Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park / Redwoods National Park

Our day in Redwoods was divided between the Sea and the Forest.

This park is unique in that it is a mixture of State & Federal Parklands all combined into one massive area.   We are staying in the State Park Campground yet it is strange to see it patrolled by both State & National Park Service Rangers.

After a morning visit to the National Park Information Center to get our bearings, we headed to the coast to drop off some work related mail at the post office, then took to visiting some of the sights in and around Crescent City, CA.

Down by the town Harbor Kate got up close and personal with some Sea Lions.

The Harbor is quite scenic and could be any harbor in New England.

After visiting the harbor we strolled on over to the Battery Point Lighthouse.

We then headed back up into the hills, and went for a 3.5 mile hike on Howland Hill Rd up to the Stout Redwood grove.  Here we walked among 2,000 year old tall Redwoods.

Howland Hill Rd is a narrow twisting 10-mile long road thru Old-Growth Redwood Forest.  The road was closed to vehicles due to road damage - so the forest was quiet and we had the road all to our selves. It was a beautiful afternoon.

Due to the 80" or so of rain that falls here in the average year - the plant life is unlike that which you will find in most places in the west.

The Rhododendron grows wild and large in this climate. The annual temperature varies only slightly between Winter (avg 52 degrees) and Summer (avg 67 degrees).

 Here was Rhododendron with a Spanish Moss like plant draped on it. I'm not quite sure what this plant is but it is very common throughout the woods in these parts.

When we got back to camp we went down to the Smith River (our campsite backs up to it).  

The Smith River is the last major free-flowing rivers in California.

While at the river we saw a loon (ish) type waterfowl swim by with it's chicks behind.

You can see them (just barely) in the center of the photo if you enlarge it.

Tomorrow we will be heading north along the coast to Newport, Oregon where we will spend a night. I would not be surprised to see even larger Rhododendron as we get up there.

I have also changed the delivery time of the daily email (for those of you signed up thru feedburner).  The email should now be delivered between 2 and 4pm.  I did this to allow me some time in the am to upload the blog if I don't have a good connection the night before and still get it to you that day.

See you in Oregon!