We spent the day checking out all the special trees in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park and please know these pictures do NOT replicate what our eyes were able to see. The first stop took us to a nature loop trail that is considered one of the nicest in the park because the trees are mostly “ancients” and not second generation trees with blankets of redwood sorrel covering the ground. We’ve been thinking the sorrel was clover until we got here because it is so huge. Even the ferns are taller (almost as tall as me).
This State Park has the largest remaining stand of virgin redwoods in the world partially because of $2,000,000 donated back in 1927 by John D. Rockefeller to preserve and protect a large portion now called the Rockefeller Forest. It contains the largest concentration of trees over 350 feet tall found anywhere. There are three unique trees on the loop trail: Flat Iron Tree, Tall Tree, and Giant Tree.
The Flat Iron Tree is fallen but you can see the cross section which is 7.5 ft by 17.5 ft.
The Giant Tree has a 53 foot circumference.
I’m not sure we ever found the Tall Tree because there are so many REALLY tall trees.
by the way, can you tell how narrow the road was driving to the Loop Trail. We would have never made it with an RV.
Then on to Myers Flat where an enterprising capitalist turned his property into a tourist attraction and charges $8 for you to drive your car through a larger redwood, over a redwood and playground for the kids. We were satisfied we got our $8 worth with just the pictures we took of Jim driving the car through the tree. Glad it was him driving and not me. Can you see how close it was?
This forest consists of mostly Coastal Redwood trees with the unique structure of top leaves that are like the Sierra Redwoods and bottom leaves totally different because the Sierra leaves can extract more moisture from the fog that the trees need to survive.
We found a trail that led us to the river basin that appears to be a secret hideout of local people.
We finished our day tracking down the Dyerville Giant on a 1/2 mile loop not far from the Rockefeller Forest. This amazing tree was considered the “Champion” Coast Redwood as certified by the American Forestry Association at 375 feet tall, 52 feet in circumference, and weighing 1,000,000 lbs. Unfortunately it fell on March 24, 1991and actually registered on the earthquake meters in the area.
C
We’ve walked over 6 miles today and need a rest for our necks and feet. Fortunately, tomorrow is one of those “just get from point A to point B days we will be in the car driving most of the day. The next time we blog will be after we spend the day in Seattle, Washington.