We crossed into California to spend two days in the redwoods. 2 days in one place! Yay!
The Redwoods are a symbol of California. I’ve been up and down the coast my whole life and am still learning things. For the uninitiated:
There are Coastal Redwoods and Sequoias. Related, but different. The Giant Sequoia us the most massive and long-lived (3000 years) tree in the world. It is found on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The Coastal Redwood is the tallest (3810 feet) tree in the world. You will find the on the Northern California coast, up into the southernmost coastal Oregon.
There are endless fascinating facts about both, but I’ll spare you right now.
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Redwoods National Park actually encompasses 3 State Parks, plus the National Park acreage. In 1917 the new National Park Service sent a trio of experts to investigate the redwoods on the West Coast. They were astonished by the trees and even more concerned by the massive logging in the forest.
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Save The Redwoods League was born (and still operating!) to push for the preservation of these lands.
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Long story short:
Prairie Creek State Park began with the donation of 160 acres by the widow of a logger, Zipporah Russ, in 1923.
Del Norte State Park was set aside in 1925.
Jedediah Smith State Park was created in 1929.
In 1968 the National Park Service added contingent acreage to create Redwood National Park, which included the three State Parks. And then in 1996 they decided to co-administer all the parks together.
Whew! Did you follow that?
Bottom line: thesre magnificent trees are being protected.
Again, pictures do Not capture the magic and grandeur of these groves,
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If you ever have a chance to visit, or re-visit, I encourage it.
Fun fact: in WWII an early warning radar station was installed on the coast here and disguised as a farmhouse. It is still there.
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