ORICK, Calif. — Twenty years after “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” hit movie theaters, fans can find a real-life backdrop for the sci-fi sequel at northern California’s Fern Canyon.

Tucked away in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, the emerald canyon served as a setting in Steven Spielberg’s 1997 dinosaur blockbuster. It appeared as rainforest background in a scene where dinos attack an unlucky cast member.

We hiked a nearly milelong loop through the canyon, where we were enveloped by 30-foot-tall cliffs rich with lush leaves. As we walked along a dirt trail among redwoods not far from the ocean, it seemed fitting to hear another tourist humming the theme song to “Lost World.”

The trail is open year-round. In summer, wooden planks serve as footbridges over water. If you don’t mind wet shoes, you can hopscotch on larger rocks.

Prepare to climb over some tree trunks, depending on how far down the trail you go. But even a short walk will surround you with greenery while you listen to the sound of water trickling down the sides of the canyon.

Spoiler alert: The drive here is more harrowing than the hike. From Orick, you drive 3 miles north on California Highway 101 before turning left on Davison Road. Then it’s 4 miles on a bumpy, curving mountain path to a ranger station. The entry fee is $8 per car.

Then it’s roughly 3 more miles of road along the coast to reach the parking lot and trailhead. From there, it’s a short walk along a well-marked path to the fern-covered canyon.

The setting is perfect for Instagram-worthy snaps, especially if you downloaded the Jurassic World Mobile MovieMaker app that adds charging dinosaurs to the photo background.

abowen@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @byalisonbowen