Califormia Trip 2010 photos - Redwoods

 Part One Pinnacles

A day of wonder

A day of magic

Hush and calm surrounds.

Early morning fog.

Most of the fog I saw was thicker, but this was inland.

Still, seeing fog is a rarity for me.

Outside my sister's house at 6 a.m.

Redwoods are among the most ancient trees on earth, around 2,000 years old.

They are biologically different from other trees.

This is in the Henry Cowell State Park of Coastal Redwoods in Santa Cruz.

 This tree was cut down around 1940 and dates from the time of Christ.

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In this park lives many varieties of trees: among them are the coastal Redwoods, coastal Douglas Fir, California Bay Laurels,  tarbark oaks, hazelnut, and  the BigLeaf Maples.

Elfin forests are chaparral communities, and they  live in some of the areas high enough above sea level, with the rest of the forest comprised of old-growth forests of the coastal Redwoods and others, Madrones and live oaks and the occasional Ponderosa Pine.

The old-growth Redwoods make up some 40 acres in the park, and are surrounded by ferns and Redwood sorrel.

 
The Redwood Grove is made up of 'virgin' Redwoods, which are the oldest trees on earth, up to 1,800 years old, and about 300 feet tall and more than 16 feet in diameter. 

This grove is in a self-guided loop, with docents also available for those who wish them.

Near the entrance to the park all three Redwood types exist - the Coatal Redwood, the Giant Sequoia, and the Dawn Redwood, and are planted together.

The Giant Sequoia and the Dawn Redwood are not native to the area.

More than 20 miles of hiking rails exist along the creeks, with many beautiful, mini waterfalls during the rainy season of late fall to early spring. 

Historic lime kilns, and remnants of lime quarries are in this area of the park.

The area that is now the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park was once inhabited by the Ohlone, Native American hunger-gatherers and harvesters, who lived in the area before the Spanish.   

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This is not a Redwood, but another type of coniferous tree, likely a Douglas Fir.

The place is magical.

You will see what looks like fields of large, green clover, but is a type of wild sorrel, the Redwood Sorrel.

 Shadows and light, the  fecund forest floor. 

Inspires one to think about the majesty of these great arbors.

As a state park, every tree or branch that falls is left undisturbed.

This adds to the awe and majesty.

 A hush surrounds all.

Trees you can crawl through, one you can live in are trees you can also look up to the heavens in.

Calm in the center of it all.

 Looking heavenward, the magic never stops.

Thanks for being awed by the majesty of the Redwood.