California Redwoods

ahschneid
Nov 10, 2025
12 min read

We drove about 200 miles to Klamath California to stay at Kamp Klamath RV Park for a week. We arrived on 4 November 2025. The forecast showed rain for the first three days of our stay. As a matter of fact, we set up in the rain when we arrived. We’re still in a rain forest, so the dank atmosphere is expected, but we are both ready to leave the rain forest. Our campground is within a couple of miles of the Pacific Ocean and even closer to the Klamath River which feeds into the ocean. We are on the edge of the Redwood National and State Parks. Between rain showers in the first days of our stay, we ventured out to see the area and we even got a couple of short hikes in. Trails were a little muddy with all the rain, but not so bad to keep mud on our shoes. The water flows down the hills as it falls.

Our drive from Prospect OR to Klamath CA - 4 November 2025

Klamath California - 4 November 2025

Klamath California - 4 November 2025

Klamath California - 4 November 2025

Klamath California - 4 November 2025

Klamath California - 4 November 2025

Seals in the water

Klamath California - 4 November 2025

On Wednesday 5 November, we took Alder Camp Road about a half mile outside our campground and then followed signs for the Coastal Drive. The roads are narrow and windy with quite a few bumps and holes, so it’s a slow drive, but the views are spectacular. We went back out there on Friday evening (our first rain-free afternoon) to watch the sunset. An inversion of clouds had set in so it muted the sunset, but it was still pretty awesome to watch. With daylight savings time ending the weekend before, the sunsets are a couple of minutes after 5pm. Once the sun has set, twilight seems to fly by and then complete darkness by 5:30pm. Our campground is nestled on the edge of redwoods and mountains, then with no moon it is really dark. We don’t like to drive after dark, but we’ve found ourselves having to drive after dark with it getting dark so early. We only have about 10 hours of daylight. We were talking about our year of extremes with having 20 hours of daylight last summer in Alaska to now with just 10 hours. Anita definitely prefers the 20 hours of sunlight!

Klamath California - Alder Camp Road - 5 November 2025

Klamath California - Coastal Drive - 5 November 2025

Thursday 6 November 2025, we drove about 10 miles to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The Visitor Center didn’t open till 10am and we were there about 9:30am, so we started on a short hike to see the “Big Tree”. It started to rain shortly after we started on the Cathedral Trees trail, so we turned back and went in to the Visitor Center. A volunteer there had lots of information on the hiking trails, and the sites we could see from the road so we circled those on our map and headed out to drive to some of the sites on the Coastal Drive. At the Visitor Center at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, we saw a sign about a guided hike on Saturday at 2pm. We verified that it was happening and that we just needed to show up. We planned to do the guided hike, as we always learn interesting details from the rangers.

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park - Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park - Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park - Klamath California - 6 November 2025

We got rained out on this short trail...

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park - Klamath California - 6 November 2025

It was nice to be dry and warm inside the Visitor Center

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park - Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park - Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park - Klamath California - 6 November 2025

They're scary and territorial, but apparently not very smart...

Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Since it was raining on and off, we drove to see the Big Tree...

Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Rainforest

Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Klamath California - 6 November 2025

Klamath California - 6 November 2025

There are three of these "drive thru" trees within a 100-mile area. They all charge $5 to either drive or walk to the trees, but we didn't see any that a modern vehicle could drive through. At least we didn't see any do it. We had our lunch by one of the drive thru trees that day. We watched a couple of vehicles approach and chicken out of trying to go through the tree.

Klamath California - 6 November 2025

On Friday 7 November, we left around 8am to drive to Humboldt California. That drive was a little over 100 miles one way, so we planned to be gone all day. We saw a huge herd of Elk in the town of Orick, which is about halfway to Humboldt. They were all in the parking lot of a city building. It was surreal to see them all right in town. We had stopped at Elk Meadow Day Use Area to look for elk, but we only saw the California Quail there. They were spooked by us stopping, so the pictures aren’t great, but they were still nice to see. The quail were there in the morning and when we stopped on the way home in the evening.

Elk Meadow on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

California Quail

Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Orick California

Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Orick California

Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Redcrest California

Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Eternal Treehouse - Redcrest California

Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Eternal Treehouse - Redcrest California

Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Inside the Eternal Treehouse - Redcrest California

Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Inside the Eternal Treehouse - Redcrest California

Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Eternal Treehouse - Redcrest California

Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

On grounds of Eternal Treehouse - Redcrest California

Humboldt Redwoods State Park - 7 November 2025

Humboldt Redwoods State Park - 7 November 2025

Humboldt Redwoods State Park - 7 November 2025

Founders Grove Trail

Humboldt Redwoods State Park - 7 November 2025

Founders Grove Trail

Humboldt Redwoods State Park - 7 November 2025

Founders Grove Trail

Humboldt Redwoods State Park - 7 November 2025

Founders Grove Trail

Humboldt Redwoods State Park - 7 November 2025

Founders Grove Trail

Humboldt Redwoods State Park - 7 November 2025

Founders Grove Trail

Humboldt Redwoods State Park - 7 November 2025

Founders Grove Trail

Humboldt Redwoods State Park - 7 November 2025

Founders Grove Trail

Humboldt Redwoods State Park - 7 November 2025

Picture of postcard in Visitor Center

Humboldt Redwoods State Park - 7 November 2025

Picture of postcard in Visitor Center

Humboldt Redwoods State Park - 7 November 2025

Picture of postcard in Visitor Center

Bridge over Eel River - 8 November 2025

Ferndale California

Bridge over Eel River - 8 November 2025

Ferndale California

Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Trinidad Head Lighthouse

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Roosevelt Elk - Orick California

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Roosevelt Elk - Orick California

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Roosevelt Elk - Orick California

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Roosevelt Elk - Orick California

