Orick, California.

The state of California and the National Park Service manage several state and national parks in northern California. There, you can see the most extensive stands of the coastal redwood species of giant sequoia trees. There are several differences between this variety of trees and those found in Sequoia National Park in central California.

As we traveled U.S. 101 up the California coast, nearing the park entrance, we traveled through the town of Orick, a population of about 350 residents and an unknown quantity of Elk, many of whom were sitting on lawns enjoying the day.

As we drove through the redwood forest, the clouds and high canopy of trees provided a cool, damp environment on this autumn day. The parks and campgrounds are managed by either the National Park Service or California State Parks, depending upon which section of the forest you are visiting.

The lower deciduous trees were just starting to turn, and along the highway, some of the leaves had already fallen by the roadside. The misty, humid weather coated the road with moisture. In the image above, the sign at the right indicates that the road leading right is Cal-Barrel Road. It’s a 3.5-mile road, mostly gravel, that provides access to some lesser-used trails in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. According to the National Park Service website, the old logging road climbs about 700 feet (213 m), and it has some tight corners. Cal Barrel Road is not frequently used, and it can be covered by redwood needles.

The vast redwood forests are only about 5 percent of what they once were. There is a project underway to help redevelop the natural habitat. Redwoods Rising is a collaborative restoration initiative. The group is tasked with the missions of protecting old-growth stands, restoring redwood forest ecosystems, and ensuring the long-term health of these mighty trees. Working with redwood enthusiasts, park visitors, local communities, and tribes, the restoration effort will involve forest and vegetation management, removal of abandoned logging roads, cultural site protection, and watershed management. You can find out more about their goals at this NPS site.

This trip was our first trip to these beautiful redwood forests. The giant trees were really a challenge to photograph. You can view these images and additional photos in 2K HD in my Flickr album here.

John Steiner