For all of you who read and follow us regularly, you know that Mama Nomad’s parents were with us for about a week. We went to Multnomah Falls and drove the Pacific Coast Byway. Then, just before Christmas, we surprised them by taking them to Northern California to Walk With Giants: the California Redwoods.
We learned that the Redwoods are not just in a State Park or a National Park, they were actually located in a combined National and State Park system. And the park was broken up into pieces over hundred of miles. So we chose an area that was a little closer for us to drive to. Our destination was Klamath, California; a little town with less than 800 people.
We left Oregon and drove into Northern California on State Highway 101. This road enters the Redwood National and State Park System and, for a long stretch, it runs next to the Smith River. We got a glimpse of the river on the way to the Redwoods. But, with the giant trees on our minds, we decided not to pull over now and try to see in on the way back.
We began driving among larger and larger trees. But, they were of a size that we had seen before. Then…all of a sudden…bam! Gigantic trees everywhere. I told Mama Nomad that it looked like we were on Endor again. Unlike when I made the statement at the Tamolitch Blue Pool, this time it was because of the sheer size of the trees (last time it was because of vegetation coverage). We pulled over and I had the boys stand side by side in front of one. There was still feet of tree on both sides of them. I parked Ebony in front of a smaller one. She is around 18 feet long and she covered most of the tree.
Along the way, there was a break in the trees and an opening for beach access. So we took it to walk the Northern Beach Shores of California. It was nice to hear the waves crashing and to smell that familiar scent of salt water. But the cold and the wind caused our frolicking to be kept short and within 15 to 20 minutes, we were back on the road again.
We got to Klamath and checked in to our hotel. We stayed just long enough to drop our bags and we were back out the door. Not too far away was Tour Thru Tree. That is its name. It is one of many trees that you can drive through. Which, that blew my mind. I thought there was only one. Nope. There are a few and they are all privately owned. This one was just south of Klamath right before the Klamath River. The entry was unattended and they basically run on the honor system to leave money behind through a little slot in the building at the entrance. We drove up and around a few winding turns until we came upon it.
Now, it is truly fascinating that they were able to cut such a big section out of this giant tree and it is still standing. It looked quite sturdy. However, if the day was windy, I am not sure if I would have wanted to drive through it with the worry of wind causing it to crack or break. Luckily, the day was calm and sunny.
I let everyone out of Ebony or they would not have been able to get out once she was in the tree. Mama Nomad stayed in Ebony with me. For all of you who have little cars or trucks, you will have no problems driving through. But, with Ebony having the frame of a truck, I had about 2 inches on each side of her before I would have hit tree. To say it was a tight squeeze would be an understatement. But, with a calm mind and steady hand, we pulled her through. Wow was that an experience!
We also learned that there was an ocean lookout nearby that were supposed to give great views of the ocean and cliffs. It was near Kamp Klamath. It was just across the river from the Tour Thru Tree. We got into the park area and some of the roads were closed. This made me kind of bummed because there was a WWII radar station that was disguised as a farm house. But, it was on one of the closed roads. But, there were enough open roads that we were able to pull into parking areas to hike and check out the overlooks. It resembled the Oregon Coast. The biggest difference is that it was not as emerald green of a color.
Once we had hiked all we were going to hike, we headed back to the hotel. The next day, we drove north a few miles to a place called Trees of Mystery. This is a private enterprise that was founded in 1931. It has hundreds of towering redwoods and other evergreens, over 50 chainsaw carvings, a museum, trails and a gondola ride that takes you up about 600 feet over the course of 1/3 mile to be in and among the tree tops. You can’t miss this place, it has a towering Paul Bunyan and Babe The Ox in front of it. Admission is $16 for adults, $12 for seniors 60 and over, $8 for kids 6 to 12 and free for kids 5 and under.
I could probably take you on a tour of the place through my pix; I took over 450 of them! But, I will try to highlight some of the points and let you get a sample of the experience. You pay and enter the area. There are signs that clearly mark the path, including where the trail starts. There are also signs that describe some of the trees and, on occasion, there are audios that will tell you about the tree or event. You will spend a lot of time looking up. That is a promise. So be prepared and stretch that neck before you go. I looked up taking pix so much that I actually laid on the ground, on my back, to take some of them.
Once you meander through a good portion of the trail, you will come to the Sky Trail, which is where you board the gondola. Hop in, sit down and enjoy the ride. Do not worry about missing something on the way up, you will likely take the gondola back down and get another chance to see it. On the gondola ride you will be at tree top level for many of the trees. You will also get a glimpse of the Pacific Ocean. Once at the top, there are bathrooms and an observation platform. Take your time and take it in.
Once you are ready to go, you can either hike down the advanced path or take the gondola ride back down. We opted for the gondola ride. Once you reach the bottom, you will continue to hike along the trails that take you by more giant redwoods, sitkas and other trees. At the end, you can enter the gift shop which also has a great museum. The Trees of Mystery was worth every penny! That was truly a great place to walk with giants and enjoy some living things that have been around for 3000+ years. It is a highly recommended and suggested place to visit.
After the Trees of Mystery, we decided to head on back. Along the way, Trevor, the youngest Nomad Son, really wanted to see if we could hold hands and wrap around one of the big redwoods. So, we pulled over and tried. It took some balancing skills and actual tree hugging, but we got it done with a few inches to spare.
We continued on and, this time, when we saw the Smith River, we pulled over. The water was a very unique blue-green color. From further away it looked like it may be murky. But, as we got close to it, the water was completely clear. You could see all the way to the bottom of it. The boys and I hiked and climbed down rocks until we reached the water’s edge. Sure, we could have taken the path and walked, but what fun is that? Mama Nomad and her parents stayed towards the top and eventually meandered onto the bridge that spanned over the Smith River. The boys and I hiked back up, snapped a few pix with them and jumped back into Ebony.
From there we plotted a course for home base and back to Oregon we went. The trip to walk with giants was a breath-taking experience. To see some of the largest and oldest living things on the planet is just awe-inspiring. This is a trip I would put on the books if you enjoy trees, rivers and nature in general. We had a great time. Safe Travels.
