We arrived at Stout Grove in a section of the Redwoods named after mountain man Jedediah Smith. The strong scent of a thickly vegetated undergrowth of sward ferns, mosses and many blossoms of wood rose and thimble berries permeated the air as we took the loop trail through this giant forest. We rapidly approached the huge trees interspersed with Sitka spruce, cedars and Douglas firs. My wife stopped to stare in wonder ever skyward where the tallest of trees rose well over 300 feet! She remarked that both here and in the John Muir Woods just north of San Francisco, these trees seemed to be a family, a great extended family. She couldn’t help but feel the kinship. While Stellar’s jays squawked and chestnut-backed chickadees chirped in the deep woods, we approached a grandfather giant perhaps over 2,000 years old. I decided to measure the tree by the number of paces it took me to go around the tree. I counted sixty feet. We kept our necks craned skyward, and surely our hearts went upward as well (Sursum corda). We felt like Alice in Wonderland in this utterly amazing forest.
Sincerely,
Redwood National & State Parks
Redwood National and State Parks protect a primeval landscape where the world’s tallest living organisms, towering coast redwoods, thrive. Visitors can feel small as they stroll in the shadows of these enormous trees and explore rocky undeveloped beaches, fern studded canyons, open prairie, oak woodlands, and fog-filled river valleys. These diverse habitats support myriad wildlife and plants, including several rare species.
State(s): California
Established: 1968
“parks like the Redwoods put things in perspective by their size and their spirit.”
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Greetings from Redwood National & State Parks
During Thanksgiving this year, me and my husband did a road trip to the Redwoods National Park from the Bay area. I am in complete awe of this magical place! I was awestruck as I was wandering among the tallest trees on the planet here! I also wrote a blog…
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Greetings from Redwood National & State Parks
Back in 2009 we embarked on a national park road trip. In 34 days we visited 14 national parks. (Even took in some state parks along the way.) Since then, we have had a burning desire to repeat that trip only to make it longer. We were amazed every day…
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Greetings from Redwood National & State Parks
I live in Washington State, growing up we ventured out and traveled to Minnesota every other year as a family to visit family. On our way we stayed in every National Park we could find. That was back in the 1950 through 1960's... Since then our family, my husband and…
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