The Boranup Karri Forest in Western Australia is one of those magical Middle Earth places that plunges its visitors into the pages of a real-life storybook. The pale and regal karri tree is the third tallest in the world, and the ones in this patch of timberland stretch up to 165 feet.

Located about 25 minutes south of Margaret River and 20 minutes north of sparkling Hamelin Bay, Boranup is mostly a regrowth forest. The woods were heavily logged in the late 1800s; today, the towering karris are interspersed with peppermint and eucalyptus. The air smells as fresh and clean as you’d imagine.

The best way to experience the forest is on foot. You’ll find pull-offs along Caves Road and trails meandering inward from there. Look down to see delicate wildflowers, trippy orange mushrooms, and enormous logs criss-crossing the mossy forest floor. Look up to catch rays of light filtering through the canopy. Keep walking and you’ll even stumble across grave markers. Seriously, can you imagine a more peaceful place to spend eternity?

Tip: If you’re renting a 4WD vehicle (or don’t mind shaking up your 2WD), go for a rumble down Boranup Drive. The dirt-and-gravel road cuts through the karri forest for 6.8 miles, starting and ending along Caves Road. The Boranup Lookout peers over the treetops and west toward Hamelin Bay. Elsewhere on Caves Road, you’ll find a nice tea-and-scones pitstop at Cafe Boranup.

Boranup Drive, Boranup, Western Australia, Australia; no phone.