I have had a number of folks start to send me messages asking for day hikes and weekend hikes here in the Redwoods - which is totally awesome!!

This weekend I went on a 10.7 mile hike and took some photos (iphone 4, so no uber quality ones) so folks could get an idea of what I get to see every day I go hiking.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/abelajo...281671/detail/

This particular trip was on the "Elk River Trail" within the "Headwaters Forest Reserve".

The basic break down of the hike is this:

(mile 1) Very easy hiking, lots of info signs along the way to learn about the trail.

(mile 2) There is a hill at 2.2 that will get you sucking wind (and wishing you are dead if you are not in shape... it's a short step hill). This second mile is probably the least pretty mile of the trail.

(mile 3) A very easy mile to hike. Almost no elevation change. Amazing second growth forests. Some open undergrowth but most of it is dense.

(mile 4) Uggh. Very likely the hardest 1 mile trail I have ever hiked in the Redwoods. It is only 1400' elevation gain, but it beats you up. The switch backs are just at that length were you just get going again, and than you have to change direction - freaking hate that. Very little along this mile to look at because your head is down between your feet wondering why you decided to do this trail. lol

(mile 5) This is actually not a full mile, because it takes you to the top and is part of the "loop" that is the top, which is itself about 0.5 miles or so.

(the loop) This is one of the very very view true "old growth" forest that I have encountered up here. By that, I mean there is zero evidence of cut-stumps. For the entire loop we did not see a single cut-stump. This is what this trip is all about. This is why the government and private folks pulled together $380+ million dollars to buy the land from the timber company. This is why some girl spent three years living in one of these trees (I am not advocating that, but having been up there now, I very much understand more why she did it.)


The first two miles I have in photos here.

The top 0.5 mile loop I have in photos here.

I also have a couple of videos up here and here.

It was very foggy up there. Was not raining, but I had to wear my rain jacket because of the dense fog. It was awesome!