Parks Parks and Parks: Day 11 - Redwood National and State Parks

Today we woke up under some of the tallest trees in the world. We had seen redwoods before at Muir Woods National Monument, but Redwood National and State Parks has even more to offer. We began our day with tea and a scenic drive. Then we mad our way to the Klamath River Overlook, where, in season, you can see California Gray Whales. Since it was out of season, we didn't see any whales, but we did get a great view of the coast.

On our drive back south, we stopped to walk the Ah Pah interpretive trail, which used to be a road until it was proven to be detrimental to surrounding vegetation. Then we explored the Big Tree Wayside, another scenic drive, and Corkscrew Tree.

Fern Canyon was number one on our Redwoods to-do list. To continue with the recent dinosaur theme, here is a fun fact: The Lost World: Jurassic Park was filmed here! To get to the canyon, we had to take a steep, rocky drive along the Golden Bluffs shoreline and hike a short distance. Fern Canyon features 50-foot canyon walls of lush vegetation, fallen trees, and a babbling brook splitting through. It was impossible to traverse without soaking your feet in mud and water. We had to throw our shoes away... well worth it!

Our drive from Redwoods to our next destination was late and grueling. We got confused by some signs and drove way out of the way. But we made it to our next stop in time to rest for Oakland.