August 17 - Redwood National Park

Lodging: Brookings, OR

Another great day! Enjoyed the Northern California coastline and Redwoods National Park. Although it was pretty much fogged in all day, I enjoyed the cool air (about 50 degrees cooler than yesterday!) and the majestic redwoods. Drove through the park a few times checking out various groves and trees. My favorite was a tree called the corkscrew tree. Apparently there is debate about whether this is a cathedral tree or several trees that grew around another one that subsequently died. Near the entrance to the park there was a huge herd (or “gang” 😀) of elk lounging in a meadow. I don’t know if they’re there all the time or not, but right across the street from them was a motel called “Elk Meadow Cabins.” It was surreal to be so close to so many of them. After leaving the park I stopped at “Trees of Mystery.” I’m not really the type to do tour type things but this place was pretty cool. I took a .4 mile hike up through a variety of trees with labels like “upside down tree,” “elephant tree,” and “brotherhood tree.” They had a really cool walkway up in the trees. I started to go on it but chickened out as I am afraid of heights. But I did take the tram up through the tops of the trees to what would have been a great view of the ocean if it wasn’t foggy. But I just loved being in the tops of the trees. I have been walking through the bottom of forests for days now and it was fun to be on the tops today. I didn’t go super far north today because I wanted to stay in Brookings to go to one of my favorite pancake houses tomorrow morning. Then I head East the long way to Bend. 😀