California Redwoods

Friday April 6^th

We got up early to get going before 9am – and succeeded. It wasn’t very sunny when we left but the skies cleared as we traveled toward Crescent City. The only good road to the coast from here is US-199 that runs SW from Grants Pass, OR to Crescent City, CA. The entire trip is through the Coastal Range of mountains is up and down and follows the Illinois River valley for awhile and later the Smith River. Both of them are swift blue green rivers full of snow melt from the recent precipitation. We got to Crescent City about noon and then stopped and got some information at the park headquarters.

Our first stop was a few miles south of Crescent City on a high hill that overlooked the curve of the Crescent beach S of Crescent City and the shoreline to the S from there. There were some surfers along the beach but the surf was not very big today. Then we decided to go back to Crescent City and have lunch because we didn’t know what was available further south. We had lunch at a place called the Chart Room, which was right on the waterfront. There was a floating platform in the water just outside the restaurant and it was filled with harbor seals and sea lions. They weren’t doing much, just sunning themselves and one of the sea lions would occasionally do some barking. Later we notice that a nearby pier was also covered with sea lions. I had some clam chowder that was pretty good – not spectacular but good.

After lunch we continued our drive S along the coast to the Klamath River. We traveled on a side road on the N side of the river to a view point that looks over the river mouth and the coast both N & S. It was interesting to see the different colors of the ocean where the water from the river empties into the ocean. The land along the Klamath River is controlled by the Yuroc Indian Tribe and they control the fishery on the Klamath River. It is one river that still has a good salmon run.

Later we dorve along the S side of the River and went by a monument to an early Radar station that was built there in 1942. The installation was disguised as farm buildings and they are still there, though they have been restored. The place was put on the Historical Register in the late 70’s.

At 4:30 we decided to turn around and begin our trip back to Grants Pass and Gold Hill. We never did stop and take pictures of the trees – I don’t think our piddling cameras could do much to convey the size and majesty of these trees. It’s just one of the things that you have to see for yourself to understand.

We got back to Grants Pass about 7:30 and there was still a little daylight. We stopped at McDonalds for supper and then drove back to Gold Hill. Just before we reached Gold Hill the moon rose above the horizon. It was directly ahead of us on I-5 and it looked like it was the highway to the moon!