I think that “off-season” travel is the best travel experience you can treat yourself to especially in a national park.  Popular parks are always full to capacity during the warmer months and to be honest, there’s not a lot of elbow room when you’re competing for your piece of trail. My friend, Susan drove up from Monterey and picked me up at the Eureka-Arcata airport for a long weekend of exploration in the Redwood National and State Parks in northern California.  Arcata, a small community just forty miles south of the entrance to the Redwoods provided a good home base and within minutes we were rolling along Highway 101 affectionately known as the Pacific Coast Highway, it runs north and south through the states of California, Oregon and Washington all the while hugging the Pacific Ocean.  You’ll see farmland, seascapes, forests, and an occasional small town.  A scenic route like this one will tempt you to stop at every pull out along the road and only a disciplined and focused driver is able to resist the temptation.  

Fortunately, Susan and I didn’t have a schedule and neither of us thought twice about making U-turns and hitting the brakes if we saw a herd of elk. And, Susan hit the brakes several times…one evening, we watched a Bull elk shepherd his ladies as they grazed in a meadow.  His antlers were impressive and he’d receive a solid “10” if there was a Bull elk contest.  Strong and handsome, he certainly stood out among the herd of cows and immature bulls.  We wondered where all the males were…as luck would have it, the next morning, we found 6-7 mature Bull elk feeding in a nearby resort park.  

We watched two Bulls square off each pushing and shoving the other as their horns scraped the earth while small grass patches clung to their antlers.  The sound of horns slapping as they interlocked in “play” fighting was amazing to observe and the high shrill of their voices were distinctive.  The fights only lasted a few minutes and then they’d return their focus to grazing.  We watched them for a long time and witnessed three different sparring events.

Once in Crescent City, we realized that it was only twenty miles from the Oregon state border. We were too close to pass up an opportunity to check out their coast line and look for a fresh seafood dinner.  The photographer in me was drawn to the beautiful sea stacks that have been carved by the sea over time.   We pulled over and made our way down to the trail head on Harris Beach State Park in Brookings.  Ankle-deep in the cold Pacific Ocean did not deter me but instead challenged me to stay longer until I captured a dreamy seascape image.  The sunset was disappointing but being on a beach with only five other people was a good tradeoff.  I concentrated on timing my shots with the waves and left with a satisfactory number of images that I’m pleased with.  Truth be told, I could have spent the entire day on this beach. 

Once in Crescent City, we realized that it was only twenty miles from the Oregon state border. We were too close to pass up an opportunity to check out their coast line and look for a fresh seafood dinner.  The photographer in me was drawn to the beautiful sea stacks that have been carved by the sea over time.   We pulled over and made our way down to the trail head on Harris Beach State Park in Brookings.  Ankle-deep in the cold Pacific Ocean did not deter me but instead challenged me to stay longer until I captured a dreamy seascape image.  The sunset was disappointing but being on a beach with only five other people was a good tradeoff.  I concentrated on timing my shots with the waves and left with a satisfactory number of images that I’m pleased with.  Truth be told, I could have spent the entire day on this beach. 

twenty miles from the Oregon state border. We were too close to pass up an opportunity to check out their coast line and look for a fresh seafood dinner.  The photographer in me was drawn to the beautiful sea stacks that have been carved by the sea over time.   We pulled over and made our way down to the trail head on Harris Beach State Park in Brookings.  Ankle-deep in the cold Pacific Ocean did not deter me but instead challenged me to stay longer until I captured a dreamy seascape image.  The sunset was disappointing but being on a beach with only five other people was a good tradeoff.  I concentrated on timing my shots with the waves and left with a satisfactory number of images that I’m pleased with.  Truth be told, I could have spent the entire day on this beach. 

In 1968, Redwood National and State Park was established by Congress to incorporate Redwood National Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park into co-managed protected land. Residing in both northern California and Oregon, the RNSP is home to the tallest trees on earth, the majestic Coast Redwood.  Within the parks’ boundaries you’ll discover prairies, woodlands, river-ways, and the incomparable rugged Pacific Ocean coastline.  The majestic landscape is populated with famed banana slugs, black bears, sea anemones and gray whales.  None of which we saw on this trip but my main focus was on the Redwoods and the forest floor which is reason enough to visit this beautiful area.   

The “Big Tree” measures 286 feet tall, 23.7” in diameter; 74.5” in circumference, and is estimated to be 1500 years old.  Standing next to the “Big Tree” you immediately feel dwarfed by its enormity. In 2006, two naturalists discovered an even taller tree known as “Hyperion” which has a documented height of 379.1 feet tall and approximately 600 years old.  The exact location of Hyperion is kept a secret to protect it from potential damage by careless visitors.    

Tiny fungi, fluorescent-colored moss, wildflowers, pine cones, and thousands of ferns at your feet blanket the forest floor.  Tree canopies tower over you and dappled sunlight reveal well-beaten walking trails.  Occasionally, you will find a fallen redwood and as you walk alongside it you can’t help but marvel at its grandness.  The crisp air of the forest is clean and nature’s soundtrack fills the air with bird song and the gurgle of a waterfall as it passes over moss-covered rocks.  

A walk in the woods is the best way to step away from the noise of the world. Even if just for a little while, time stands still and you will feel small, tiny in fact.  You’re in a recharge zone.  Here there is no rush, except your own excitement to see what’s around the bend.

Go slow. Go deliberately. Just go.