Moments in Dirt and Ink

Redwood National Park Click for map. My second little day hike was at Dolason Prairie. This trail goes all the way down to connect with Emerald Ridge, part of the loop I did by Tall Trees, but I only wanted to take it down to the barn about a mile down the hill. The loop past Tall Trees is 4.9 miles down. I think the smoke had gotten thicker from when I first passed it going out to Lyons Ranch . It still wasn't all that thick. Parking is among the trees and the trail is well marked near the bathroom at one side. The only other vehicle went with people partaking in the picnic tables. Signs mark the start of the Dolason Prairie Trail and then indicate how far to the destinations. Trail pops out of the trees into prairie immediately, but then turns left to get back in the shade to drop down the hill to an older road below. It felt like a long time following the flat road northwest before it finally turned to drop uner the trees again. I'm not sure how it continues, b...

Redwood National Park Click for map. The trailhead for Lyons Ranch is at the far edge of Redwood National Park, so far out the road runs out of pavement before it gets there. I was disappointed to find the smoke visible as I was driving out although still not very thick. It had a rather nice smell to it for smoke, but who let it in? The likely source was Red Salmon Complex, which has burned most of the trail I was on in Trinity Alps Wilderness . [As of 20 Sept, it has less than two miles of trail yet to touch and less than half a mile of easy uphill crawling needed to touch it.] I dumped most my gear from by big backpack because I found I'd forgotten to get the day pack, then dropped in the water because in spite of the smoke, it was hot and the prairie almost devoid of shade. At the trailhead for Lyons Ranch. With the right key, you can just drive down. I walked around the gate and started the easy two miles down to the old ranch. I quite liked the view I'd got on...

Redwood National Park DAY 1  |  DAY 2  |  DAY 3  |  DAY 4     Following the blue line. Click for map. I decided (correctly this time) I had plenty of time to while away and didn't get started until 10AM. I guess my ability to delay starting is dependent on how sunny it is and the morning was less sunny than the previous one. My electronic map said I was camped practically on top of another tributary to Redwood Creek, so I went exploring for it. I eventually found it, at least I could hear it. There is a pool at the bottom, which is the only place it was accessible for water collection. It wasn't all that attractive because there was also toilet paper left on the ground about 20 feet away. It rather confirmed a suspicion that it is sufficiently difficult to get up into the forest away from the creek that at least a few people won't bother. The sun is filtered by a lot of clouds and maybe a little smoke. When I did get going, I stopp...

Redwood National Park DAY 1  |  DAY 2  |  DAY 3  |  DAY 4     Following the orange line. Click for map. Figuring (incorrectly) this day would be a short one like the last, I dallied as long as I could before starting. It turned out, that was only an extra hour before I was tired of not moving. The sun had just crested the trees and cleared off the little bit of fog between it and me. I shoved my feet back into shoes with wet socks and started back down the creek. The morning came with a light fog. The many footsteps are even visible under the water. A big grasshopper that fades into the rocks. Some grass tuft islands along Redwood Creek. I found groves to poke my way into along the way between Emerald Ridge and Tall Trees. One was even quite large, but hard to get around for the 300 foot logs. Still, wood gatherers and bears have been making their way leaving accessible trails around the area.

Redwood National Park DAY 1  |  DAY 2  |  DAY 3  |  DAY 4     Following the green line. Click for map. The morning came with delightful bird song, but it only lasted about ten minutes. I packed up while the guy in the other tent did the same, generally in step. I spent more time on breakfast and he spent more time on gear, then he vanished down the trail and I stuffed the last things in the top and had to wait extra long for the GPS to sort out "here" and vanished similarly. The plan was many miles of Redwood Creek Trail to Tall Trees. From the trees, climb on up to Emerald Ridge to drop right back down to the creek. Once at the creek, continue upstream as far as I cared and find a camp site along the way. Online information is that there are about two miles of gravel bars before it turns to boulders along the side. I would have soggy feet by the end of the day. The bridge over Elam Creek. The sun through the rhododendron seems a lit...