Photos, information and some GPS. Over 300 redwood forest photos arein 4 albums. Plus leads for motel lodging, hiking, guides and articles. Content links to over 100 other redwood resources plus 40 more of my own redwood pages. Hyperion the tallest redwood and Lost Monarch the largest, have a full page for each one. Please allow a moment for the photo albums to load. Are you ready to explore or vacation at the coast redwood rainforest: Redwood National Park, Prairie Creek, Jedediah Smith and Humboldt Redwoods State Parks? This information should come in handy. Muir Woods info is just minimal because the north parks are the Big League for redwood adventures.
Feel free to share short notes or stories about redwoods. A parks contact is included below for general questions. Note that hints for undisclosed redwoods or groves are not available. None of the champion / landmark redwood pages provide directions.
Copyright 2008 - 2010 by Mario Vaden
Welcome to coast redwoods: Sequoia sempervirens. This page began 2008 about a handful of largest redwoods in one grove, and grew to 40 pages. The list to the left shows some that most folks will not get a chance to see. But there are many comparable ones to enjoy if you look carefully and slow down a little while hiking.
With patience, 90% of folks visiting here, should be able to find what they are looking for about coast redwoods: or a lead to what they seek.
There is everything from redwood dimensions, to suggested Maps / Maps and Hiking, researchers, travel information, photographers, chambers of commerce, articles: even poison-oak identification. Plus pages for the largest coast redwoods including Lost Monarch, Del Norte Titan and Fusion Giant. Album 3 seems to have a few more of the large views.
When you view the redwood albums, read the caption of frame #2 about navigation to see larger file sizes available. Image Policy: for image use at websites or for projects , please read: The Image Use Policy
Photographs include albino redwood, Jedediah Smith redwoods, Rockefeller Forest, Avenue of the Giants, Lost Monarch, Prairie Creek redwoods, Jedediah Smith redwoods, Howland Hill Giant, Terex Titan, Stratosphere Giant, El Viejo del Norte and more. Wi-Fi Hotspots too.
Links for researcher Sillett and explorer Taylor are also provided. Photo right: near Lost Monarch in Jedediah Smith redwoods: image courtesy of G. Beranek.
Exploring: my time in the redwoods is hiking, camping and exploring. The redwoods are an outdoor museum which led to interesting conversations and new friends. For visitors from afar who need a local guide, drop an email for a name or two: not for Hyperion or such, but a memorable redwoods experience.
2008 & 2009 provided opportunities to explore with Michael Taylor, Chris Atkins & Prof. Steve Sillett, in Redwood National Park, Prairie Creek redwoods and Jedediah Smith redwoods. The days were strenuous, and enjoyable. Miles of deep forest exploring and discoveries. Plus a chance to lend a hand with locating tall redwoods related to LIDAR data. Continued on: Exploring Redwoods.
Coast redwoods provide many hikes, and drives: Bald Hills Rd. or Avenue of the Giants. Expect park staff & rangers to be helpful: they have been for me. Keep in mind that northern California has the best places to see redwoods. Oregon redwoods are a forest walk for locals.
Some Places ...
Here are a few places of interest among the north redwoods or in close proximity which provide entertainment, scenery or resources. Most are in northern California.
Oregon Caves is near Cave Junction. And Harris Beach State Park is next to Brookings, Oregon, minutes from the northenrmost natural range of the redwoods. Oregon State Parks campgrounds are among the best in the United States. Trees of Mystery at Klamath, has a gondola ride and native American artifact museum. Avenue of the Giants and Myers Flat are at Humboldt Redwoods State Park. And click this link for more places and things to do
What are the Grove of Titans & Atlas Grove
This page all began after I located the Grove of Titans and Atlas Grove, then shared a handful of photos. Those are two old growth redwood groves which have been studied, each with one or more of the top 10 largest redwoods. Grove of Titans was discovered by Prof. Steve Sillett & Mr. Michael Taylor. And Atlas grove was discovered by Taylor, in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The locations basically undisclosed: the parks provide no maps.
Grove of Titans continued: see Grove of Titans aka "GOT" + Atlas Grove continued: see Atlas Grove & Project
Images below: photos are linked to full pages about each redwood. 1. Lost Monarch in the Grove of Titans. 26' wide, over 40,000 cubic feet (2010), larger than all but 7 Giant Sequioa with a trunk a few inches wider than General Sherman at dbh. Bigger than Sequoiadendron Washington & Grizzly Giant at Mariposa Grove. 2. Iluvatar redwood in Prairie Creek redwoods, 3rd largest coast redwood. 3. Screaming Titans in Grove of Titans, 30' wide at chest level from this view. 4. Almost 23' wide is Del Norte Titan. The base reminds me of ancient Greek columns. The ferns provide a green corridor.
