Coastal Redwoods

What an amazing time we spent in Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park.  The trees are unfathomably tall here – so tall that most of the time we couldn’t see the top! 

The Stout Tree

They are much more secretive about where the tallest tree in the forest is – it is about 380 feet tall, but we never figured out if we saw it or not.  We did find the Stout tree – which is like the 23^rd tallest in the world – so that will have to do.  It’s 360ish feet to the top – worked great for us.

 

I am sure lots of people know that Return of the Jedi was filmed in this area – I didn’t, but I do now!  We had the movie with us and had to cue up a part for the girls to watch.  It looks exactly like Endor.  It’s a temperate rainforest and its gorgeous.  The only thing we found disconcerting was that the sun barely made it though the canopy, so it was dark all the time.  It was like twilight all the time unless we went out to the beach!  Then it was like coming out of a daze – blinking the sunlight back!

The kids took some time to play in the Smith River – it’s the only river in California that has never been dammed.  The water is cold, but its refreshing!

We also thought the banana slugs were awesome! 

In our campsite.  Totally cool to sleep in under the canopy of a Redwood.