We began our 2024 summer travels by going up Highway 101 in California to Pacifica near San Francisco. Our first campsite was off Highway 1, right on the Pacific Ocean. We were up on a cliff, and it was pretty windy and chilly. My favorite thing about this site was that I could open the back curtains in our RV each morning and look out and see the ocean.
My other favorite thing to do was to capture photos of the sunset every evening. Every sunset was different and unique.
The ice plants were in full bloom. On clear afternoons, we could see people para-sailing over this coastline. The RV park is part of the Esplande Beach Overlook Trail. The trail goes right through the RV park and continues beyond it along this street. There are benches where you can sit and enjoy views like this. Some days the water was a beautiful turquoise blue.
After spending four days there, we got back on Highway 101 and crossed the bay on the Golden Gate Bridge. Although Highway 1 follows the coastline, we followed Highway 101 because it is easier for pulling a travel trailer. Highway 101 eventually makes its way back to the ocean near Eureka, CA.
North of Eureka is Klamath, California, where the Klamath River meets the Pacific Ocean. Our campground was right on the Klamath River. From there, it was only a short drive to Redwoods National Park.
Redwoods National Park is actually a combination of three California state parks (Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park) and a national park (Redwoods National Park) and stretches many miles along the northern coast of California.
There’s a scenic drive south of Klamath called the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. It is a ten-mile drive through the redwood trees.
Along the scenic drive was a side road to see The Big Tree. The pathway there was lined with all kinds of ferns.
No camera can quite capture the immensity of these huge redwood trees.
We continued south to the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park Visitors’ Center. On the way, we saw a bear along the road. In the meadow we saw several elk grazing.
After getting my National Parks Passport book stamped, we drove further south to Elk Meadow area where I hiked to Trillium Falls. Wildflowers greeted me at the start of the trail.
The forest soon closed in around me as the trail wound up switchbacks for a 200′ elevation gain. The sign at the trailhead said there were bears in the area. I was a little nervous being all alone, but I knew there were people ahead of me and behind me also.
I quit worrying and just enjoyed the quiet and beauty of the forest. Ferns grew everywhere, even out of old tree stumps.
I had to hold onto the roots of a large fallen redwood trying to avoid a muddy spot on the trail. There were several spots that were muddy and slippery. I took my time and didn’t slip.
These giant redwoods don’t have deep roots, but the roots spread out for quite a distance around them. These huge moss-covered trunks intrigued me.
After a half-mile of hiking, I came to Trillium Falls. The falls weren’t that impressive, but the setting was magical. The forest and ferns around it made it such a pretty place.
There were several people gathered around the falls getting photos and climbing on the rocks. I had to wait to get some photos.
It was such a beautiful spot in the late afternoon. The light was filtering down through the trees on this very twisted mossy tree that hung over the falls.
After lingering at the falls for awhile, I headed back to the truck. The trail continued on, but I didn’t carry any water with me, and I was getting pretty thirsty by then. I felt like this hike had been well worth the effort. There was just one thing more that I wished for. This may seem silly, but I prayed to see a trillium flower for which the falls was named.
My prayer was answered. Though I had looked all along the pathway for flowers, I didn’t see this one until I was on the way back.
“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” Psalm 37:23