Redwoods

“You shall walk where only the wind has walked before and when all the music has stilled, you shall hear the singing of the stream and enter the living shelter of the forest.” from the memorial to John Glascock Baldwin

The sad and frustrating truth is, I’m not a skilled enough writer to convey the majesty of this forest and what it meant to walk among these trees, but I will do my best to take you on this incredible hike.

My dad has always said that we can see the power and complexity of God in the wild all around us; not in the pantheistic sense, but as a means of showcasing His strength, beauty, and love for us. To walk among the Redwoods is to walk through God’s finest gallery.

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

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Welcome to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park! This is the start of the James Irvine Trail; a trail that has no equal. The park entrance is off of Highway 101, about three hours south of Oregon’s southern border, and about forty minutes north of where I stayed in McKinleyville, California. The visitor center (shown on the right) is adorable, and yes, that is in fact a pay phone off to the left. There is no cell coverage or WiFi. You are off the grid.

I stopped in to ask where I should pay for parking, and they said that wasn’t necessary. Thank you, California taxpayers! I made a donation anyhow, and reviewed my plans with the park volunteers. The plan was to hike the James Irvine Trail out to Gold Bluffs Beach Road, connect with Miner’s Ridge Trail and loop back to where I started. They agreed it was a good plan, but warned me it was over 11 miles and I would have to cross the creek in Fern Canyon. No problem! I had two water bottles, about seven Cliff Bars, extra socks, and flip flops. I had been training for this hike for months. I was well prepared.

James Irvine

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You don’t have to hike far to be awestruck and completely removed from the sounds of civilization. I caught myself gasping out loud, and looked around to see if anyone caught me. No one could hear me, and I could hear no one. I would pass very few people until I got to Fern Canyon. This was my private gallery walk.

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My usual hiking pace over this type of terrain is about 17:30 -18:00 minutes per mile. I averaged about 26:00 minutes per mile on this trail. I kept stopping to stare and listen, to listen to nothing but the birds and my own breath. The forest was so dense and the temperature was a perfect 45 degrees when I started at 9:00 a.m. When I stepped into the patches of sunlight that broke through, I could feel the warmth washing over me. What an incredible day to hike the Redwoods.

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Nothing confronts you with your own insignificance as abruptly as the Redwoods. Around each corner of the trail I stopped to take pictures that are wholly inadequate. I was overcome with gratitude and bewilderment. These trees have been here long before me, and will be here long after I’m gone. I was just a guest passing through.

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The first part of the hike on the James Irvine Trail was about six miles. The trail is perfectly maintained with just enough infrastructure to help you out without feeling overbuilt or unnatural.

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This trail immediately became part of my soul, and it was clear to see it had meant the same to so many who walked here before me. Both the James Irvine Trail and the Miner’s Ridge Trail were interspersed with memorials, no doubt for people who loved this forest. There were groves named for people, and benches that had stood the test of time in celebration of a loved one lost. My favorite memorial I came across was about four and half miles in on the James Irvine. Two simple chairs facing each other on a bridge. It was a memorial to a man named John Glascock Baldwin, whom I know nothing about. I stood there in the sun and looked at those chairs and wondered who had sat there before, and who had loved John so much that they made this touching memorial to honor him in this reverent cathedral. I did not sit in either chair. I decided that if I ever found someone that made me feel the way John obviously made someone feel, I would bring him to this sacred place, and we would sit across from one another and listen to the stream below and let the sun shine down on our moment.

Fern Canyon

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About a mile and a half after the bridge I took a detour down into Fern Canyon. My solitude was interrupted by dozens of people who had entered the canyon from the other end that was less than half a mile from a parking lot near the beach. It was a wonderful place to take a break and rest my sore feet in the stream.

A walk through the canyon led out to Gold Bluffs Beach. I didn’t stay long at the beach. This was a day to be in the forest, the beach had to wait.

I was only half way through my journey and still had to connect with the trailhead for Miner’s Ridge that would take me on a different route, back to the Prairie Creek Visitor Center where I had started. I could have walked along the beach but like I said, this day was dedicated to the forest and I was eager to get back under the cover of the Redwoods. I decided to hike along Gold Bluffs Beach Road and only a few hundred yards in, a group of guys I had met in Fern Canyon asked if I wanted a ride. I was grateful and climbed in. Brandon, Marshall, and the guy in the back seat with the long hair and hip glasses whose name I can’t remember even though I asked him twice, were charming nomads who couldn’t have been kinder. I was delighted to not have to trudge along the boring road by myself, and also to get to know some fellow wanderers. Thank you, gentlemen!

They dropped me off at the trailhead for Miner’s Ridge and as soon as I set foot on the trail I felt a twinge of sadness. I was beginning the end.

Miner’s Ridge

Miner’s Ridge was a little more challenging than the hike in and I decided I needed to pick up my pace. I was about two miles in on Miner’s Ridge when I came across an elderly woman who was walking very slowly with her cane. Keep in mind, she’s two miles in from any trailhead. I greeted her and asked how she was doing. She said she was having a wonderful hike and just taking her time. I don’t know where she was going or how long it took her to get to where she was, but she had a better plan than mine. I forgot about pace, and slowed down and took my time. I hope when I’m older, that I’m still walking in the woods.

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The return hike was a little over four miles. The temperature was rising but still cool enough to be comfortable. My feet were sore, my hips and back ached, and oddly enough, my cheeks were tired. I think I had smiled the entire hike.

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I had built up this hike with such high expectations that I was nervous about being underwhelmed. How silly. Among my adventures in solitude, this was one of the best experiences of my life. I entered the forest in awe, and exited with a full heart. This hike is incomparable. …so far.

Thank you to the staff and volunteers who lovingly care for Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park!