April 28-30, 2023
Friday
After leaving the Sequoia National Park, we needed to figure out where to head next.
No need to worry; our navigator and co-pilot were on it!
Wait! Someone is sleeping on the job!
Our nephew, Joe, who lives in San Diego with his wife, Carolina, and their precious daughter, Marina, advised us on several picturesque areas to try and see in California. His recommendations included the areas around Redding, CA. So that’s where we headed. Exiting Interstate 5 and turning onto Jellys Ferry Road, we passed many scenic meadows, quaint sheep farms, majestic horse ranches, and Driscoll Strawberry fields.
Sacramento River Bend Recreation Area
Then we turned down Bend Ferry Road to our next campsite, Perry Rifle Campground, in the Bureau of Land Management Sacramento River Bend Recreation Area.
Driving down the road to the campground, most of our words consisted of oohs and ahhs at the alleys of big trees, swaying grasses, wildflower meadows, and inviting trails. But where was everyone? We were the only ones driving down the road. This place should be filled with people enjoying the beautiful area.
Meadows are covered with wildflowers in the spring but turn brown dry grasses in the summer. We were here at the right time.
We wanted to camp next to Coyote Pond, but it is prohibited. We drove down to Perry Riffle Campground. It was a simple, paved circular space for four campers designated with picnic tables nestled in the grass. We chose a spot and settled in for the evening.
Saturday Morning Bike Ride
Anxious to explore, we took off on our bikes the following day and found everyone!
Along the way, hikers were on the trails. Equestrians were unloading their horses for a trail ride. Photographers were capturing beauty. A mother, trying to hold a moment, took pictures of her babies amongst the wildflowers.
At Coyote Pond, we watched men, women, and children throw their lines into the water, hoping for a fish at the other end.
We left the pond and took the river trail with mountain views.
Of course, I had to take pictures of the beautiful flowers along the way.
Disclaimer – Looking up the flowers and matching them with our images can be tricky. Please let me know if I need to correct a name or if you can identify them.
The next trail we biked led to sheep farmlands. They were curious about us, so we stopped and said ‘hello.’
We had to move on…
Back at camp in the afternoon, we loaded our bikes, packed up the trailer and headed out. The route we chose was CA. Hwy. 299. The beautiful Trinity River Scenic Drive was enjoyable. Oh my, we wanted to camp next to the river at one of the several sites along the way. We pulled into each one. However, they were all closed until May 21! I wish we had followed our rule and stopped at a ranger station or visitor center to inquire beforehand. Oh well, we would have missed the scenery. A rest area on Highway 299 allowed overnight stay up to eight hours – not camping. That was our stop for the night. Another camping couple with the same dilemma was already there. They were from Canada touring the U.S.
Sunday morning – Prairie Creek Redwood State Park
Redwoods National Park encompasses four state parks. The California State Park system and the National Park system work together to preserve the redwoods and the surrounding forest ecosystem.
Highway 299 leads us to the Redwood Highway. We stopped at Prairie Creek Redwood State Park. According to the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway storyboard in the Prairie Creek Redwood State Park, the highway extends from the San Francisco Golden Gate to Grants Pass, Oregon. The route began in 1909 and passed through more than two million acres of forest encompassing some of the tallest trees. The woods included Indian territory and ranches. The availability of the highway gave rise to small logging camps in the forest, which cut down many of the majestic trees.
Mary next to a redwood cut-down in 1917.
In 1918, the Save the Redwoods League was established to protect the redwoods. On a storyboard, a Yurok Tribe member stated:
I despise the idea of the government usurping and taking over Yurok territory. Yet, given the circumstances of the last 100 years, the land probably couldn’t be in better hands. If it were still privately owned, it would have been all cut down by now except for a strip along the freeway.
If the redwoods weren’t preserved, by the end of the 20th century, 95% of the redwoods in the two million acres would have been destroyed.
Walk amongst the redwoods.
There are redwood trees that have been around since the time of the dinosaurs. Some are over 350 feet tall and weigh about 500 tons. Yet, they probably began from a seed the size of a tomato seed. Mature redwood pinecones release seeds in August or September.
Redwoods preserve their family. If a redwood is felled or badly burned, a ring of new trees grows from the burl around the fallen tree’s base. The saplings use the parent tree’s root system. This is called stump and basal sprouting.
The difference between a sequoia and a redwood is that redwoods grow taller, and sequoias grow wider.
The bark of a redwood can be up to a foot thick, which makes it resistant to fire and insects.
Redwoods have shallow roots. The roots penetrate only 10 to 13 feet deep but spread out 60 to 80 feet.
The base of the tree in comparison to a person.
Walking under the canopy.
Tree hugger or tree climber?
On the road again…
Driving up Hwy 101, we had to pull over. The sun was going down over the Pacific Coastline.
Our time in California is over for 2023. Because of this winter’s heavy snowfall, even though we missed many notable sites in California, we appreciate what we saw and learned. Several were unplanned surprises! Hopefully, we will return another year and be able to fill in the blanks.
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Thanks Rebekah, I’m trying to get into the habit of posting more often. There’s just so much to see and do! 🙂