June 11, 2007

June 11, 2007

A little farther north of Patrick’s Point is the beginning of Redwood National Park. It stretches 45 miles along the coast of Northern California almost to the Oregon state line. We stop at the southern Visitor Center and watch their movie about the Redwoods and the formation of the Park. Logging was threatening the extinction of the Redwoods near the turn of the century. Early on, California and a group of concerned citizens bought up some of the timberland to form a series of scattered state parks in Redwood country. In 1969 the feds bought some of the in-between land to form a National Park that tied the state parks together and protected the wider ecosystem.

Just north of the entrance we stop at an open meadow along the road. Aimee spotted some Roosevelt Elk cows lying in the field. They are probably hiding newborns next to them but the grass is too tall to tell. Roosevelts are the Pacific version of the North American Elk. On the opposite side of the meadow in the distance we can see several bulls with their large antlers grazing on the grass. I climb the ladder on the RV and use the roof as my own Elk Viewing Platform.

A mile north we stop at the Lady Bird Johnson Grove for a mile-long loop trail amongst the redwoods. This grove is a little more open and it is easier to see the treetops. Like the Giant Sequoia I am amazed how so many of these larger trees are almost completely hollow due to fire and yet they continue to live and grow and not tumble over.

The center of the park has a nice scenic drive right down the middle of an old growth forest. We stop and walk around a little but by this time we have lost our fascination with the redwood. Many are big, big as a medium-size sequoia, but not nearly as beautiful because of their dingy red exterior. Plus Aimee and I are tiring of this damp cold climate. We stop at Jedediah Smith State Park on the northern end of the Redwood Highway and get a campsite for the night. The campsites are nestled in an old growth forest. We are parked directly beneath a giant redwood. In looking up at the high branches all I can remember is that they call them “widowmakers” because if one falls on you, you’re a goner.