Avenue Of The Giants

We left Truckee California on an adventure, taking the long way home, heading northwest toward Redding instead of east toward Minnesoa. The route takes us through mountains, valleys and attractive little towns like Sierraville and Red Bluff. It's hot in the valleys and cool in the mountains. We stumble across the beautiful Feather River outside Quincy, California and stop to enjoy the view.

We wander up and down mountains until we reach Lassen Volanic National Park where we pick up our lifetime National Parks Seniors pass for $80. Most of the park is closed for the season but we drive as far as we can and get out to take in the view of the beauty surrounding us in every direction. Dave takes a video from a bridge that sits about 75 feet above Mill Creek. There isn't a rail between us and the ground below. It is unnerving but a gorgeous view.

Eight foot verticle posts mark the path for the snowplow

We leave Rte. 89 and take Hwy. 36 toward Redding where we will stay for the night. We are surprised to see black volcanic rocks littering the valleys all along the open fields for many miles. It is amazing to think that these rocks were tossed during the last eruption from 1914-1917.

On day two we rise at the crack of dawn, hoping to make it to the Avenue of the Giants in the Humboldt Redwoods by days end. We drive through Greyeagle where the lupines are two feet tall, growing in the shadows of burned out forest. The trees are destroyed yet new growth is springing up beneath the charred remains. It's erie but it's also beautiful.

Our course takes us through Hayfork, a small mountain town where our friend Sonya grew up. As we make our way up the mountain we pass marijuana farms with greenhouses sprawling out on the meadows. The air holds the strong smell of cannabis terpenes. The road has a speed limit of 55 which seems impossible to maintain yet cars and work trucks continue to plow past us on the pull outs that allow slower drivers to get the heck out of the way of the locals who know these roads. The drive down the other side was no easier although it is a beautiful area with a lot to catch our eye. We are delayed more than once by land or rock slides. 

Once we make it down out of the mountain, we head south to the Avenue of the Giants to walk among the Redwoods. We stop at the Humboldt Drury Chaney Grove which is said to be the most popular and scenic trail. We hike the 2.9 mile path in awe. The forest here is magical. The trees tower over a floor which is layered in age old redwood log debris. There is a thick carpet of oxalis or redwood sorrel, thriving in the shaded environment. Along with ferns, oxalis is the only plant that will grow in the cool moist conditions under the redwood trees. These beautiful giants are protected. Some grow right up to the blacktop of the road. Reflectors sit in front of them to warn drivers from striking them and to protect the trees from damage. This experience was a highlight of our entire trip. We wish we had more time here. There is a marathon held at the Avenue of the Giants. We've had it on our bucket list for years. Maybe it should rise to the top.