Redwood hiking is among the best exercise I have ever done. Beats the gym. Exploring provides recreation that overlaps my professional work and education. For me, the biggest redwoods provide landmarks to memory-peg learning. And redwoods should glorify God, not displace him.
Some people say that redwoods make us seem insignificant. Here is some food for thought: Psalm 8: 4-5 “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels (Elohim = God), and has crowned him with glory and honour.” The use of "angels" is a translation error . The proper translation would be "God (as Creator)".
Image: the redwood to the right is Sir Isaac Newton in Prairie Creek. About 24' diameter with a 40,000 pound burl.
For size, Oregon redwoods don't really compare with north California redwoods, although there are a few sweet spots in Oregon. To see huge redwoods pick Jedediah Smith redwoods like Boy Scout Tree trail and Stout Grove, or Prairie Creek Redwoods at spots like Brown Creek trail or James Irvine trail. Those are minutes from Oregon and why I occassionally camp at Harris Beach State Park by Brookings, Oregon, for coastline and forest.
The coast redwoods of Del Norte and Humboldt county have a rainforest, unlike areas like The Trail of 100 Giants or Kings Canyon in the Giant Sequoias. The coast redwood forests and trails tend to be more lush and green: and the coast redwoods seem to be revealed as you move along.
Also, there may always be a bigger redwood out there yet undiscovered. While trying to locate Fusion Giant in Redwood National Park, I noticed an unusually large trunk high up a hillside. Which I refer to as Episkopos. Eh-pis'-kop-oss = Overseer. That is the Sequoia semperivens which made me realize that another largest redwood may exist until every acre of remaining old growth is . Its 23' DBH is a beastly trunk for steep hillside 300 feet higher than a creek in the sunny exposure.
Odds & Ends and Online Articles
When you have a moment, here are a few more pages to the side with articles or photos. 4 are essay style by M. D. Vaden.
The Day of Discovery is an article excerpt from a chapter in The Wild Trees, when the Grove of Titans was found at the end of a full day trek through the heart of Jedediah Smith redwoods.
Climbing the Redwoods was an article prior to release of The Wild Trees. That New York Times story describes redwoods climbing, and introduces Atlas Grove and Adventure redwood in Prairie Creek park.
WW II Bombing: A Japanese aviator Fujita bombed the west coast, September 1942, attempting to start fires near the north redwoods. It was a retaliation for the April 1942 Doolittle Raid. The plane was transported by a submarine. That was the only WW II air bombing of the continental United States, occuring near Crescent City, but closer to Brookings: Reference 1 | Reference 2 | Reference 3
Bigfoot Legend: There have been several reports of a Bigfoot or Sasquatch in the redwoods. If Bigfoot amuses you, a room size Bigfoot trap was built in the 1970s with permission from the USDA Forest Service, east of the redwoods in Oregon. It is located about 3 miles north of the California and Oregon Border. To see that page and GPS, go to: The BIGFOOT Trap. I came to the conclusion that if there was a Bigfoot in the redwoods, the people who would know are probably Prof. Sillett, Michael Taylor, Chris Atkins or Ron Hildebrant: those who explored extensively off-trail. Or the few others with similar experience. If such a creature existed, its very possible they would keep its existence secret to protect trampling of groves where the habitat may reside.
Hyperion, world's tallest redwood
Hyperion: Photo at right 115.61m | 379.1' tall, 15.88' dbh
Image use: Image Use Policy
More at Hyperion Redwood Page
January 2009, was the month I located Hyperion redwood, the tallest known tree in the world: 379.1 feet tall and a trunk over 15 feet wide at DBH. Previously, Stratosphere Giant in Humboldt Redwoods State Park was the record holder, presently the 4th tallest known coast redwood.
Hyperion redwood was discovered September 8, 2006, by Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor, naturalists who explored California coast redwoods including Redwood National Park. Preliminary measurement was done with a laser rangefinder. In September 2006, Prof. Steve Sillett climbed Hyperion for a tape drop measurement filmed by National Geographic. A rod can be used also, to measure tips overhead out of reach.
