Scenic California Highway 101
Redwoods
We are camping at the Redwood National Park in Crescent City
California. Today is our second and last day here. Tomorrow we leave the coast
and start the long trip home. We have really enjoyed our stay on the coast
despite the fog and cool weather; once we get inland I’m sure we are going to
miss the cool temperatures.
After arriving yesterday we drove the scenic Howland Hill
Road. This drive offers an amazing introduction to the towering old growth
redwoods of the National Park. To be among such giants is very humbling. Pictures
don’t do justice as you can’t grasp the size of these trees without being next
to them. Some of the trees are close to 400 feet tall and can be up to 2000
years old we took a hike through one of the oldest groves in the Park and it
was just awesome plus as a bonus there are no bugs to ruin a walk in the woods.
Our next stop was Enderts Beach where we combed the beach
for shells and found quite a few sand dollars even though it was later in the
day and most of the beach had been picked clean already.
Enderts Beach Cresent City California
This morning we headed south down the California coast to
Klamath the drive would have been beautiful but it was shrouded in heavy fog so
we didn’t see as much as was promised but we were lucky enough to see a Bob Cat
cross right in front of us and disappear into the woods. On the trip back to Crescent
City we were able to take the Drive Through the Tree Tour and visit an area of
tidal pools, very interesting but the tide started coming in so it was a little
scary .
Collection of sand dollars
Tidal Pools
Lassen Volcanic Nation Park
We are staying at a beautiful National Forest campground
just outside of Lassen Volcanic National Park. We are spending two days here.
Yesterday we arrived late in the afternoon and didn’t have time to see the area
so this morning we left early and headed into the park. Lassen Volcanic
National Park is located in northern California 50 miles east of Red Bluff and
Redding. In 1914 Lassen eruption launched three years of sporadic volcanic
outburst. The largest eruption was May 22nd 1915. Congress made this
area a National Park in 1916.
Bridge Creek Campground
Creek running through our campsite
After a stop at the visitors center we headed out for a
three mile hike called the Bumpass Hell Trail. This trail was easy enough to
begin with, winding around the mountain side with exceptional views of lush
meadows and beautiful valleys. The trail ended with a 300 foot descent to a
hydrothermal area. This area not only
features a boiling spring’s lake but bubbling mud pots, steaming fumaroles and
boiling water. The sulphur smell was over powering and reminded us of
Yellowstone.
Trail to volcano summit
Bumpass Hell
Today we are spending the night in Ely Nevada. We had a long
drive on Nevada highway 50 which has been named the loneliest highway in America.
If you drive this scenic highway you had better make sure your vehicle is in
good working order, you have plenty of gas and plenty of water. Towns with any
service are far and few between. It is a beautiful drive across the state;
there are many summits that must be climbed followed by long valleys and then
more summits and more valleys
Loneliest Highway in America
Looking back on one of the few towns passed
Love the clouds
Nevada's plush desert
Ranchers driveway maybe
Tomorrow we are visiting Great Basin National Park.
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