coast redwoods

biking san vicente

Video: Biking the San Vicente Redwoods with World Champion Kate Courtney

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We invited World Champion and Olympic mountain biker Kate Courtney to ride the trails of San Vicente Redwoods to demonstrate the relationship between conservation and recreation. Late last year, a new network of trails opened to the public at San …

A closeup of the front half of a mottled brown salamander

Protecting a sensitive salamander

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Near the jade waters of the Smith River in Redwood National and State Parks is the habitat of a small amphibian species that may depend on redwood forests as its environment changes. The southern torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton variegatus) seeks clear, …

Snow lies around red flowers will broad, mottled leaves.

8 early blooms herald spring’s approach

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Spring doesn’t start until March 20, but that doesn’t stop the blooms in the coast redwood forests, even in the recent, unusual snow. Look out for these beauties, blooming now and in the coming months. Western trillium Milkmaid Redwood sorrel …

A brown and white owl perches on a branch.

How to bar barred owls

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Barred owls and northern spotted owls have a lot in common: Both are brown-and-white owls; both are denizens of mature forests. The spotted owl hoots a four-note call, while the slightly larger barred owl hoots, “Who cooks for you?!” But …

A person in a rain jacket walking a dog in the wet redwood forest

Delights of the rainy season in the redwoods

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Recent showers have kicked off the rainy season in the coast redwood range, bringing fresh, earthy scents, the patter of drops on fronds and leaves, and the enchanting sights of waterfalls, newts, and fungi. It’s a great time to enjoy …

A path runs from the foreground to the background through a redwood grove

4 peaceful redwood groves in San Francisco

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San Francisco lies within the coast redwood range, home to more than 100 redwood parks. In some of these parks live Earth’s tallest and among the oldest trees. If you’re visiting San Francisco and you don’t have time to travel to a redwood park, Golden Gate Park offers shady, peaceful groves. Although the following groves were planted and don’t contain the ancient giants of some redwood parks, these places are a great alternative to experience the look and feel of their wild counterparts outside city limits.

big basin redwood loop trail

Day One of Big Basin’s new era

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Visiting Big Basin Redwoods State Park on its reopening day. While the newly opened area might seem spare to some, it actually represents a ton of work in a short amount of time. 

legend of bigfoot pic

Bigfoot in the redwoods

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There have been a number of bigfoot sightings in the redwoods.

condor release

Time to spy a rare bird in the sky

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Next time you visit Redwood National and State Parks, you may see California condors taking flight among the redwoods. California condors, magnificent creatures that have been absent from this area for more than a century, were nearly extinct by the 1980s. Thanks to a monumental conservation effort and successful captive breeding program, there are now wild condor populations in Central and Southern California, Arizona, and Baja Mexico. Now, condors may even be returning to Northern California skies.