This morning was very misty and a little cool. Originally we talked about doing a hike in the area but instead decided that we should move on down the road and try to get a permit for access to the Tall Trees Grove. We skipped a hard core breakfast in favor of getting an early start. Once the Westy was packed up we headed back up the twisty, steep, dark forest road and back to a visitor’s center. It was no problem getting a permit so we went to the Bald Hills Road to the Tall Trees Access. All in all it was about 15 miles of big hills, blind curves, and beautiful tall redwoods. The last half of the route to the trailhead was on a gravel road. Our little van did great, but the breaks were smelling pretty hot when we parked. We hopped out at the trail head and headed down toward the Tall Trees Grove. I’ve read that some of the world’s tallest trees are located in this grove and that’s what we’re here for. It’s a nice little hike, just about 4 miles in all, but it wanders along Redwood Creek and around some very tall trees. We had a great time and learned a lot from the little trail guide we picked up. The hike back to the van was a bit more difficult as it was all uphill. But we all survived.
Back in the Westy we returned the way we came and then back onto 101 South. The route today would take us along the coast and through deeply forested hillsides. We made one major stop, in Arcata, CA. It looked nice enough as we pulled in. We found a pleasant town square where Zev did handsprings and blackflips. The boys played some Frisbee. We couldn’t find a decent coffee shop though. We walked around a bit, but I guess I had high expectations for Arcata and that the town didn’t meet. There were some cool shops but the town wasn’t buzzing like I’d expected. Anyway, we spent a little over an hour in Arcata but had to get going to a campsite further south. The drive and hike to the Tall Trees Grove took several hours so it was getting pretty late. The family we met in Olympic National Park live nearby, but they weren’t yet home from their travels so we didn’t hook up with them. It was onward to a campsite. We finally arrived at Humboldt Redwoods State Park where we would stay for the night. It’s a great campground with private sites and clean comfortable showers. Even Zev took a shower here. We made a fire, had a great dinner, and had a comfortable sleep. We’re starting to think about how to get home in time at this point. Randi and I spent a little time looking at a map but there’s no real satisfying way to get home. Its just going to have to be a long, hot stretch of driving between the eastern side of California and Flagstaff. For now, we’re getting closer to San Francisco!
Back in the Westy we returned the way we came and then back onto 101 South. The route today would take us along the coast and through deeply forested hillsides. We made one major stop, in Arcata, CA. It looked nice enough as we pulled in. We found a pleasant town square where Zev did handsprings and blackflips. The boys played some Frisbee. We couldn’t find a decent coffee shop though. We walked around a bit, but I guess I had high expectations for Arcata and that the town didn’t meet. There were some cool shops but the town wasn’t buzzing like I’d expected. Anyway, we spent a little over an hour in Arcata but had to get going to a campsite further south. The drive and hike to the Tall Trees Grove took several hours so it was getting pretty late. The family we met in Olympic National Park live nearby, but they weren’t yet home from their travels so we didn’t hook up with them. It was onward to a campsite. We finally arrived at Humboldt Redwoods State Park where we would stay for the night. It’s a great campground with private sites and clean comfortable showers. Even Zev took a shower here. We made a fire, had a great dinner, and had a comfortable sleep. We’re starting to think about how to get home in time at this point. Randi and I spent a little time looking at a map but there’s no real satisfying way to get home. Its just going to have to be a long, hot stretch of driving between the eastern side of California and Flagstaff. For now, we’re getting closer to San Francisco!
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