Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

We spent a restful day at the trailer after our arrival in Crescent City as we had spent the entire previous day traveling through Humboldt County, through Eureka and then up the northern Californian Coast to Crescent City. Kim was tired. We were all tired.

Refreshed, the next day we set off to explore the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Jedediah Smith of "Night at the Museum" movie fame. Haha! We headed out on our friend the US101, skirted past the Kings Valley Golf Course then took the twisty turny road to the US199 that ribboned through tree tunnels of towering, ancient Californian Redwoods. These humongous trees seemed so much older and wiser than the Redwoods we had seen previously in Felton, just outside Santa Cruz. They were somehow taller, straighter, more watchful, a little greyer and bearded with tangled mosses of greens and browns and greys. Your mouth couldn't help but drop open in sheer wonder at the magnificent beings. 

Our first stop was at the Simpson-Reed Trail, just off the Walker Road. We were genuinely stunned and humbled by the Redwoods. It was a short 1 mile trail but it took us well over an hour as we stopped and stared, photographed, breathed in the intoxicating scent of the dense wood, and hugged the red giants.

We even stopped and watched a wedding photographer take some bridal pics at one point on the trail. It was magical to stumble across a fairy princess in the forest! We could hardly believe our eyes!

There was one tree with a knobby base that felt like it was at the heart of the trail. It was especially tall and especially ancient. I felt it had stories to tell. I leant in really close with my ear gently pressed to the fibrous husky outer bark so that I could hear the tree whispering to me. I heard stories of longevity, the close ties of beloved family within the grove that were all taken care of and nurtured in the most beautiful community of love and reciprocity. Most of all I heard the whispers telling me to trust nature, its indomitable spirit and its unerring will to survive. Jeff Probst himself would be impressed with these magical trees and their ability to outwit, outplay and outlast. Survivors to the impressive core. I left feeling like a load of worry had been taken off my shoulders after listening to the trees. The tribe had spoken.

We returned to the truck then continued through the thick Redwood forest until we came upon the delightful Smith River which we followed as it snaked its way through the trees. We stopped at the Hiouchi Visitor Center for cancellation stamps and a toilet break and then set off again crossing over the Smith River then back tracking, heading towards Howland Hill Road and the Stout Grove Trail. Winding our way through the giant trees, with the sun weaving rays of light down to the dirt road, was unbelievable. It was a drive I will never forget. 

Once we arrived and parked at Stout Trail, we set off under the shady canopy of the Giant Redwoods. As soon as we began the trail, a kind of hush came over us all as we moved intrepidly down the path. Some trees had been toppled and we got to see the surprisingly shallow root system that entangled and tethered each tree both to the earth and to its family of trees nearby. Once again we breathed in the glorious scent of the Redwoods. It reminded me a little of a cross between Pine and Yew trees, but honestly, how can you accurately describe a an intoxicating smell? The trail was again only a mile or so, but it took us a long time, as we continually just stopped and stared up at the giants, mouths open in awe and respect. Every now and again, we would stop and silently hug each other. It was a seriously spiritual experience. We lost ourselves in time.

We completed the trail in awe and eventually circled back to the truck. We began the off-road journey along the rest of Howland Hill Road through the Grove of Titans and past the Boy Scout Tree, kicking up dust behind us. The road was so narrow and the trees and roots so close to the truck that we had to tuck in the wing mirrors. We all held on to our collective breaths and shrugged our shoulders in tight to make it through the tree gaps. It was a "clench your bottoms we're in for a bumpy ride" moment, a bit like Harry Potter's journey on the triple decker Knight Bus in the Prisoner of Azkaban. It was magical. I did manage to get some video footage and as impressive as it is, it still does not do the journey justice.

This was a treasure of a day that will be ingrained in my mind and lodged in my heart forever. Unforgettable.