Rhododendron, CREA, South Fork, Prairie Creek Trails loop
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
(Map link.)
I returned to a looping hike on the Rhododendron Trail not for the rhododendrons but for the promises of things to come that it held nearly three weeks prior. There must be something different, so this time I really did go clockwise and then took a little extra Rhododendron Trail all the way to South Fork Trail, then stayed on Prairie Creek Trail to finish. The fog was thick, so I did not start with the Prairie Creek segment, which was undoubtedly soggy and the encroaching vegetation would soak me through before I got very far.
I had low expectations for the rhododendrons, but they were quickly exceeding those and meeting the expectations I had prior. No dream hillsides full of flower covered bushes, but these are the trails to find that if it ever does happen. One promise that I was only half certain was made was kept: better rhododendron blooms.
It didn't take long for the rather abundant promises of lilies to be found to have emerged into bright, open leopard lilies, either. The real trouble is getting past them on the trail.
I had to go up the CREA Trail once more. A couple of the more exciting promises were up there. I got to the sign and kept on climbing. Rhododendron and CREA make one of the larger climbs in the park. It brought me up into the clouds that hadn't settled all that well into the valley and I got wetter than I like from the little bit of growth across the trail.
The patches of ghost pipes start about 20 feet before the sign for the Pleasant Memories Grove. Wikipedia would have me believe that these will come up in about three days, but I noted no change at all in these apparent tangles of white root after nearly three weeks. The furthest along had been over the hill a ways, so I didn't despair. I was surprised by how much the traffic noise had increased with the coming holiday.
Not quite so far over the hill as I thought, I found a clump of ghost pipes where the tangles had released and flowers were popping up. One more promise fulfilled.
I went a little further down the hill because I was sure the single gnome plant I had seen was down there somewhere. With either laziness or arrogance, I'd not bothered to write down coordinates for where I had seen this one or the fringed pinesap. I figured I'd be able to remember well enough where I'd seen them and even if I didn't, what were the chances I'd seen the only specimen along the trail? I'd spotted both of them when I stopped for something.
But it was just over the hill, I was sure. I was far too far for it. I turned back and scanned closely both the correct side of the trail and the opposite side for either the specimen I'd seen or another one. I found nothing. Over the top, nothing. Down the other side, nothing.
So I found myself back at the junction having missed one of the plants I had hoped to catch in bloom. I wouldn't get to see what the scaly pink bumps became.
I made it to the junction with the Brown Creek Trail without noticing the fringed pinesap I had seen sprouting up before. So, no, I wouldn't be able to remember the exact location well enough and there weren't a lot more to spot. I continued along the Rhododendron Trail, hopeful to see something. I found more ghost pipes, but not a fringed pinesap or gnome plant.
I got to the junction with South Fork Trail and turned down it. Someone had been digging at another bunch of ghost pipes that were right in the trail. Poor crazy things. Rhododendron Trail had been climbing, so there was a lot to go down, and South Fork seemed to get it done fast.
I crossed the road to head up on Prairie Creek Trail. It actually has a lot of open areas to walk through, but the few closed in sections are memorable and annoying. The rest give a little different view of the redwood trees than the higher trails.
*photo album*
©2021 Valerie Norton
Written 15 Jul 2021
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