Last month, I spent my spring break in California! Quite some time ago - last fall, if I recall correctly - I had stumbled on some pictures of the redwood parks in northern California, and I resolved to make the trip this spring if my work calendar allowed (and it did!). I stayed in Crescent City, and visited three locations for hiking and photography (some of them multiple times): Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, the Coastal Trail, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Despite the nasty spring weather we've been having here in the northwestern U.S., I had very good luck during my trip; the worst I had to contend with was occasional morning drizzle, and I saw a surprising amount of sunshine.
Today's post focuses on Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, the first park I visited, and the most unlike the scenery I'm used to in Washington. When you drive in via Howland Hill Road, you're suddenly surrounded by enormous redwood trees, contrasting with a surprisingly open and fern-carpeted forest floor. All of the scenery screams, "You're in the California redwoods now!"
Boy Scout Tree Trail
On my first full day in California, I hiked the Boy Scout Tree Trail, which is roughly five and a half miles round-trip. The redwood forest is gorgeous almost the entire way, and rolling terrain adds to the interest. The small waterfall at the end of the trail isn't particularly impressive or photogenic, but it makes for a satisfying turnaround point. Additionally, the sound of the creek is a fun surprise - most of the trail, far from any streams or major roads, is almost eerily quiet.
First, two images from a hillside about halfway into the hike. This isn't the site of the trail's biggest trees, but the views down into dense redwood forest were lovely, even mesmerizing. High clouds were filtering the sunlight just enough to make these work. Both F/14.
Next, redwood textures earlier in the hike. F/16.
Below, an example of what the forest looks like for about the first half of the hike. I tried this with and without ferns in the foreground, and since I'm not sure which version I prefer, I posted both. F/18 and F/16, respectively.
Lastly from Jedediah Smith, a more backlit scene, with rhododendron leaves in the foreground. There's a little bit of lens glare visible if you go looking for it, but I don't think it's too distracting, and there wasn't as much as I expected. F/14.
Nickerson Ranch and Mill Creek
The next day, I returned to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park for a different hike. I started at the Nickerson Ranch Trail, hiked it to the Mill Creek trail, and hiked that trail all the way to the Grove of the Titans. The redwood forest isn't as consistently stunning overall as it is along the Boy Scout Tree Trail, but it still makes for a great hike, and the periodic views of Mill Creek and surrounding streamside vegetation create some fun variety.
First, a nice grove of big redwoods along the Nickerson Ranch Trail. I liked how the filtered morning sunlight was accentuating the individual trees. F/16.
Next, a big tree from Grove of the Titans. I normally wouldn't attempt an image like this on a sunny day, but the trunk was light enough, and reflecting enough sunlight, that I think it worked. F/14. As a side note, I'm glad I visited the Grove, although I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the Boy Scout Tree and Nickerson Ranch areas. The Grove of the Titans has some of the largest individual trees, but the overall forest scenery isn't as continuously impressive, and the trail is more crowded. Furthermore, most of the hike is on an elevated metal grate. While I understand the purpose of this surface in such a popular area, it isn't as fun to hike on (or set up a tripod on).
Here's a shot of Mill Creek that I really like. I was expecting the sunlight to be too harsh, but I was pleasantly surprised by the final result. F/16, 1 second.
Finally, another view over Mill Creek. I like the look of the trees in this one, but am less happy with how the creek itself gets obscured. F/16.
Thanks for hanging in there with this longer post. Next up, wildflowers and ocean views along the Coastal Trail!
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