Redwoods National Park

[Smack]

Hi all,

I'm going to LA on business (which I do often).  I've hit every national park between LA and SF a hundred times.  I'm thinking of flying up to Eureka to spend a long weekend at Redwoods NP.

Any thoughts on what Redwoods is like in late March/early April?

Thanks,

Steve

[luong]

Redwood National Park is wonderful any time of the year. Besides the rododendrons blooming in May-June, there isn't much differences between seasons. It can be rainy during the winter, which is actually nicer for forest photography than sunny weather if you can keep your equipment dry. You will be near the end of the rainy season, but be prepared nevertheless.

[Lisa Nikodym]

Ditto what Luong says.  Just one thing to add...

Redwoods National Park is really no better than the various other state redwood parks in the area (Humboldt, Jedediah Smith, Prairie Creek); it was just what was left of the "good stuff" when the federal government stepped in, after the state park system had preserved the other good bits.  My personal favorite of them is Humboldt, with Jed Smith second.  Unless you are specifically trying to "collect" national parks, you should research those three state parks too and consider including visits to some of them.

And even if it's not rainy, there can often be ocean fog there at any time of year, so be prepared for at least a little bit of dampness.

Lisa

[Smack]

Thanks for the tips guys.  I'll bring my rain gear

Regards,

Steve

[Tim Gray]

There was a Video Journal of Michael in the Redwoods a few issues ago - I particularly remember Stout Grove in Jed Smith State park - since I had been there just before the video was published.

[larkvi]

As Lisa said, the state parks in that area are essentially as good as the national park. Somewhat confusingly, some of them are managed as part of the National Park, in a unique national-state partnership.

In addition to the redwoods themselves, Prarie Creek has a wapiti herd and (iirc) particularly good trillium in season. Humbolt State Park also has a nice pitcher plant bog with a boardwalk out into the middle. The coastline is wonderful as well, but really gets to be the best just over the Oregon border.

[joedecker]

I'd particularly recommend Jed Smith's Howland Hill Road and the Stout Grove in particular, the Lady Bird Johnson grove in Redwood NP has also been the source of some nice light for me in the past.  It's going to be too early for rhododendrons, it *might* not be too early for that fantastic lupine bloom that was  10-20 miles east of the LBJ grove on Bald Hills Road last year, ask at the visitor center.  The area of Humboldt Redwoods I've seen have fairly trampled underbrush, whereas a lot of Jed Smith (at least the times I've been there) have been lush and ferny.

(I'm giving a workshop in that area in May.)

[Smack]

I'd particularly recommend Jed Smith's Howland Hill Road and the Stout Grove in particular, the Lady Bird Johnson grove in Redwood NP has also been the source of some nice light for me in the past.  It's going to be too early for rhododendrons, it *might* not be too early for that fantastic lupine bloom that was  10-20 miles east of the LBJ grove on Bald Hills Road last year, ask at the visitor center.  The area of Humboldt Redwoods I've seen have fairly trampled underbrush, whereas a lot of Jed Smith (at least the times I've been there) have been lush and ferny.

(I'm giving a workshop in that area in May.)
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Thanks Joe.  Great info.

Regards,

Steve