Redwood Forest Of Northern California
One of the most beautiful areas in all of the United States of America is the mighty Redwood Forest of Northern California. A giant redwood can live upwards of 2000 years and grow as tall as 450 foot! Today, there are only about 160 that are known to stand more than 350 feet tall, and this is only a mere inkling of how many redwoods used to crowd this wonderful location. The giant redwood tree soak-up moisture from the nightly fog that slinks up creek beds and through second and third-growth forests, to the last primeval mountain stands of this national forest treasure. The State of California once was home to over 2000000 acres of old-growth forests, and today this percentage is down to a mere 4% of that number.
The giant redwoods are still quite a sight to see and standing beside one makes a human’s mortality, seem ever so small. Northern California is home to so many wonderful and extremely unique flora and fauna, with the giant redwoods being just one of the many natural treasures of this part of America. The Redwood National and State Parks are located along the coast of Northern California. This association of parks consists of a combined square footage area of 132,000 acres. All the parks are located within Del Norte and Humboldt Counties and offer protection to 45% of all remaining giant redwoods, located within the national and state park borders. Redwoods were referred to as ‘red gold’ when the exodus of Easterners coming from every corner of the earth to claim another type of gold, ‘real gold’, came in the Gold Rush of 1849.
The old-growth forest are some of the most massive tree species on earth, and along with being the tallest, they are also the most-ancient of all living species that have ever graced the planet earth. With America’s reliance on her natural resources and abounding beauty, it has been great to see these gentle giants protected, so that millions of Americans and foreigners a-like can see exactly what makes a giant redwood, such a majestic wonder.
The history of the giant redwoods, although as old as the Empire of Rome, was protected by early conservationists, such as John C. Miriam, and Henry Fairfield Osborn. Without these early, environmentally-conscious pioneers, the fate of the giant redwoods could have been much worse. In 1918, the conservationalist founded the ‘Save the Redwoods League’ and halted the further destruction of an American treasure. Once the State of California created its state park system in 1927, three of the preserved giant redwood areas became; Del Norte Coast Redwoods, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and Prairie Creek Redwoods Park. With the addition of Humboldt Redwoods State Park, which is the largest individual Redwoods State Park, the beauty and the wonder of the giant redwoods, was then protected for future generations to stand by and be amazed, by some of the largest living-entities, on earth.
Arcata Community Forest
Recently recognized as one of ‘Ten Best Places to Live’, the Arcata Community Forest area, of northern California, is a fine family vacation spot. The Arcata Forest is made up of almost 800 acres of beautiful, old-growth redwoods, and yes, that’s right, the type that can be seen in postcards that say, ‘Wish you were here!’ The forest is located just on the east-side of the wonderful city of Arcata California, and this makes the entire area, a one in a million vacation destination. Known for it’s plethora of exciting and breath-taking environmental-wonders, the forest itself is home to many of the State of California’s most treasured species. The giant redwoods take most of the fame and glamour, for the Arcata Community Forest popularity, yet there are dozens of species of flaura and fauna, that are some of the most-loved and well-photographed creatures, this side of Austin! Make the first part of the journey into Humboldt County, one that is located in Arcata Community Forest, where the ‘real’ California, begins.
Del Norte Coastal Redwood State Park
Del Norte Coastal Redwoods State Park is a wonderful redwood-forest location, amid a collection of very fine, and exciting, redwood forest National, and State Parks, of northern California. With some of the most arduous and challenging natural hiking trails in the world, Del Norte is the place where thousands of thrill-seeking, nature-lovers, visit each and every year. What sets Del Norte apart from the rest of the spectacular and naturally-stunning, redwood park locations, in the redwood forest area of California, is that the northern-most border, to Oregon and Canada, are found here! Located in Humboldt County, Del Norte has plenty of camping opportunities’ as well as a host of trails and nature-loving, accessible, outdoor-venues. The family vacation that selects this ‘Prize of the West’ will certainly be the one that is recalled, forever! With some of the world’s most-renowned areas for bird-watching and general native-fauna interactions, as well as seeing the giant redwoods and learning about what makes these trees so magnetic to everyone who sees them, Del Norte Coastal Redwoods State Park is the place to be!
Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park
Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park is an area well-known for its beauty and tranquility. The park is beloved for two very important reasons, the first being that Grizzly Creek is a mile or so way from the beautiful coast of the Pacific Ocean, and, it is also the smallest of all the State Parks, in the California redwood area! Those two reasons alone will make this one of the best family vacations you ever had, guaranteed! The reasons are simple, most if not all family vacationers, who come to northern California to gaze at the majestic and astounding giant redwood trees, that tower like ambassadors from an earlier time, do so with solitudial-fervor, in mind. The park is nicely nestled in the Van Duzen River Valley, where the beautiful, Van Duzen River, flows majestically through the park, and is joined by Grizzly Creek itself. This area is so naturally-stunning that even filmmaker George Lucas discovered that one of the virgin redwood groves, that are located all throughout Grizzly Creek Park, would be a fantastic location for the sequel to the mega-hit, ‘Star Wars, the Return of the Jedi’. With such a resume supporting it, and, the never-ending natural beauty that is certainly northern California, any visit to Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park, is one that is well worth the effort.
