The Redwoods of California

I love walking through Redwoods - you feel so peaceful among these tall giants. It's cool to think back through history as you look at these trees, some as old as 2000 years.  

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Redwoods is both a State and National Park. The state of California acted to save the redwoods from logging and established several state parks along the northern coast in the 1920's. The feds acted in 1968 (late as usual) and added some land to create a national park. 

Fortunately for us most of the park is open because it's state-operated. The ranger told us that even she didn't know where the border was between federal land and state land. We took several walks and enjoyed tress as tall as 340 feet tall. 

A walk through the redwoods

The tallest living thing in the world (the Hyperion tree, 378.1 feet) is around here somewhere, but they keep the location secret and there are no trails to it. It was found by national park researchers in 2006. 

In Humboldt State Park we took a walk through an area covered with ground cover of redwood sorrel. The trees aren't as big but the setting was beautiful.

Grieg-French-Bell Grove in Humboldt State Park 

There are redwood groves all over northern and central California - along the coast, near San Francisco (Muir Woods), near the wine country and in Yosemite and Sequoia parks. The coastal redwoods (pictured here) are taller but thinner than the giant Sequoia which grow in the Sierra Nevada mountains. If you are in northern California, stop by... it's worth the effort.