Continued at the full page: Hyperion Redwood Page
Helios & Icarus: In Spring of 2009, I located Helios redwood also, memorable for the effort to get there and scenic tranquility. Its a fine looking redwood. Because its trunk looks bigger than Hyperion, Helios seems more husky and primeval. But the diameter is comparable. The grove has many fallen limbs and limbs concealed under a heavy cover of sword ferns, and fast progress is asking for injury. The redwood Icarus is in the same grove. The closest stream has been called Dry Heaves Creek and the grove Helios Grove. Helios must get water from a spring because its a quite a ways up the mountain. Apparently, Helios could overtake Hyperion as tallest in time.
Maps and Hiking
With excellent redwood hiking maps and photographs. redwoodhikes.com is worth a 5 star rating ***** and hands-down the best site for reviewing redwood hiking destinations. Redwood photos, trail ratings, big detailed maps, elevations and more. Covers Muir Woods, Montgomery Woods, Jedediah Smith, Prairie Creek, Redwood National Park, Humboldt Redwoods State Park and more. In addition to the online image maps, you can order some of the best full size trail maps. Take a moment and visit that site. It is the first one in the table below along with other general online maps and park information resources. The northern extent of Sequoia sempervirens is near Brookings Oregon, and that small region has some appreciable redwoods too.
Most of the largest and tallest coast redwoods are in the northern parks, like Rockefeller Forest and Avenue of the Giants, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Redwood National Park, and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.
Image at right: 6th Largest Howland Hill Giant
Indian tribes among Redwoods
One of my recent interests are Indian tribes among the redwoods. The workmanship of some Indian crafts displayed at the Kuchel Visitor Center in Orick, California, inspired curiosity.
If you want to see a great collection of Native American Indian artifacts, drop in at the Trees_of_Mystery in Klamath. They have a fine museum in several rooms with one of the best private collections in the country. One book worth ordering: Handbook of the Indians of California Bulletin. A steep price increase from soft to hardback. But an affordable entry level cost.
Continued on: see Indian Tribes of the Redwood Coast
Muir Woods FAQs & Guides
Here is a link to the Muir Woods National Monument FAQS page from the National Park Service for your convenience. Some describe Muir Woods as a quiet sanctuary. Parts of Muir Woods can be a busy in the summer.
Muir Woods FAQs page - click here
Muir Woods guides in several languages. English, French, Russian, German, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese.
Muir Woods Maps & Guides - click here
Dial for California highway conditions
If you are traveling to the redwoods, its worth checking for highway conditions, especially between October and May due to occassional storms. The highways I check on most often are Hy. 199 and Hy. 101. Call the number below and simply enter the California highway number on your keypad.
Dial Highway Conditions 1 - 800 - 427 - 7623
Redwood parks info centers, US Forest Service
The parks visitors centers are the perfect place for specific questions:
- What dates are camping reservations available?
- Is Howland Hill Rd. in Jedediah Smith redwoods open after a storm?
- Are Rhododendrons or Clintonia blooming yet?
- Are there any day use fees?
- How do I get an overnight camping permit or gate pass for Tall Trees Grove?
- Where are the bookstores located?
To contact the visitor center see:
Click Here: Redwood Parks Information Center Contact
Redwood National Park is managed by the US Forest Service. Contact them for information too.
Wi-Fi internet hotspots: north redwoods
Wi-Fi Internet Suggestion In case you need to check email, share photos or find places on your vacation.
Best places to see north coast redwoods
Best places to see the Redwoods I put together a page about the best places to see the northern redwoods when you have a few days to spend and want to squeeze in the most sights and memories that you can.
Example of Coast to Coast redwood vacation cost Here are the basics to show how affordable a redwood vacation can be.
Lodging and motels
Ravenwood Motel In Klamath. With decorated clean rooms, wireless Internet, gorgeous gardens, quiet location AND excellent rates, Ravenwood is the perfect lodging for your fishing, hiking, birding, beachcombing or sightseeing vacation
Hiouchi Motel in Hiouchi virtually next door to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Apparently has WiFi and will accomodate "well behaved" pets. Conveniently located near a small market. Also near the Smith River.
Redwoods River Resort At Leggett. Motel, cozy cabins and camping cabins. In addition to the rooms and cabins are RV sites with full hookups and tent camping. Mini mart store to supply most items you might need.
