May 11, 2014 Redcrest, California (Avenue of the Redwood Giants)

We reluctantly left the beauty of tiny Westport-Union State Beach Park and our magnificent ocean views (one interesting fact the host of this beach park told us is that this area is known as the “Blood Triangle” because more shark attacks happen in this part of CA than anywhere else in the world except Australia) and headed up California Highway 1. I have talked in previous posts about what a difficult road this is to drive on, but the drive from here to Redcrest was the last twenty-five miles of CA 1 and the worst of the worst with 10 MPH horseshoe curves and narrow roads with no shoulders or guardrails and sheer drop-offs. We turned away from the coast and the road became more mountainous and curvy. We finally reached the end of CA 1 and began driving on U.S. Highway 101. We drove almost the entire CA 1 north from San Diego which had been on our bucket list. We are glad we did because the beauty of the California coastline is unlike anything anywhere else. I think I will see those curves and drop-offs in my sleep for awhile.

At the junction of CA 1 and 101 we saw a sign for a drive-thru tree and since it was only a quarter mile away we decided to check it out. For the admission of $5.00 you get to drive your car through a redwood tree.  IMG_0358 IMG_0362 IMG_0363These large and tall trees are the “Coastal Redwoods”. What a tourist trap and we didn’t even waste time in the gift shop. One of those glad we did it but once is enough experiences. There are two more such trees in this area but we will skip those. As we drove into Redcrest on 101 we saw many little gift shops and tourist attractions all taking advantage of the popularity of the beautiful redwoods in this area of California. We have traded the beauty of the Pacific coast for the magnificence of the redwoods. Away from the coast the temperature has gone up about fifteen to twenty degrees and everywhere we saw forests and redwoods. Beautiful!

We arrived in our campground in Redcrest on the Avenue of the Giants.  Redcrest is another small town with a population of 112 and relies heavily on tourism. We had good cell phone service in the main area of Redcrest but not in the campground.

Our first full day there we drove to Shelter Cove which was about a ninety minute drive from our campground.  It had been recommended by a campground neighbor and some tourist brochures.   I guess we have been spoiled by the beauty of the Pacific coastline because a long drive over very winding and curvy roads which climbed and then descended over 2,200 feet,  we arrived at Shelter Cove and were disappointed by the lack of views and beach there.  It certainly did not begin to compare to what we had seen in our previous travels up CA 1.  We did see a lighthouse there which at one time was further up the coast at Cape Mendocino. IMG_0364 The lighthouse was built in 1868 and lighthouse keepers had to take a small tender boat out to the lighthouse.  Due to the isolation this lighthouse was not a favorite of lighthouse keepers and it seems that men who did not follow orders or needed to be disciplined were sent to this lighthouse.  In 1948 the lighthouse was dismantled and moved into storage.  In 1999 it was moved and restored to Shelter Cove.

Before leaving Shelter Cove we did manage to find one geocache and saw some deer up close. IMG_0380 IMG_0371

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weather certainly warmed up with temperatures in the upper eighties and low nineties for several days.  This was quite a shock after the cool temperatures we experienced along the coast!  Avenue of the Giants is a thirty-mile 2-lane scenic driveIMG_0387 on what was once U.S. 101 surrounding by 51,222 acres of magnificent redwood groves. IMG_0427 IMG_0426 IMG_0423 IMG_0403 It is said to be the greatest display of Coastal Redwoods in the 500 mile redwood belt.

IMG_0408 IMG_0398 IMG_0389 IMG_0381  While in Redcrest we spent several days driving along the scenic Avenue of the Giants which is parallel to U.S. 101 and is surrounded by Humboldt Redwoods State Park.  The state park, established in 1921 to protect these magnificent trees,  is the third largest California state park and includes the Rockefeller Forest which is largest remaining old growth redwood forest in the world.  With 53,000 acres, it has many trails to hike and we also found several geocaches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One trail we walked was the Gould Grove Nature Trail which has the third largest known redwood tree in circumference.  We also tried to find a geocache which included a rare albino redwood tree which is one of only a couple dozen known to exist.  We didn’t really know what an albino redwood was supposed to look like and couldn’t find anything that we thought resembled one.  We stopped by the Visitors Center and asked one of the rangers.  He gave us a paper with directions and it seems they rarely give the directions out because people have been known to touch the tree and pull off leaves so they stopped publicizing its existence.  We quickly found the tree and it was not what we expected.  The needles/leaves of the tree are white instead of green.

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The same day we hiked to the Women’s Federation Grove which was founded in the 1930’s by members of the California Federation of Women’s Clubs.  Here there are picnic tables made from thirty to forty foot long redwood logs.  Today the area can be used for picnics since there are also grills and restrooms.  The focal point of the grove is a covered four-sided fireplace

IMG_0433designed by Julia Morgan, who also was the architect for Hearst Castle.

Along the top of each fireplace is an inspirational message.  Here are a couple favorites:

IMG_0435 IMG_0434On this day we were the only ones there and it was truly peaceful and tranquil with a river flowing alongside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later in the day we took another trail which led us first IMG_0445 IMG_0444to the “Tall Tree”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later we walked to the “Giant Tree”.

IMG_0452 IMG_0451 IMG_0456  This area was also used in the filming of the Stars War movie “Return of the Jedi”.  Since the seasonal bridge had not yet been placed for the summer, we had to cross a 20 foot wide stream with water up over our ankles.  When we got back to the car we had to wring water out of our socks!  But it was well worth it to see the Giant Tree and this beautiful area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day we drove along the Avenue of the Giants to Founders Grove Nature Trail where we saw many amazing redwoods including the Founders Tree and
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the Dyerville Giant which fell in 1991. They think it had been standing for as long as 1,600 years and was taller, larger and older than any tree around it.  It was 370 feet tall which is two feet taller than Niagara Falls, was seventeen feet in diameter and fifty-two feet in circumference, and weighed over one million pounds.  When it fell it registered on the seismograph and the locals said it sounded like a train wreck.  What an amazing week we had!

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