Redwoods-Tallest Trees on Earth

The heavy fog from the Pacific Ocean had moved inland and we just knew our last day in Brookings was going to be spent hanging out at the camper.  Joe and Crickett decided to go ahead and adventure out in the early morning fog while we chose to wait it out.  After a couple of hours the fog had burned off so I grabbed the camera and my backpack and we were off to see the world's most scenic grove of redwoods.

We took the short drive into California and in no time at all we were at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.  After speaking with a ranger she gave us directions to The Stout Grove.  The grove was a little difficult to reach which turned out to be a good thing because there were no crowds.  Just as we turned onto the dusty dirt road we came up on a white Chevy truck parked in the middle of the road.  Low and behold there is Joe standing in the road with his camera pressed against his face. Joe not realizing  anyone had pulled up behind him Terry decides to be Terry and get his attention by placing his hand in the middle of the steering wheel applying pressure to it sending out a loud blast from the Jeep's horn.  It is a good thing that Joe has a strap attached to his camera that is placed around his neck because he might would have dropped his camera when Terry scared the daylight out of him.  Leave it up to a crazy Cajun to interrupt his photo shoot.  Now really what were the odds of us pulling up right behind them after we had gone our separate ways not knowing what each other's plans were for the day.  I  am a firm believer that the Lord directs our steps.

The four of us continued on through the grove together in a state of total amazement at the size of the trees.  It was not only the size of the trees that we were shocked to see but how they continue to live and grow after being burnt by forest fires.  We came up on a walking trail that made a loop through the redwoods so we parked the vehicles and began walking.  We got separated from Joe and Crickett so we continued on and figured we would meet back in the parking lot.  Well guess who we spot on the trial walking towards us.  Yes it is Joe and Crickett.  Terry being Terry again he hides behind a redwood and waits for them.  As they get closer to him he jumps out scaring the dickens out of them.  Now this is twice in one day that he gets their hearts pumping pretty dang fast.  I am surprised that we still have our traveling buddies with us after that day in the forest.

The next day September 29th we moved  onto to California's Redwood Coast.  We made reservations at Ancient Redwoods RV Park in Redcrest, California for two nights so we could spend a day on the on the road that has been called the finest forest drive in the world.  You probably have heard of it - "The Avenue of the Giants".  Once we were surrounded by these champion trees it was like we were mesmerized.  There are no words or images that can capture this experience it is truly one that must be seen in person.



Why do they get so big?  They resist insects, fire and rot to a remarkable degree, and their capability in sprouting back when cut or badly burned is a contributing factor in their longevity.

Howland Hill Road is where we came up behind Joe and Crickett. 

There is that white Chevy and Joe taking pictures.

The giant redwoods are very close to the road and the dust from the road changes the color of everything it falls on.

Once the trees fall they continue to lie in the forest for hundreds of years.  As the decay process begins, it will become the home and food source to over 4000 kinds of plants and animals that will live on or in it.

The leaves were changing colors amongst the giants.

Terry and Joe fascinated with this tree.  I could stand inside the hollow portion of this redwood that Joe is looking at.



Coast Redwoods grow naturally in a narrow 40 mile wide and 450 mile long coastal strip from southern Oregon to southern Monterey County in California.

This redwood is wider than our Jeep.

Do you see critters crawling up the tree?  These are not critters.  It is knobby bumps that is a cluster of dormant buds, which may grow shoots.

The roots only grow a few feet down into the ground.  Look how big the log is in this picture.  Massive!



During the rainy season the soil becomes saturated with water.  When the giants fall they will usually hit another tree causing it to lean and just a few weeks later it will fall also.  The cycle continues.

Terry making peace with Joe and Crickett after jumping out at them.

Smith River near Stout Grove

I love the reflection of the tress in the river.

Sun rays making their way through the giants to the forest floor.



The redwood trees can intertwine and graft on to one another which helps to hold each other up.  Here was three trees that had grown together.

Came up on these while trying to find Howland Hill Road.

Something didn't seem right.  We have learned from our mistake so we turned around
and didn't go any further.  No more of these drives for us.

Glad to be going the opposite direction.  This was in the Siskiyou Forest.

Magnificent 31 mile scenic drive.

