#28 Redwoods National Park (and State Park)

Once again, I was treated to great hospitality and a wonderful meal on my way from Yosemite to Redwoods. I stopped in to see my dear friend Bee, her kind husband Steve, and sweet daughter Nicole. I have known Bee 30 years and she is like a little sister to me. We haven't gotten to see each other in many years and it was so great to exchange hugs again! Bee has the kindest, sweetest soul and I am blessed to have her in my life. Thanks for putting me up for the night!

Adorable Nicole ready for school and look what she has

on my zebra friends!

And she plays volleyball too!

Anna was the flower girl at Bee and Steve's wedding when she was 8.

L - Anna and Bee

R - Anna and Bee's nephew, Ryan, the ring bearer

OK, on to Redwoods National Park and State Park. Yes, I know, it's a bit confusing, but the NP and the SP are jointly managed. There was a great deal of map reading to be done to make sure I was indeed hiking in the National Park and not the State Park. Have to keep it official...

By now, you saw the official sign with Teddy and probably thought "Huh, not a very big sign". There is a bigger more official sign for the park, but it is on a steep hillside and no pullouts. The rangers say it is much too dangerous to try and get a picture there and so they direct people to this one. I did try it but she was right...far too dangerous. Seems odd to put a sign where no one can get a picture with it...oh well.

Redwood trees are loosely related to the Sequoia trees but are usually taller and not as thick or as much volume. I was looking forward to being there when the rhododendrum were blooming, but alas, I was too early. But the beautiful Trillium flower was in bloom and made up for my disappointment. I have been to Redwoods before when the Rhododendrum are in full bloom and it is exquisite!

DISCLAIMER: There are a LOT of pictures for this Park! (sorry, couldn't help myself)

This was the very bumpy road to the campground on the beach. It's not bad here, but there were many places where I was crawling with the car through lake like potholes.

When I got to the outskirts

of the campground this

handsome Roosevelt bull elk was there to greet me. The sign says, "Authorized Personnel Only";

guess he's special.

That isn't haze that you see in the air; it's sand blowing at about 40 miles per hour. I wasn't sure there would be any skin left on my legs. It also kept me from setting up my tent as I knew it would blow away into the Pacific Ocean. So I slept in the car.

Old fence post in the campground.

These are the charming Trillium flowers I mentioned earlier. They come in all shades of white to magenta.

Of course, there were many other flowers blooming too.

The trails were magnificent in Redwoods! I kept thinking I must be walking through a set of the Jurassic Park movie!

When I crossed under this tree that had fallen I could barely reach it. The ferns are giant (4')and skew the perspective.

You might think this would be a tight squeeze between these two trees...you would be wrong. As I passed through them I couldn't reach from one to the other and my wing span is almost 6'.

Beautiful waterfalls...with lots of fresh bear scat and bear prints.