Redwood Forests, California

September 23 - 27, 2008

Mud River Rapids RV Park, Arcata, California

Benbow RV Resort and Golf Course, Garberville, California

We left central Northern California and traveled about 150 miles along Route 299 thru the Coastal mountain range to the Pacific coast. We went from 1,000 feet to 3,400 feet and back down again at least three times during the trek and traveled north, east, south, and west at any given time. I'm sure if the road had been stretched straight, the 150 miles would have been reduced to 100 miles!!

We arrived in Arcata around 1:30 pm for an overnight stay. As soon as we were hooked up, we hopped back in the car with Barney and left for Patricks Point State Park only to find when we got there that dogs were not allowed on the trails or the beach.

We did get to visit Sumeg Village while there. This is a recreation of a traditional Yurok Indian village which includes family houses, a sweat lodge and a dance pit. The family house was used primarily by the women and children, while the sweat house was shelter for the men and boys in foul weather.

The sweat house was also used for bathing and "ritual purification" by men and occasionally by the local medicine women. The dance pit was used by the medicine women to cure a child who had become spiritually ill.

On the way back to the campsite, we stopped at the Trinidad Memorial and Lighthouse at Trinidad Bay and Indian Beach. After three full weeks of beautiful, crystal blue skies, we got near the coast and once again hit FOG!!!

Our decision to rearrange our schedule was a good one. After an overnight in Arcata we moved a bit further south to Garberville. We traveled a bit further south to visit a couple of typical tourist attractions, the world famous One Log House and Grandfather Tree.

The One Log House was crafted in 1946 from a 2100 year old redwood. This section of the tree weighted 42 tons and it took 8 months to hollow out a section 7 feet high by 32 feet long. It contains a living, dining and bedroom area. They added wheels and it toured the country before settling down in 1999.

The Grandfather tree is 265 feet high, 24 feet wide and 55 feet around. We don't know how old it is, but the age of redwoods averages 600 years with some as old as 2200 years old.

We then took a 23-mile ride to Shelter Cove, a seaside community surrounded by volcanic black sand beach and great ocean views of what is called the Lost Coast. By the way, that 23-mile ride took almost an hour...another one of those east, south, west and north roads climbing and descending a small mountain. Shelter Cove was described in one of the brochures (which, unfortunately, I read after the trip) as "at the end of a challenging, twisty road..."

I have to say the lighthouses we have so far seen in California can't "hold a candle" to those in Oregon!

The next day we started our journey on the Avenue of the Giants, a 31-mile route that parallels Highway 101 (it actually is part of the old Hwy 101), running from Pepperwood in the north to Phillipsville in the south. The Avenue of the Giants passes by small towns (with their "tourist attractions"), campgrounds (none of which we could fit in) plenty of walking trails (a couple of which we did take) and many redwood "groves". The Avenue is also surrounded by Humboldt Redwoods State Park which has the largest remaining stand of virgin redwoods in the world.

The "tourist attractions" we visited were the Chimney Tree in Phillipsville, the Shrine Drive Thru Tree in Myers Flat (pictured), the Eternal Tree House in Redcrest (where we also had a great lunch at the Eternal Tree House Cafe) and, the best, the Riverbend Cellars Winery for wine tasting and purchase!

After completing the Avenue, we doubled back to visit Rockefeller Forest, the largest single stand of old growth redwoods in the world. This 10,000 acre tract contains many of the tallest trees in the world. The current tall tree record-holder, nearly 380 feet high or almost six stories taller than the Statue of Liberty, is in Redwood National Park, however, is "too remote for visitors". Within the Rockefeller Forest we visited the Tall Tree and the Giant Tree.

The Tall Tree was measured in 1957 at 359.3 feet high, 13.4 feet wide and 42 feet around.

The Giant Tree was measured in 1991 at 363 feet and 53.2 feet around.

The word "majestic" comes to mind walking through these giants. But as Ken describes it, it is almost spiritual. To think how long these trees have been around, the things that have gone on around them...it is quite awe-inspiring.

Here are some pictures showing the amazing size and height of these redwoods and the density of the grove, though mere pictures cannot convey the incredible feeling of being there, of being dwarfed by these giants!

I'll say it again, this "side trip" was well worth it. We continue to be amazed at the incredible diversity, majesty, and vastness America has to offer.

We'll leave here tomorrow for Petaluma which is near San Francisco and wine country. Oh boy!!! Some more wine tasting!