The Redwood Forest is much like visiting another planet where the trees are living, breathing beasts covered in wrinkled bark with water-trapping leaves that continually water the forest floor.
On our visit to the Redwoods in October (2016), we stopped to see the drive through tree that was vigilantly advertised along the sides of Highway 101. The woman at the park entrance warned us that we would not be able to drive the Blumebulance through but that it was still a lovely visit and tour through the forest. This is the road leading into the park.
The forest floor's carpet of red-orange pine needles stood in contrast to the lush green moss, bushes, and live needles on the trees.
The foot of one of these majestic beasts jutted out towards the road.
The woman at the park entrance was correct in her assumption that the Blumebulance would not fit through the famous Chandelier Tree - a small car could barely squeeze through! I laughed thinking back to her ominous warning – how in the world did she think that we would even try? Maybe she was just trying to spare us the disappointment of not getting to drive through. We didn't mind. We walked through and that was pretty cool. It was dark and wet inside the tree, very much like being in a cave – a 2400 year old cave.
The beautiful little park next to the parking area for the Chandelier Tree. What a nice spot for a picnic!
I loved the lichen (or moss?) growing up the tree's bark. Life feeding life.
Looking up into the tall canopy of the trees, I could hear the wind whispering through the tops and if you stand still long enough and listen very carefully, you can hear the trees slow breaths rhythmically pouring over the forest like a soft, faint drum beat.
Here, sown by the Creator's hand, in serried ranks, the Redwoods stand; No other clime is honored so, no other lands their glory know. The greatest of Earth's living forms, tall conquerors that laugh at storms; their challenge still unanswered rings, through fifty centuries of kings. This is their temple, vaulted high, and here we pause with reverent eye, with silent tongue and awe-struck soul; for here we sense life's proper goal. To be like these, straight, true, and fine, to make our world like theirs, a shrine; Sink down, oh traveller, on your knees, God stands before you in these trees. (a beautiful poem posted at the Chandelier Tree park)
Dennis and me and the Chandelier Tree! Can you see why it's called the Chandelier Tree? If you flipped it upside down, the branches would drip down like the gems of a chandelier.
Dennis surfing the Redwood wave! Cowabunga dude!
It was fairly warm out for rainy Fall weather.
Prettiest parking lot I've ever seen! The Blumebulance looks so pretty in nature.
The Brontosaurus tree trunk... doesn't it look like a swimming Brontosaurus?
Thank you for traveling with us through the Redwood Forest! The beauty is other-worldly and if you ever get a chance to make a trip to the California coast, it will be well worth the travel. The trees are truly unlike anything you have ever seen before. Next time we visit, we plan to stay in the forest and camp. As excited as we were to get up to the Oregon Coast, it was hard to leave this majestic land.