It all starts here.  A single old growth redwood is capable of producing 100,000 cones each year.  Each cone has 90-120 seeds.  The tree could  produce 10,000,000 seeds in a single year.  90% will not be fertile and the remaining 10%  must have perfect conditions to germinate.

Three men influenced the Highway Commission not to bulldoze down this grove of redwoods and the grove was dedicated to them in 1931.

It continues to live even though it has been heavily damaged by fire.

The next two pictures show the entire tree. 

The wood was so pretty even after fire damage.

The center of the tree has been burned out and it is still growing.

Hard to understand how the trees continue to grow.

The next picture shows the inside of the tree.

Inside the tree.

We were focused on the ground level of the forest but there is an entirely different world in the top of these tall trees.

The ferns were big and pretty. 

As the trees get older some can no longer handle the wind and rain.  The young redwoods near the fallen giants now have their chance to stand in the sun.

A large tree fell hitting a second tree causing it to lean.  A week later the leaning tree fell striking the Dyerville giant causing it to fall.

It is amazing how they grow new trees from within themselves.

Dyerville Giant was recognized as a "Champion" Coast Redwood until it fell on March 24, 1991.  It was 1600 years old, taller and larger than any other tree around.   It was at least 362 feet tall, 17 feet in diameter, 52 feet in circumference and estimated weight over 1,000,000 pounds.  When this tree fell a tree over 50 feet away had mud splattered 15 feet up its trunk from the impact of the Giant hitting the ground.  A park neighbor that lived a mile away heard the crash and thought it was a train wreck.  The Dyerville Giant will continue  to lie here for hundreds of years unless fire consumes it.

 



Burls ( a tree growth that the grain has grown in a deformed manner) are common to the redwoods.  Poachers are cutting off the burls from these trees because of their value.  I can't imagine anyone intentionally causing harm to these ancient giant redwoods.

This picture shows their capability of sprouting back after being badly burned.

This tree has many burl sprouts growing from the base.  Most sprouts will die leaving only the hardiest.

We stopped at the visitors center and saw this mini house in the parking lot.  I have seen them on the internet but this was the first one to see being towed on  the highway.  

Another claim that Bigfoot is real.

This tree is privately owned and the charge to drive thru it is $6.00.

Will the Chevy make it?



No it didn't.  Take the mirrors off the truck and it would have made it.

I wonder how many vehicles don't make it through the tree.

This car came through just fine. 

Playhouses made from the truck of redwood trees.



The needles from the trees add another color to the forest.

The needles at the top of the trees are different than those that grow in the dense canopy below.  Because the needles at the treetops are exposed to more dry heat the needles are tight spikes which conserve moisture.  The lower branches produce flat needles in order to catch more sunlight.  This is a good example of nature taking care of itself.

We could see different images in the burls on the trunks of the trees. 

This wood is gorgeous.

This is where a giant tree once stood.

It is now resting all the way down onto the river bank.

One white fern amongst all the green ones.

Do you notice anything unusual about this tree?

Here is a closer look.  The trees will stabilize themselves by growing branches to one of the tree. 

This picture shows the root system which is not very deep.

New growth.  Hard to believe these little sprigs will become giant redwoods.

Never know what you will come up on in the forest.

He was pretty good, but we were not impressed with the cigarette in his hand since fire is one of the biggest threats to these forest.



When he found out these trees were not protected he gave $2,000,000 to Save the Redwoods League in order to purchase the land from Pacific Lumber Company in 1931. 



This tree was at the Ancient Redwoods RV Park near the gift shop.  It is called the Immortal Tree because it survived lighting that took out the top of the tree, loggers axe, forest fire in 1908 and the flood of 1964.  The fish on the tree represents how high the water was during the flood.  The Eel River crest at 90.5 feet.

 

Antique truck restored with hollow redwood truck on back.

The gift shop at the Ancient Redwoods RV Park.

We were parked right next to Joe and Crickett in this park. 

No shortage of redwood at Humboldt Lumber Mill in Scotia, CA.  just a few miles north of the park.

According to a ranger there is enough wood in one of these trees to build 24 houses.

This park is located on the Avenue of Giants.  No deposit required to make a reservation and they did not assign a site number to you at check-in.  We just picked the sites we wanted and parked.