America the Beautiful...Redwood Forest

Along the coast of Northern California, travelers will see signs for Crescent City. The journey will take them to 133,000 acres of indescribable paradise. The National Park Headquarters for the majestic Redwood Forest.

In 1850, the redwoods covered more than 2,000,000 acres of land. Unfortunately, after many lost their dreams of striking gold in the area, lumbering the redwoods became the white man fortune. In 1918, many saw the destruction of nature occurring, and established the Save the Redwood League. In the 1920's, parks were established, including Prairie Creek, Del Norte Coast and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. In 1968, after ninety percent of the original redwoods had been logged, the Redwood National Park was established. In 1994, to help stabilize & preserve the trees, three abutting Redwood State Parks joined the RNP.

I have visited the Redwood Forest a few times. I have yet to take a photograph that captures the wonder & strength of the trees, the peacefulness the trails bring to the soul, nor the awareness of one's infinitesimal contribution to a world which beholds these living reminders of our short life-span. Perhaps John Steinbeck described it best... 'The trees rise straight up to zenith; there is no horizon. The dawn comes early and remains dawn until the sun is high... Birds move in the dim light or flash like sparks through stripes of the sun, but they make little sound. Underfoot is a mattress of needles deposited for over two thousand years...the last remaining members of a race that flourished over four continents as far back in geologic time as the upper Jurassic period...a stunning memory of what the world was like once long ago.' (Travels with Charley, 1962)

God Bless America