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Roosevelt Elk - Orick California

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Roosevelt Elk - Orick California

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Roosevelt Elk - Orick California

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Elk Meadow - California Quail

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Elk Meadow - California Quail

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Roosevelt Bull Elk

On our way home on Humboldt Highway - 7 November 2025

Roosevelt Bull Elk

Coastal Drive near our campground - 7 November 2025

Sunset

Coastal Drive near our campground - 7 November 2025

Sunset

Coastal Drive near our campground - 7 November 2025

Sunset

Coastal Drive near our campground - 7 November 2025

Sunset

On Saturday 8 November, we did a couple of short hikes nearby on the Coastal Drive and then after lunch set out to Prairie Creek Redwood State Park for the guided hike at 2pm. The road to the Prairie Creek Redwood State Park visitor center was closed. We tried another entrance and it was closed too. We were confused since it was open two days before. So, we went to the Lady Bird Johnson Grove for a hike. It is a beautiful and well- maintained trail and about 1.7 miles round trip. It’s a very popular trail, so we encountered quite a few people on the trail. One young family has stuck in my mind. The two kids were about 7 or 8 years old and one of the girls asked her mom “how are these tress so tall?” in a tone that sounded like she was awed by their size. The mother gave a response I hope to never forget, saying “God gives us things like this to see Him”. I know Steve and I feel enveloped in God’s arms when we’re in such breathtaking settings, so I thought it was wonderful to hear a young mother’s teaching for her daughter.

Near our Campground in Klamath California - Old bridge over Klamath River - 8 November 2025

Near our Campground in Klamath California - Klamath River - 8 November 2025

Near our Campground in Klamath California - Old bridge over Klamath River - 8 November 2025

Near our Campground in Klamath California - current bridge over Klamath River- 8 November 2025

Near our Campground in Klamath California - current bridge over Klamath River- 8 November 2025

Near our Campground in Klamath California - current bridge over Klamath River- 8 November 2025

Klamath California Coastal Drive - 8 November 2025

Klamath California Coastal Drive - 8 November 2025

Klamath California Coastal Drive - 8 November 2025

Klamath California Coastal Drive - 8 November 2025

High Bluff Overlook

Klamath California Coastal Drive - 8 November 2025

High Bluff Overlook

Klamath California Coastal Drive - 8 November 2025

Klamath California Coastal Drive - 8 November 2025

Klamath California Coastal Drive - 8 November 2025

Klamath California Coastal Drive - 8 November 2025

Klamath California Coastal Drive - 8 November 2025

Klamath California Coastal Drive - 8 November 2025

Along Hwy 101 on our way to Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail - 8 November 2025

Along Hwy 101 on our way to Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail - 8 November 2025

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail - 8 November 2025

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail - 8 November 2025

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail - 8 November 2025

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail - 8 November 2025

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail - 8 November 2025

Fairy Fingers (Fungus)

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail - 8 November 2025

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail - 8 November 2025

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail - 8 November 2025

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail - 8 November 2025

Slender Salamander on tree trunk

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail - 8 November 2025

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail - 8 November 2025

Start of the trail...

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail - 8 November 2025

Start of the trail...

After our Lady Bird Johnson hike, we drove up to Fern Canyon which is 8 miles up another very narrow, windy and bumpy road. It was around 3pm when we started up and it took just under an hour to get there. We knew once we were there that we couldn’t make it back down to another spot to watch the sunset, so while waiting for sunset we hiked to see inside Fern Canyon, which happens to be where one of the Jurassic Park movies was filmed. We could definitely see how that setting would work for a prehistoric or other world feeling. We then tried to get down to the beach level to watch the sunset, but it wasn’t as easy and straightforward as it looked from above. The grass was actually in water, so there was no getting to the beach without wading through pools of wetlands. We found a log to sit on and waited for the sunset. It was setting at 5:02pm, so we just had about 15 minutes to wait. It was a pretty bright sunset and just beautiful. We made it back up to our truck before it was completely dark and then drove back down the 8mile road in the dark. The drive was not fun, but we made it home safely.

Fern Canyon - Orick California - 8 November 2025

Fern Canyon - Orick California - 8 November 2025

Fern Canyon - Orick California - 8 November 2025

Fern Canyon - Orick California - 8 November 2025

Fern Canyon - Orick California - 8 November 2025

Fern Canyon - Orick California - 8 November 2025

Fern Canyon - Orick California - 8 November 2025

Sunset

Fern Canyon - Orick California - 8 November 2025

Sunset

Fern Canyon - Orick California - 8 November 2025

Sunset

Fern Canyon - Orick California - 8 November 2025

Sunset

Fern Canyon - Orick California - 8 November 2025

Sunset

Fern Canyon - Orick California - 8 November 2025

Sunset

On our way down from Fern Canyon - Orick California - 8 November 2025

Sunset

On our way down from Fern Canyon - Orick California - 8 November 2025

Sunset

We had to go to Crescent City for mass Sunday morning, 9 November. We attended mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church at 10am and then ventured out for site seeing. Mass was interesting with the mass being celebrated in the way mass was celebrated before Vatican II in 1964. The priest faced the tabernacle for the consecration and other liturgical parts of the mass with his back to us. There was no procession in nor out, no singing and mass was over in 30 minutes. There was a rail with a kneeler for Communion and we could only receive the Eucharist on the tongue (not in the hand). The homily was about 5 minutes, if that, but still was interesting. It was all very surreal. Upon leaving Steve felt that it is divisive for the church when individual churches do their own thing. Anita was grateful to experience what it was like before with Vatican II with the priest facing the tabernacle and feeling like he was one of us instead of higher than us. As I write this, we’re looking forward to a “regular” mass that we’re both accustomed to.