Coast Redwoods

   Of all the places on the planet that I have had the privilege to see, the Coast Redwoods, on California's northern coast is one of my top favorites.  The hushed and muffled sounds of the forest, so quiet and serene, rivals the most beautiful of cathedrals.  The cushioned trails of forest duff, and the way the light filters through the canopy, captures something in my soul like no other type of forest.  The primeval groves have witnessed milleniums with species little-changed since pre-historic times.  The scale and height of some of these trees remind us of what a small part of this Earth we really are.  I have visited this place many times, but it has been almost 13 years since the last - I was very glad to return.

Driving through the Avenue of the Giants - a side road from Hwy 101, is well worth the extra time.  Beautiful groves surround you for much of the drive, and we stopped many times along the way to get out and walk.

Some of these trees are so tall, that you can't see the tops.  Even the slightest breeze causes occasional popping or creaking sounds as the the straight trunks sway in the wind.

Having always been here in summers in the past, we didn't realize how many deciduous trees there were interspersed with the evergreens along the coast.  While most areas were far past their prime color days for this year, we happened upon this only area where we got a glimpse of what must be a glorious riot of color in the fall.  Next time - we visit in fall!

Some areas of forest are so thick, little light reaches the forest floor.

This was a trail through the Ladybird Johnson Grove.  A one-mile loop after driving up the side of a hill.  Well worth spending some time walking through.

The groves along Avenue of the Giants are among my favorites.  Less undergrowth means carpets of sorrel and ferns.  Here is where the hush really stands out. 

This giant fell decades ago.  The scale is hard to imagine from this photo, but the small tree growing on top of it (just to the left of the larger tree in the background) is about 10 feet tall.   This tree, now referred to as a "nurse log", is home to much new growth as it slowly decomposes.  I would estimate the entire tree to have been over 300 feet tall before it fell.

Small streams run in many places throughout the groves.

We were so lucky this day to have the right conditions to provide us with this wonderful light.