Roadtrip week through California and the Redwoods

We left our campsite in Bishop CA, and began heading northwest towards the Redwoods. It was no state park, but the sky was always pretty there!

Lenticular clouds

Goodbye, Mono Lake. Bowie is typically unimpressed with the scenery, but he's always interested in the water.

We had to cross the Sierra Nevadas somehow...we chose Monitor Pass and Luther Pass. Ol' Hodor did us proud going up and over those mountains.



And down


We kind of just blew through the whole state of California. It was a bummer, but we were getting desperate for affordable camping (and food!). We made a reservation in an Oregon State Park, and were making our way up and over to the coast. At the halfway point, we stopped at a county park in Yuba City, it was a really nice place, we had a creek-side campsite, and only wish we could have stayed a little longer.

California Countryside

Getting closer to the coast

There it is


We made it to edge, now we turn right!


Dark sand

We were so happy to be here. To hear the ocean roaring and see the mist drifting in over the green forests was such a comfort. We had been a long time coming through the desert and I can't fully describe how reassuring and refreshing this sight and these trees were for us.

And just a bit further up the coast, The Redwoods. Ah, woodland paradise. I've been wanting to see this place for a long time. We were sad that our visit was so brief, but we'll never forget it. We've seen the biggest, the oldest, and now the tallest trees!

We got to check out a few trails, see a bunch of elk, hug some trees...of course, the pictures do no justice to the last of these ancient wonders. You can't fully recognize their enormity without being there. It's funny because like the sequoia grove in Yosemite, most of my photos just look like a regular old forest - even the ferns offer no scale because they are huge too! 

We talked with a ranger who recommended the Trillium Falls trail for our short stay. Walking into that forest was nothing short of a spiritual rebirth.

"This trail leads you through the misty hallways of an ancient redwood forest. Along the path, families of Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and Sitka spruce reside beneath the shade of the world's tallest trees. The forest floor creates a moist sanctuary for red tree voles, Pacific giant salamanders, and banana slugs. Listen for the high-pitched hoots of the spotted owl or the rapid trills of the ever-present winter wren.

Along the creek, scattered patches of silky white trillium bloom in the spring. Near the waterfall, the heavy, sloping limbs of big-leaf maple reach out in every direction. The Sun's rays attempt to blaze through the foggy sky, sprinkling beams of light upon Trillium Falls, a 10-foot cascade flowing over rocks covered in deep-green moss."

Hello, friend

everything green

Walking through the tall trees

Back on the road, more pretty coast along highway 101

I think we were in Oregon at this point. I think we had parked in a casino RV lot for the night.
It's all blurring together! This was our picnic spot of the day.

We finally arrived at Bullard's Beach State Park which would be home for the next 2 weeks (and dare I say forever in our hearts??) We loved it there. Stay tuned, readers! And thanks for reading ;)