From Yosemite we moved our roaming home northwest to Redwoods National and State parks. Our home base was Elk Country RV Park where, upon arrival, you’re required to sign a damage release due to the herds of elk wandering through the campsites daily. We did see the beautiful herds, thankfully none decided to nuzzle up to our RV. Bonus for this campground was the chance to explore the inside of the old Stone Lagoon school house opened in 1893.
Redwoods National and State park is right on the northern California coast, which let us spend time playing at the (wildly windy) beach and hiking among the towering coastal redwoods. These are the tallest tree species on earth and it didn’t take but a minute of hiking Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail to see the proof. Our soon-to-be Redwood Jr. Rangers studied thick groves of trees that reached for the sky, likely scraping the clouds, as we all wandered through the lush rain forest.
As we made our way north we couldn’t help but pull into the “Trees of Mystery,” a redwoods attraction on private land. Not being part of the national park meant it was a natural theme park of sorts, with strange growths (like the elephant tree), a 1,500 foot long gondola ride that glides right past the tops of these behemoth trees, and the biggest Paul Bunyan (nearly 50′ tall!) and Babe the Blue Ox statues we’ve ever seen.
Next stop: Crater Lake National Park!
