redwoods, exit to Scotia. Established in 1869, the entire town—homes, shops, school, hotel—is owned by the largest lumber company in the world. The picturesque little redwood homes are dominated by the Pacific Lumber Company. You will find the small shopping center worth visiting just for the sake of seeing the redwood building constructed from pillars made from whole tree trunks. Drive to the museum—an all-redwood building resembling a Grecian temple with redwood-tree pillars (bark and all) instead of marble. The museum displays photos, artifacts, and machinery used in the logging camps. It is here you obtain your redwood shingle giving directions for the self-guided mill tour. Pass in hand, you follow the “yellow brick road,” a well-marked trail, highlighted with yellow arrows, which guides you throughout the factory. Your first stop is at the hydraulic de-barker where you watch through windows the bark stripped from the logs by high-pressure water, which sweeps back and forth over each log like a broom. Bits of bark and sprays of water cover the windows while the entire building rumbles as the giant logs are stripped naked. The next stop is the saw mill where logs are pulled back and forth beneath a giant-sized rotary saw that slices them into large boards. Walking along the overhead ramp, you watch the entire process from the first touch of the saw until the various-sized boards are neatly wrapped and bound tightly with straps. The Pacific Lumber Company mill is closed on weekends and holidays. Passes are given out for tours Monday through Friday, 8 am to 1:30 pm. It is best to check times in advance of your arrival by calling 707-764-2222.