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Redwood National Park
July 2010
Northern California |
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Redwood National Park
July 2010
Northern California |
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| On our way back to Grants Pass from the coastal town of Brookings, Oregon, we passed through Redwood National Park in the northern tip of California. The Coast Redwoods, giant trees which can live to be 2,000 years old (average age: between 500-700 years), stand like sentinels from another time and place. Surrounded by lush ferns, moss, pine and fir trees, they bring the days of the dinosaurs to mind. One feels truly honored to be in their presence! Please note: my camera does not do well in low-light settings, so these shots are a bit grainy. |
Forest Giants
They are so, so tall...we are so, so small...
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The tops are a long ways away! Some redwoods are over 200 feet tall.
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It's fun to look straight up!
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Looking down is pretty cool, too. "Root collar burls" form at the base of the trees when dormant buds fail to develop into branches. The burls are bumpy and wavy. Some folks use them to make furniture!
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New branches sometimes grow out of the burls. These "root shoots" grow faster than seedlings because of their connection to the tree's root system:
Speaking of root systems...
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Fallen trees make good bases for more shoots. Most fallen trees sport some kind of growth!
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A few dead trees remained standing. The one on the left burned on
the inside from a lightning strike, but its outer bark is still in place.
The one on the right has a portion of its spongy core exposed.
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Forest Colors
Although redwood is primarily reddish-brown, other colors are present as well. Here are a couple of colorful specimens:
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Of course, green is the dominant color in the forest. Sunlight shining through the moss creates quite an effect!
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Ferns lend a prehistoric aura:
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Holes abound!
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A few more trunk shots...
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They keep stretching up!
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Parting Shots
A "rainbow root" and a bridge...
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A "touching moment" and a "final wave"...
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Thanks for visiting our Redwoods page!