Super 8 Fortuna At Fortuna. Lcated by the Avenue of the Giants Redwoods in Northern California. Free WiFi, Free Continental Breakfast,, Cable TV with HBO, Iron and Board, In Room Coffee, Hair Dryer, and Air Conditioning.
Curly Redwood Lodge Motel Highway 101 at Crescent City, California. Near food and shopping. It was built from one curly redwood tree that produced 57,000 board feet of lumber. Curly redwood is unique because of the curly grain of the wood, unlike typical straight grained redwood. 5 minutes away from the Redwood State Park.
Historic Requa Inn Klamath: National Georgraphic Traveler magazine 2009 Stay List. Klamath, California. Spectacular view, home-cooked food, camaraderie with guests. Bed-and-breakfast inn with 10 charming rooms.
Palms Motel & Cafe Orick, California. Motel, restaurant. Wi-fi & Indoor Pool. Home made pies and jellies. Located on Highway 101, next door to Redwood National Park.
Carter House Inns & Restaurant Eureka, CA. Want something different? I heard good reviews, Just down the street from the Carson Mansion in Eureka old town. Between Avenue of the Giants and Redwood National Park. This is luxurious lodging. Check prices and availabilty..
Trinidad Bay Bed & Breakfast In the heart of Town, overlooking Trinidad Bay and the Lighthouse. The only historic B&B in Trinidad. It is a quintessential B&B, and one of Trinidad's Icons.
Benbow Hotel and Resort near Garberville. Tudor-style hotel,. pool-side fun, RV resort and golf. Just minutes away from the breathtaking vistas of the Lost Coast, hiking, kayaking and birding in the North Coast, and majestic old growth redwood forests along the Avenue of the Giants.
Redwood Coast Vacation Rentals. Comfortable vacation retreats in Trinidad, Arcata & Ferndale with a variety of homes to choose from. Close to beaches, town, hiking, and the Redwoods.
Myers Country Inn Myers Flat . Bed & Breakfast on the scenic Avenue of the Giants, within minutes of redwood groves. Formerly a stage stop, this historic inn is near several National Forests and State Parks.
Travel Inn Fortuna, CA. 20 miles north of the Avenue of the Giants and minutes from the Victorian Village of Ferndale. 25 guest rooms. Have not found reviews for this place yet. Rates start low, especially off-season.
When do Rhododendrons bloom?
If a year can be called an average year, the best time to see Rhododendron flowers is from the middle of May to early June. Each year varies and you may need to call the park visitor centers for the season. 2010 for exampl, was99% void of Rhody blossoms. My hypothesis is that lack of light rather than cold prevented flowering. The response of plants to day-length is sometimes really a response to night-length. As the nights lengthen, a Rhododendron can become dormant. Some growers have lit plants for short interval, dividing the dark period into 2 short "nights" to prevent dormancy.
In 2010, the only area that I saw Rhododendrons blossoms in some abundance was along Forty Four Creek horse trail of Redwood National Park. A mixed species hillside that was not as shaded in the understory. Cool temps may be related too, but I suspect that light levels mattered a lot.
Redwood information, facts and education
Redwood Education Guide Nearly 100 pages. Resource for those who want to learn about the coast redwood community and want to help others learn. Up-to-date resource and contact lists.
Humboldt Redwoods Interpretive Along the Eel River, Humboldt Redwoods State Park has over 53,000 acres, including old-growth redwoods. Over 250 camp sites, 100 miles of hiking, biking, and riding trails, and scenic 32-mile Avenue of the Giants.
North Coast Redwood Interpretive Center A 501(c)(3) corporation established to assist California State Parks as a Cooperating Association. Providing a spectrum of educational and interpretive opportunities in 7 parks for cultural heritage & natural history.
Redwood Tree Profile by Flower Essence Society. Coast Redwood is Sequoia sempervirens. The Latin species name “forever living” or “forever green.”
Highway 199 ~ Redwood Highway Check out the Redwood Information and Map option too.
Sequoia sempervirens And informative page on Coast Redwoods with a lot of info and photos
Coast Redwood and Giant Sequioia: Compare Coast Redwood with Giant Sequoia at Wikipedia with these articles.
Tours, Guides, Adventure
The Redwood Coast Nature Guide Jenny Hanson, naturalist & guide for individuals, families, groups, people w/ limitations.
