Redwoods National and State Park (Redwoods National Park, California)

In this land of mist and fog overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the giant coastal redwoods stand as monarchs over all they survey, and at 350+ feet tall, they survey pretty much everything. The eight hour drive that my fiancee Cass and I made to reach Crescent City, the northern end of the Redwoods Park area, seemed to fly by fairly uneventfully. While Lassen Volcanic National Park, which we drove past on the way, was still closed due to the snow, we at last got some amazing views of the mighty Mt. Shasta on our way North.

As we get closer and closer to our destination, we begin seeing hints of the beautiful Blue Smith River in the ravines below us. So stirring was it that I wished I had brought my Kayak along. Alas, that will have to be another trip, for the tall trees are our goal this time through.

The hour was fairly late when we arrived in Crescent City and so we decided to simply visit the ranger station for maps and then go to our hotel. The ranger we spoke with was very enthusiastic and helpful as he advised us. A bite of dinner and we were off to bed.

We started Saturday off with a drive down the famous highway 101, headed to a semi-rough jeep trail, Coastal Road North, which offers some breathtaking views of the coast. The trail also passes above a set of farmhouses, long abandoned. A brief walk down the well-worn path revealed a historical marker. These “farmhouses” were actually part of a disguised radar station during WWII, watching the coast for potential mainland attacks by the Japanese – interesting stuff.

A bit further south and we took our first hiking trail of the weekend. This short 1-mile loop attaches to part of the more extensive Coastal Trail and offers a nice view of the ecology of the coast. By making my way through an area off the beaten path and thanks to the low tide, I was able to explore some exposed tidal pools. Unfortunately after scrambling over slippery seaweed-covered rocks for twenty or so minutes, my only reward was the saline-laced air. I had hoped to see a crab or clam or something in the shallow pools, but no such luck.

Continuing on, we drove through a scenic alternative to 101, through the heart of the redwoods forest. These trees are magnificent, as they reach for the sky like perfectly straight pillars supporting the very heavens.

We stopped to take a couple of the numerous side trails. The dampness in this forest only hints at the life swelling from the very earth. Ferns like sand on the beach cover the floor, while the trunks of giant trees a scattered about; their size is amazing. Some trunks are greater than twenty feet in diameter. While not as massive as the Giant Sequoias, their height and majesty are noble in their own right.

Driving further down 101, we encounter a shack with the most amazing smoked salmon (freshly caught in the nearby Klamath River, no doubt), a black sandy beach with some pacific seals lounging about and other wonders for our eyes.

In the late afternoon, we head back north. Holland Hill Road, headed east out of Crescent City, is a little rough, but gives access to the Stout Grove, which was marked as a premier trail for seeing the true giants of this forest. It did not disappoint. The true titans are thick in this small loop hike, but frequency does not diminish their spectacle . . . amazing.

As the sun, what little of it we can see, begins to set, we arrive back at our hotel. We've seen some awe-inspiring sites today. Tomorrow, we head home.