Take a break from spring cleaning and go spring hiking. It’s getting warmer, and that means snowmelt is creating flowing waterfalls, wildflowers are blooming across California, and you can soak up some sun. While all the redwood parks deserve a visit, here are recommendations that can make your spring trips special. From whales to delicate flowers, there’s something for everyone this season.
Did you know the ancient coast redwoods that once stood in the San Francisco Bay Area’s East Bay were thought to have been some of the largest? Now you can learn about this history and see the footprint of a giant redwood that once stood in Roberts Regional Recreation Area. The League and East Bay Regional Park District recently unveiled a permanent exhibit.
Fortunately, there are pockets in The City (as Bay Area residents know and love it) where locals and visitors can experience the redwoods, both virtually and tangibly. No need to even hop on any freeways or cross any bridges. ETA: less than an hour.
Starting with one grove of colossal redwoods in 1921, the League has protected nearly all of the park’s 53,000 acres, an area almost twice the size of San Francisco. Today, this park protects the largest expanse of ancient redwoods on Earth.
Experience the Santa Cruz Mountains like you never have before with your own professional California State Parks backcountry naturalists. Hike through fields of wildflowers, gaze at sweeping vistas, sleep under tranquil ancient redwoods, drink teas sourced from native plants, and …
We’re nine people, trekking through Portola Redwoods State Park on a sunny Saturday afternoon led by Rolando Cohen and Harry Pollack from Save the Redwoods League. Our hike was a component of the League’s Free Redwoods Days, which will happen every second Saturday of 2018.
Lonely Planet just named their top 10 U.S. travel destinations for the year and the coast redwood range claimed the number one spot! I’m thrilled to share this news and to announce that Save the Redwoods League launched a brand new Explore Redwoods trip-planning tool to help you plan your next trip out into these incredible forests.
After a tumultuous decade for Big Sur, we can expect a new Pfeiffer Falls Trail in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park to reopen in early 2019, thanks to our funding partners and lots of hard, sweaty work.
Beginning January 16, 2018, visitors will need reservations to park at or ride the shuttle to Muir Woods National Monument. The new reservation system will prevent visitor overcrowding and help keep the forest green and vibrant for generations to come.
Now that the sun is setting earlier, it’s great time to experience the sights and sounds of the redwood forest after dark. Not a night owl? Celebrate fall with a birdwatching walk or a trip to an autumn festival. Here’s a sample of fall fun throughout the redwood regions.
Whenever we decide to go hiking, we always do research to find out a bit about the park first. Just little things such as location, how long it will take us to get there, accessibility, and, of course, what the weather will be like. In doing so, we will often come across interesting facts such as trees of some notoriety, but our number one criterion is the variety of trails because it does no good to go to a park if there are no trails suitable for me to hike. For these reasons, Portola Redwoods State Park fit our criteria.
The fresh, salty air hung heavy as I wound my way south along the coastal highway with expansive vistas of the Pacific Ocean stretching across and meeting the blue sky infinitely far away. I’m on my way to see the giants I’d dreamed about since I was a kid. Could it be true? Entire cars driving through a tunnel in a tree trunk? No way.
On July 15-16, 2017, Latino Conservation Week was in full swing and we had the privilege to participate in visiting this beautiful national park with a group of city youth, young adults and youth leaders ranging from different backgrounds and ages from Los Angeles.
The League recently worked with the City of Oakland to install new interpretive content and maps in the kiosks, so park visitors can learn more about the natural area they are visiting.
Hiking and swimming go together like a hot meal and a cool drink — one is invigorating, the other is refreshing. Together, they make a wonderful combo. So, where are some great places to go swimming under the redwoods, you might ask? Here are five great recommendations for you. Dive right in!
Summer is here, and we’ve got daylight hours to burn. Even with a busy schedule, you can take a day trip before the sun goes down. Here are recommendations for three excellent half-day redwood hikes. Enjoy!
For many of us, dogs are treated less like pets and more like family. It only feels natural to bring our dogs—with their cute, wagging tails and unbounded enthusiasm—along with us as we explore the redwoods this summer. If you need suggestions on where to go, consider these delightful and dog-friendly redwood hikes.
My husband and I are constantly seeking new experiences to enjoy together, so we decided to take a long weekend to explore Eureka, in northern California. Even though we were in the midst of a weeks-long deluge with dams straining against their impediments, we were not to be deterred. We were even more determined when we learned that Eureka has a huge number of Victorian homes, which happen to be another one of our fascinations. When we mentioned to one of our friends that we were going to be exploring the redwoods and the Victorians in the Eureka area, she told us that we couldn’t miss the Avenue of the Giants or the Carson Mansion.
There are those who have been grousing about how much rain we have gotten the last few months, but after witnessing the verdant grass languish under the Golden State sun last summer, I am grateful for it. Because of my affinity for rain, the promise of another rain shower after weeks of nearly constant rain didn’t dissuade my husband and me from continuing with our plans to visit Henry Cowell State Park.
Our first redwood outing was to Butano State Park, which is a 4,600-acre park located in Pescadero. We chose this park due to its proximity to Hwy. 1 so that after our hike, we could drive up the coast to Pacifica to have dinner, thereby making a full day of our adventure.