Gilbert Redwood Excursions A professionally guided hike is a wonderful way to discover the rugged beauty of the California Coastal Redwoods in the mountains of the California central coast. Get your group together, and we will help you plan your day-hike or backpack excursion.
Redwood Adventures Tours, hiking and more. Just outside Orick. Looking for the perfect family vacation, romantic holiday, wedding or corporate retreat? Want to get away and enjoy quality time in the great outdoors? We offer full-service hospitality to all visitors of Redwood National and State Parks. Conveniently located in the heart of Redwood National Park: minutes from world famous Lady Bird Johnson Grove.
FITPACKING Weight Loss Backpacking Adventures Our trip will begin in Redwood National Park into Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, eventually heading through Del Norte Redwoods State Park and ending in Oregon.
Things to do
Trees of Mystery Welcoming visitors for over 50 years. A premier attraction on California's North Coast.south of Crescent City. Cable car / Gondola ride, motel, gift shop and the Forest Cafe. Native Indian artifact museum: one of the best collections in the country.
Explore Del Norte The Real Northern California and part of America’s Wild River Coast, is world-renowned for towering ancient redwoods, the wild and scenic Klamath Smith river, world-class fishing, and exceptional bird watching. Spectacular beaches, abundant wildlife, and majestic redwood forests provide pure unspoiled nature and a magical place to get away from it all.
Sunny Fortuna About Fortuna, a small town near Richardson Grove and Rockefeller Forest.
California Redwood Coast Photos, places, food, lodging, events.
101 Things to do in Humboldt County Ad magazine, printed and online, full of places to see and do..
Drive-through redwoods
Drive Through Redwood In the hamlet of Leggett, is the Chandelier drive-thru redwood. Visit the gift shop, picnic by the pond or hike the Park's 250 acres of wilderness. Drive-Thru Tree Park is open dawn to dusk year round.
Drive Through Redwoods Information USDA & Forest Service pages about the drive through redwoods.
The famous Wawona giant sequoia in Yosemite National Park fell over in 1969 under a heavy snowfall.
Restaurants and food
The Chart Room An excellent restaurant for seafood and other meals. This is where I eat most often in Crescent City. Overlooking the ocean and lighthouse.
The Larrupin' Cafe In Trinidad. Not inexpesive. But if you like really good food, that's basically culinary and entertaining to eat, this is excellent. On Patrick's Point Drive. About 20 minutes south of Redwood National Park.
Cher-ae Heights Casino Sunset Restaurant In Trinidad. Overlooking the coastline, Casino, restaurants and lounge. Sunset Restaurant once voted best fine dining and most romantic restaurant in Humboldt County.
Trinidad Bay Eatery and Gallery In Trinidad. A favorite of visitors, locals and fishermen since 1975.
Hawg Wild ~ no website. Located in Orick, near Redwood National Park. This Biker bar restaurant has a reputation for being very friendly with possibly the best restaurant food for miles. Along highway 101. Look for the old Lumberjack and Martini glass tavern sign.
Campgrounds, RV resorts
Redwoods RV Resort Nestled in the towering Redwoods along the Northern California coast.
Experience the thrill of RV, tent & cabin camping under a canopy of soaring spruce, hemlock, Douglas fir and Redwoods — the world's tallest trees — towering overhead.
Ancient Redwoods RV Park Home of the Hollow Log Truck. Located one mile north of Redcrest, California, on the world famous Avenue of the Giants. The park sits amongst the tallest living things in the world, near Founders grove, Rockefeller Forest, and Humboldt Redwoods State Park Visitor Center.
KOA Redwoods Campground ~ Crescent City, California. On 17 forested acres
Riverwalk RV Park Fortuna, California. RV park and Campground nestled by the Eel River. Stands of Redwoods fill surrounding hills. Immaculately maintained grounds and facilities. Cabins, RV and Tent camping.
Photography, photos
PHOTOGRAPHY by Lowell Cottle Professional photos by naturalist photographer Lowell Cottle . Redwoods, birds and more.
North California and Redwoods Virtual Photography PIck a park and view one of the 360 degree photography tours.
North Coast Photos with Redwoods North Coast photography
Redwood Image Archaeology Redwood Post Card and Image Archive. Including the Quadruped Tree, Fraternal Monarch and One Log House.
Other
M. D. Vaden Cargo Trailer Conversion The switch from RV trailer to Cargo Trailer for camping. With a referral for a teardrop and cargo trailer conversion forum.
Tarol's Webpage Park Ranger personal site.
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