Toh Won Trailhead

 

I should share these photos, before I accidentally delete them. Around two months ago (it’s incredible how fast time passes) we spent a weekend on the north coast in the Redwoods - a tradition I enjoy every Fall. While the colors don’t change and the leaves don’t fall, it’s still a lovely season, and for me, the thick forests of ancient trees evoke the essence of Autumn.

This trail is one of the few areas where, in just a few steps, you can go through a second-growth forest into an old-growth redwood forest.  

After you pass over the hikers' bridge, you'll find yourself surrounded by ancient redwoods that have never been cut down. You can observe, sense, and even detect the variations between these two types of forests.

Let's go for a stroll in a Redwood forest walk together  🥾 

I still wasn't able to capture the entire tree in my picture.

Fire plays a crucial role in the survival of the Redwood Tree. The Redwood is incredibly resilient; despite fire, it continues to thrive and support life.

It's incredible that, while any other tree would have perished, this one boasted a thriving canopy at its top - A nice cozy spot for animals to take refuge. 

I climbed into the heart of the tree to capture this photo!

It was as if the tree was embracing me. 

Some of the signage in the area

The Yurok tribe is an Indigenous people located in California. They traditionally refer to themselves as Oohl, a Yurok word meaning "the people." The Yurok mainly live within the outer boundaries of the Yurok Reservation and in nearby areas of Humboldt, Del Norte, and Trinity counties. The reservation spans approximately 56,000 acres of land adjacent to the Klamath River.

In the mid-1960s, clear-cut logging of old-growth redwood trees was occurring all over this area.  On October 2nd 1968, Redwood National Park was officially established. At that time, logging of redwoods came right up to the park boundary, which initially was just outside of this grove. The first park visitors saw miles of scarred, logged landscapes that abruptly ended at the edges of the remaining redwood groves.

The following year, in 1969, President Nixon dedicated this grove to former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson for her conservation and environmental work. The dedication plaque for Lady Bird Johnson Grove is about half a mile down the trail. Only 5% of the world's old-growth redwood forest remains - and nearly half of that (40,000 acres) is in Redwood National and State Parks.

 I've always been passionate about trees and particularly admire their textured bark, so I naturally had to capture some photographs.

I found this absolutely fascinating! 

I SPY a classic Winnie the Pooh headshot from the side. I wasn't able to view it from the front, as stepping off the trail is not allowed. 

My husband saw a dragon. 

What do you see? 

Looks like a loveseat

Nestled in the heart of the forest, on ancient sacred grounds, I found a surprisingly spot to take it all in.  The gentle whispers of the breeze in the tall tree tops created a serene atmosphere, making it the perfect escape from the outside world. It was more than just comfortable; it felt like a hidden sanctuary just for me.

I wish you all, blessings on this first Monday of November that will last the entire month. 

God Bless

Debby