Greetings from Redwood National & State Parks

This was my first time visiting Redwoods and I must say, I was blown away by all the beauty I had seen there. This was the tail end of our summer trip that my girlfriend and her family take and as the saying goes, “save the best for last!” When we would wake up in the morning before breakfast, there would be pleanty of Banana Slugs around our campsite. It was pretty amazing to watch them. They have a unique cuteness about them. Later on during our stay, we learned just how important they were to the park. Because of them (as well as several other creatures) they help maintain the growth of the Redwoods by “recycling” the forest. It was a pretty in depth Ranger Talk and really made me appreciate these little guys. We took a ride over to Fern Canyon and THAT lived up to everything I had heard about it. I can see why they filmed Juarassic Park and Star Wars there. It was amazing to see all the lush greenery up the sides of the canyons walls. The natual trickles of water coming down, the old trees you got to climb over and just the essence of being in nature. Later that day, we took a hike on Ladybird Johnson Trail as well as the Foothill Trail by our campsite. Ladybird Johnson Trail was eerily breath-taking. With the mist combing the tops of trees, moss blowing off branches and the echos of birds across the trails. We actually saw a Black Bear as we were leaving the trail! On the Foothill Trail, we really got into the thick of the Redwoods. There were moments where I would stand still and hear nothing. Not the wind, nor the birds, nor the cars…NOTHING! It felt as if I were in a dream. Alive and yet dead. Present and yet miles away. One of my favorite parts of this trip was getting to swim in the Jedediah Smith River. The water felt nice and cool in the sun and there was sooooooo much wildlife just beneath the surface! I saw frogs, trout, salmon, crawdads and even a rough-skinned newt (luckily, I didn’t touch it…they are poisionous). On our last day, we made several stops to the usual tourist spots and even went out to Trinidad which was amazing!!! We got to take a trail above the ocean to feel the salt water on our skin, the wind in our hair and just celebrate having a good time with good people. We were looking for a lighthouse but ended up finding the wrong one (there are two there). HOWEVER, it worked out…as it so happens, on the way back to our campsite (Prairie Creek) we saw a whole herd of elk grazing in a meadow. There were big bucks and adorable little calves all mixed in. It was a wonderful end to the trip for sure.

There is so much to see in Redwoods while you are there. Remember, while you are gazing upwards at the magnifecent giants around you…stop. Look down and all around to see the creatures you may be passing by. Stop…and listen to the sounds you cannot hear. Stop…and rest by the calming streams and rives that flow through this old forest. And remember, clear your mind and be thankful to whomever led you here.

Sincerely,
Kit