The Redwoods
christina
Home to the tallest trees in the world, the Redwood Forest is completely enchanting and deeply spiritual and moving. With an indigenous connection to the Oohl people (aka the Yurok, among others), and a long cultural and economic history, this sacred land is at the forefront of the balance between Nature and humanity and has lots to teach us.
Sequoia sempervirens, also known as coastal or California redwood, can reach up to 379ft (115.5m) with a diameter of approximately 30 feet (8.9m). Here’s a story detailing how they found that tree and what came to be known as the Grove of Titans.
Among the oldest living things on Earth (the oldest known one is about 2,200 years old), the coastal redwoods are majestic trees that line 470 miles (750km) of the American Pacific coast from California to Oregon. The Redwood National and State Parks consist of multiple parks in the region that cover approximately 139,000 acres (560km).
Thriving on the dense fog coming off of the ocean that provides moisture year round, their name, sempervirens, comes from the Latin “ever green” or “everlasting.” When contemplating their huge and continuous nature, the name seems fitting.
The Yurok people consider the trees to be sacred living beings that stand as guardians. They understand the trees to be Spirit Beings who were a divine race who existed pre-humans and taught people the ways of living in balance with Nature. Though they incorporate use of the redwood trees in their building of homes and canoes, the trees are respected and intuitive craftsmanship is used.
It’s not hard to imagine and embrace this vision of the forest. These giants of spirit represent a healing energy that is outside of time – operating in past, present and future realities all at once. They are a call of the wild to remember the Earth as a living, breathing force. I’m sure there is much more indigenous history to learn from, and I hope I get a chance in the future. When I visit, I wonder what the native ancestors knew and learned from these beautiful trees?
When you visit, you will immediately notice that the soil is like walking on a soft, bouncy, plush carpet. Beneath the trees in all directions are giant fern valleys that are taller than you. It is humbling to experience the magnitude of Mother Earth (Gaia) in her splendor and being amongst these trees brings up existential questions of place and purpose in the Universe and on Earth. The more time you spend there, thoughts evaporate into a sense of pure wonderment at the grandiose beauty of these living giants. For me, it invokes a sense of true oneness with the planet that is absolutely indescribable. It is impossible to visit and not be deeply moved and that’s why I keep going back.
The trees are spectacular to consider scientifically as well. Their root system is shallow at approximately 5-6 feet deep, which is incredible considering their giant heights. They actually support each other in standing as the roots extend outward approximately 100 feet in all directions; the interlinking nature of the root system is what gives the trees their foundational resilience – a true community! Their bark is fire-resistant, and if damaged by fire, a redwood will sprout new branches or a new crown; if the parent tree is killed, new buds will sprout from its base. Their canopy system is so complex that some consider it to be their own forest. The dynamic ecology is fascinating – you can learn more about it here.
Despite their majestic beauty, deep spirit and awe-invoking nature, logging of the coastal redwoods began in 1850 when nearly 2 million acres of “old-growth” (ancient) trees used to form a huge canopy in this area. Continuing into the 1990s, the logging left only 5% of the original forest, with the national and state parks preserving about 45% of that remaining bit.
During the late 19th century, there was a gold rush going on in the nearby Trinity River region. This brought many miners to the area who didn’t strike it rich. These people turned to logging initially for building purposes and then as an export industry. This influx of settlers put great strain on the indigenous people of the area and resulted in forced migration, massacres and genocide. Political legislation was first introduced in 1911 to address rampant logging but Congress didn’t take action until much later.
The parks themselves are a result of private citizens organizing to purchase lots from the logging companies over a century ago. This first group of people, who I’ve always been inspired by, were called the Sempervirens Club and established the first land trust in California in 1900. Their efforts resulted in the establishment of the Big Basin Redwoods State Park – the first of more preservation efforts to come. The Club has since become a Fund dedicated to protecting the redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains. In 1918, the Save-the-Redwoods League was established to further preservation attempts. The League was effective in purchasing land directly from the loggers in order to create the Humboldt Redwoods State Park among others.
Piecemeal preservation efforts by various groups continued through the decades and were consolidated in the 1960s, when the League, the Sierra Club and the National Geographic Society, worked together to create the national park combining the state and national parks into one authority. Without these efforts of all these people, the entire forest could have been lost to the logging industry and US Route 101, which was being built at the time.
Though the fight to save the old-growth trees is now over, logging continues nearby and the impact is still felt through erosion and mudslides that threaten the forest. The history, culture and economy of the Pacific Northwest is deeply tied to this industry and because of that there is an uneasy balance between both sides.
The good news is that restoration efforts have been underway for some time in order to create “second-growth” forests that mimic the density of their elders, though this investment may not be fully realized until future generations. Visitation to the park has exponentially grown in the last decade and the amount of visitors are estimated to be about 1.5 million people a year. The first time I camped here was about 20 years ago and on this last trip I definitely noticed, even in the winter season, an uptick in the amount of people.
As tourism increases, and restoration efforts continue, it will be an ongoing balancing act to maintain the contemplative nature of the forest while creating the proper infrastructure. What’s certain, is that all of this history and cultural understanding are important pieces in the whole picture of this amazing place of heritage and beauty.
If you’re traveling to the Redwoods and are interested in hiking, my best recommendation is to stop at the visitor center and speak to a ranger. The environmental conditions and the weather up there is constantly in flux so your best bet is to be flexible and make your plans onsite (in my opinion). My favorite hikes over the years include the Ladybird Johnson Grove trail (easy); the Miner’s Ridge to the James Irvine loop in Prairie Creek Park (moderate), and the Damnation Creek trail in the Del Norte section (more difficult, but simply incredible in the morning with the rays of light coming through).
If you are prepared to hike in weather, that is you have appropriate footwear and outerwear, you can still enjoy walking through the forest even if it’s raining (it’s actually quite beautiful this way). If you want to avoid the crowds and have the forest to yourself, be prepared to head out on the trail early during peak months or go during off-season.
In terms of camping, I’ve always found sites without planning but if you’re coming from a distance you may want to reserve in advance. Learn more about the park’s campgrounds and make your reservations at Reserve California. If it’s summer, I highly recommend Gold Bluffs Beach which gives you a good central location to base your day hikes around and lets you enjoy the coast. Finally, if you prefer to stay in a hotel, I highly recommend the Holiday Inn Express on the Yurok Reservation, which is in between multiple driveable points of interest and hiking, and benefits the native people of this area who own the hotel.
JULIO
After a few months back in the States we were feeling a little beaten down and the wanderlust was seriously setting in. We needed to clear our heads, find some resolution and getting back to nature seemed the perfect solution. We borrowed some camping gear, packed up the rental car and headed out to the Redwood Forest north of San Francisco.
We camped at three different sites in the forest, beach and interior. We ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and froze at night covered from head to toe in sleeping bags and blankets. Although trying at times, it reminded us of the gracious uncertainty and adventurous feeling of being on the road.
The Redwood Forest is like no other place on earth. Every Californian should do themselves the service of being under the majesty of such powerful and majestic giants. The Native American energy within the park which is surrounded by Reservations was strong, welcoming and only punctuated that this was truly a holy place and to be treated with the greatest of reverence. We hiked deep into the old-growth and came across wild elk, eternal groves of redwoods and the calmest of untouched forest growth. It was incredible.
FOOD FACTS: California Indians ate many different plant foods; such as acorns, mushrooms, seaweed, and flowering plants. Seeds, berries, nuts, leaves, stems and roots were all parts of plants that were eaten. Fish such as salmon, trout, and eel were often the main animal foods for many California Indians.