Northern California Coastal Area

April 18-19, 2024

Just driving among the Redwood forest and along the coast is plenty to see in northern California. We still couldn't resist a couple of touristy things. We took our Jeep through one of the drive-through trees. For me it brought back memories of our family trip west back when I was a teenager. 

At Trees of Mystery, we opted out of the skywalk among the Redwood canopy, but not the photo with the ginormous Paul Bunyan and Babe. Ha!

Back in Crescent City, the Battery Point Lighthouse is accessible only during low tides. So despite being tired from a somewhat longer than expected hike, we visited on an afternoon when we could get in a tour. It is still an active lighthouse, but it is privately operated. We always enjoy seeing the view from the top and getting a glimpse of what it was like to be a lighthousekeeper.

Where Are We Going Next?

Redwood National Park

April 17 - 19, 2024

After Klamath Falls, OR, we dipped back down to Crescent City in northern CA. We had one more national park in CA to visit – Redwood National Park. Redwood is both a national and state park. Several state parks were placed in a sort of federal umbrella to further protect the redwood trees. It’s the only collaborative effort as such between state and federal parks.

We spent around three days in the park, exploring different areas. Our first day we drove the Humboldt Road, taking in a couple of trails around Stout Grove and Grove of Titans. The area takes on a sort of rainforest feel with giant ferns covering most of the ground floor. Even the clovers were huge, and despite their size, we never did spot a four-leaf clover.

On the next day, we took the Hiouchi Trail. It essentially followed the Smith River and went through more groves of tall trees. We finished the day with a tour of Battery Point Lighthouse in Crescent City. We’ll cover photos of the lighthouse on another entry.

After two days of hiking, we decided to spend much of the next day driving down toward Klamath, CA. We wanted to see the WWII radar facility that was disguised as a farmhouse and barn. The Coastal Road offered several viewing points from bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Vertical panoramic view

Lots of trilliums in bloom

Smith River

High Bluff Overlook

WWII Radar Station

So true!

Where Are We Going Next?