“Where are we going?” I asked half-heartedly.
“To find you some sun.” he replied.
Sun! That’s what was missing. That bright and glorious orb, giver of light, warmth, and life; how I missed it! Summer on the north coast can be trying for some of us. Most days are spent in a cool, gentle fog that often lasts past noon. But sometimes, the fog stays, and stays. After a few days without direct solar exposure, my batteries run low, and it’s time to find the sun.
Fortunately, the fog belt is not very thick, and you can break out of it by driving an hour in any direction. We chose North, just past Orick, to the Redwood National and State Park. There’s a road up there that needed exploring, and we were happy to oblige.
Bald Hills Road runs southeast from HWY 101, eventually leaving the park and turning east where it finds its way to Weitchpec (or thereabouts). Before it leaves the park, it takes you to several trailheads, an overlook of Redwood Creek, a few impressive prairies (hence Bald Hills), and a lookout tower. More important to me at the time, was that it will take you out of the fog.
We drove past the first few trailheads because there were no discernible shadows yet. But soon enough, as the road climbed up and inland, the gray shroud brightened, shadows took form, and finally, the world burst into color! The vibrant green of the redwood forest was a welcome relief. We pulled over at the next good spot for a bite, then a hike. But, cold moist tendrils threatened us again. The fog was on the move. We had to keep driving, keep ahead of the fog! I’m glad the fog kept pushing us further, to the wide prairies dotted with wildflowers, the open vistas up and down the Redwood Creek watershed, and through idyllic oak woodlands. We found a new favorite picnic spot, and soaked up some rays. As the day came to a close, it was nice to have a short drive home.
The best part is how much is left to explore.
RN&SP allows dogs, but there are so many restrictions, it’s not worth bringing them if you plan on leaving the roads. The trails have a variety of difficulties, and are well marked. Bald Hills Roads turns into gravel, but it was well maintained when we went. Any passenger car could navigate it. Remember that people live back there, and let folks by if you’re cruising at tourist speed.
“To find you some sun.” he replied.
Sun! That’s what was missing. That bright and glorious orb, giver of light, warmth, and life; how I missed it! Summer on the north coast can be trying for some of us. Most days are spent in a cool, gentle fog that often lasts past noon. But sometimes, the fog stays, and stays. After a few days without direct solar exposure, my batteries run low, and it’s time to find the sun.
Fortunately, the fog belt is not very thick, and you can break out of it by driving an hour in any direction. We chose North, just past Orick, to the Redwood National and State Park. There’s a road up there that needed exploring, and we were happy to oblige.
Bald Hills Road runs southeast from HWY 101, eventually leaving the park and turning east where it finds its way to Weitchpec (or thereabouts). Before it leaves the park, it takes you to several trailheads, an overlook of Redwood Creek, a few impressive prairies (hence Bald Hills), and a lookout tower. More important to me at the time, was that it will take you out of the fog.
We drove past the first few trailheads because there were no discernible shadows yet. But soon enough, as the road climbed up and inland, the gray shroud brightened, shadows took form, and finally, the world burst into color! The vibrant green of the redwood forest was a welcome relief. We pulled over at the next good spot for a bite, then a hike. But, cold moist tendrils threatened us again. The fog was on the move. We had to keep driving, keep ahead of the fog! I’m glad the fog kept pushing us further, to the wide prairies dotted with wildflowers, the open vistas up and down the Redwood Creek watershed, and through idyllic oak woodlands. We found a new favorite picnic spot, and soaked up some rays. As the day came to a close, it was nice to have a short drive home.
The best part is how much is left to explore.
RN&SP allows dogs, but there are so many restrictions, it’s not worth bringing them if you plan on leaving the roads. The trails have a variety of difficulties, and are well marked. Bald Hills Roads turns into gravel, but it was well maintained when we went. Any passenger car could navigate it. Remember that people live back there, and let folks by if you’re cruising at tourist speed.
