Miranda, CA

Miranda is the largest town along the Avenue of the Giants, sitting around mile 6 of the redwood route in southern Humboldt County. The place grew around the timber economy and was once a hub for more than 50 logging operations, but today its everyday map is easier to read: a post office, market, cafes, galleries, lodging, and a local school line the corridor. The surrounding redwoods bring through-travelers, while Miranda’s businesses give them reasons to stop. It is a small California community with a working-town past, a famous road at the front door, and enough local places to make the stop feel like more than a turnoff.