Headwaters Forest Reserve
One of the most beautiful and ancient redwood groves in spectacular, northern California is the Headwaters Forest Reserve. Untouched by the hand of man, redwoods can grow to dizzying heights of 400 feet or more! Think about that for a moment, a little organism that can grow from tiny seedling to one of the biggest living organisms on the planet is simply amazing! Notated as one of the best camping areas in the Six Rivers region, Headwaters Forest Reserve is on the list of greatest trails of the United States, and for good reason. With breathtaking views around each and every corner, coupled with crystal-clear bodies of water, such as Salmon Pass and Grizzly River, Headwaters really is ‘ahead’ of its class! The next time northern California is yanking at the heartstrings, make a beeline directly out of San Francisco northward, until the trees start to become alien like, yet somehow familiar and then you will know for certain that you have arrived at Headwaters Forest Reserve, the land of the big trees and bigger smiles.
Humboldt Redwoods State Park
The entire region of Humboldt Redwoods State Park is cloaked in beauty and draped in amazing living organisms, which reach epic-size and proportions. Hands down, the number one reason for family vacations, to any part of northern California, is the great redwood forest, and of course the star of the show, the giant redwoods. Where else can a family go and see 370 foot living giants, and drive through one of those giants? The answer to that question is ‘nowhere’ besides the redwood parks of northern California and most visibly, Humboldt Redwoods State Park. From the very start of the journey into Humboldt Redwoods, driving along the Avenue of the Giants, all the way to the shear natural wonder that is Founders Grove, the location is one of amazement and unbelievability! Spanning nearly 53,000 acres, a third of which are untouched by the hand of man and includes spectacular old-growth coastal redwoods, Humboldt Redwoods State Park is the third-largest big park in all of California.
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
The reason why many hikers and outdoor enthusiasts love to come to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is the fact that the park is so well underdeveloped! The dichotomy of the situation, in relation to the popularity of Jedediah Smith, as opposed to the other State and National redwood parks in northern California, is that through underdevelopment, the park has retained its wilder value. For example, the National and State Parks system, of California, does not frequently advertise the existence or location of the two largest redwood trees in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. The secret, if one could call it that, has not been very well kept as this can be seen by the many footpaths that have been trotted to these giant ‘Ambassadors of North America’! With only one really developed trail, the Boy Scout Tree Trail, and no other navigable for the average hiker, trails, the attraction of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is in its obscure underdevelopment, and this is why it is one of the best State Parks in all of the giant redwoods park system.
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
From the forward thinking of the Save the Redwoods League of California, and the people of California themselves, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, is now a sanctuary of old-growth coastal redwood specimens. One shudders to think what could have happened to the majestic wonders, as logging cut through this area of North America in the 19th century! Thank goodness the citizens of California and of America in fact, do not have to live with that awful reality as there are literally thousands of giant coastal redwoods, on display at this magnificent State Park. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is located 50 miles north of Eureka, and a stones-throw, or so, away from a variance of wonderful campus locations and scenic- beauty, photographic opportunities. Make the next trip to northern California and the redwood forest region; start off right with a trip to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, sanctuary at its finest!
Redwood National and State Parks
Where else can one observe a Chinook salmon leaping skyward, as this pristine and iconic fish of the great west, heads for fertile nesting grounds? Another question, that needs to be answered, is where else in the United States, can one see that same valiant and resourceful fish, while leaving up against a 300 foot Titan of a living organism, called the giant redwood? Redwood National and State Parks are the areas in which these two endeavors can be simultaneously viewed and enjoyed. With abundant amounts of the world’s tallest trees on earth, and fantastic hiking as well as general sightseeing opportunities in each park, the Redwood National and State Parks system of Northern California, is a really a fine opportunity for a family vacation. With some of the most widely-known and adored State and National Parks within its borders, the State of California is really one-of-a-kind when it comes to natural beauty and awe-inspiring, breathtaking scenery. With so many State Parks within a relatively small region, Humboldt County in particular, the family vacation can meander from one great location to the other, all while taking in the education and the experience of a lifetime, that exist to research and viewing of the giant redwoods of northern California.
Richardson Grove State Park
Established in the early 1900’s and named after famed naturalist and environmental-protector, Friend W. Richardson, the 25th Governor of California, the Richardson Grove State Park system, along the South Fork of the mighty Eel River, is one of the best values for a family vacation anywhere. Well-known for being the initial location where a family vacation group will encounter old-growth redwood forest, while heading north from San Francisco and Sacramento, the park is number one for just such an endeavor. Richardson Grove State Park is a great location in northern California for hiking, salmon fishing and swimming, all within the confines of a nicely constructed and well-maintained State Park. The park also offers an educational benefit to both children and adults with the interpretive educational program being offered presently at this natural wonder of the United States of America. There are over 9 miles of hiking thrills, camping grounds and picnic areas, all within the confines of the Richardson Grove State Park.
Sequoia Park Zoo
Founded in the year 1907, Sequoia Park Zoo, located in the wonderful city of Eureka California has quite an interesting beginning, which must be told to be appreciated. Many metropolitan zoos start out with giant grants from both Federal and State local governmental agencies, along with a laundry-list of well-manicured and well-maintained, and well-fed wild animals. Normally, the zoo does also have the luxury of being able to select from a deep list of qualified and experienced zoo workers. Unfortunately, this was not the path selected for the Sequoia Park Zoo, not by a long shot. With an over-populated assortment of wild and domesticated animals, filling the cages and open air pens, this Eureka-based zoo was forced to make a move. What transpired was truly remarkable and will go down in history and is notated in history, as one of the few zoos that started off as a rescue center, more or less, and has turned into one of the best zoos in all of California, if not, the United States. The reasons why the Sequoia Park Zoo can be listed as one of the best zoos in the United States, is not for the size of the establishment or the amount of animals contained within. There are many other reasons for ranking a zoo and Sequoia has all of those covered, and covered quite well. The best way to see and experience why this is one the top zoos in all of California and quite possibly, the United States, is to head straight for the fantastic and motivating, Sequoia Park Zoo.