Trip Report: California North Coastal Redwoods

[profdant139]

I wasn't sure where to post this, since (for once) we were not boondocking or dry camping, due to now-resolved health issues. But since we spent the whole time on public lands, I figured this was the right forum.

Anyway, here is the blog link -- lots of photos of trees:

Redwoods

As usual, the blog post itself is really too long to post here, but this is a preview:


Click For Full-Size Image.

We are in the lower right corner of the shot, in a patch of sun. This shot was triggered remotely with a radio-controlled shutter button. It sounds fancy, but this is a simple and inexpensive device. It has a range of about 100 feet, making it a better option than setting the timer for ten seconds and running like a madman to get into the shot.

This photo illustrates the one big problem with taking pictures of the redwoods -- there is almost no way to get the whole tree in the shot, and it is very hard to get a sense of scale. (Yes, I admit that those are two different problems.) . Plus the lighting is always tricky. (OK -- three problems.)

[profdant139]

Ken -- just got back from a month of camping. Ossagon is a little too tough for me -- but the coastal part of the trail is great -- this year it was flooded due to rain, but usually not. We start at Fern Canyon, ride north as far as we can, and then return. Waterfalls, trees, beach, elk, and solitude!

[4runnerguy]

Dan - Didn't see it on your blog post for this trip, but have you ever ridden the Ossagon Trail loop? In the area between Klamath and Orick. Part of the loop is on the Drury Parkway. Then you jump into the trees and through the redwoods down to the beach. Then along the Coastal Trail down to the area of Fern Canyon and Gold Bluffs Beach CG and return to your vehicle. Not technical, although I imagine the sand on the singletrack near the beach could be a little rough if it's been dry and the sand gets loose. Riding on a trail through the redwoods was amazing, and of course for us land locked people, riding near the beach on singletrack isn't something we get to do very often. One of the few singletrack trails available for mountain biking anywhere in the NPS system.

[profdant139]

We stayed at Kamp Klamath. Usually we stay in campgrounds or boondock. But I was at the tail end of a bout of sciatica, so we opted for an RV park for convenience. Kamp Klamath is well located but very funky -- read the reviews. We like it, but not everyone does.

The campground at Prairie Creek is really nice -- hard to get reservations, though.

[Jbrowland]

Lovely! We are planning a trip there as I type. Thanks for sharing. Where did you camp?

[profdant139]

Phil, we have photos like that of the Sequoias, where my wife looked almost exactly like that paper doll. A little slimmer, though. 😉

[cewillis]

Great escape from LA, Dan. Very nice pictures.

[Jim2007]

We visited the coastal red woods last summer. Great trip! Jim2007.

[pnichols]

Dan,

Your photo reminded me of a photo we took this spring for a school project our nephew was involved with that included a paper doll.

FWIW, we have about a 3rd acre of smaller versions of these (only around 100' - 150' tall) on our residence property:

[profdant139]

Redwoodcamper, I have to say that we envy you. Both DW and I grew up in hot dry crowded LA, and we are still stuck there. Every chance we get, we head for the cool moist empty redwood coast for a few days of clean air and silence.

[Redwoodcamper]

I live less than 5 min from some of the largest redwood groves on Earth. Wouldn't change it for anything.

[Two_Hands]

Great photos! Thanks for posting!

[korbe]

Good to see other campers enjoy the environment where I grew up as a kid. And we still love going back every so often. The trees keep putting me in my place.......where I belong.

[Tiger4x4RV]

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

[ScottG]

That's a trip I would like tomake someday. Maybe spend a week in the area exporing. Haven't been there in 30+ years and then we just rode through on our MC's.