Anyway... we had an exciting time. The drive took about 6 hours, up windy mountain roads. I had a headache by the time we got to the camp site. But once we were there it was well worth it. The area was so amazing. I had never been to the Redwoods before and just seeing trees of that size was shocking to say the least.
The first picture here is in the Trees of Mystery. It cost a pretty penny to get in but was worth the cost. So many amazing sights were there. They had a tree called the Family Tree - it has 12 separate trees growing out of one main tree. It kind of looked like a candelabra, with individual trees growing from horizontal branches and stretching 40 feet up toward the sky. One thing I found out while there is that redwood trees do not have tap roots. Their root system only goes into the ground about 6 feet and spreads out to get the nutrients for the tree. It is amazing that such large trees do not have the support you would expect.
The second picture is from the top of the Trees of Mystery. They have a lift that takes you up to the top of the mountain and from there you can look out onto the Pacific. It was a beautiful sight to behold.
The third picture I took while we were driving along the Avenue of the Giants, north of Eureka, CA. My kids wanted to all climb up inside the tree, so I decided it would be the perfect photo op. I am still amazed at how large these trees are. My 7 year old son was able to stand up fully inside, without touching the top.
The final picture is from the Drive-thru tree at Myers Flat. It cost $1.50 for each adult and was free for kids 7 and under. $3 was a bargain to see this sight. If I had not been amazed at that point, this would have done it. It was a surreal experience driving through one of nature's amazing phenomena.We all had an amazing trip up north. I would definitely recommend such a trip for anyone who loves nature or the outdoors. It is an experience that I will never forget, even if I didn't see the famous Sasquatch.
