[Journal entry for December 22, 2014; Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, near Santa Cruz, California]. I drove down from South Lake Tahoe to San Cruz early in the morning. The day was beautifully clear and sunny, with temperatures in the mid-fifties, Fahrenheit. I parked off of Route 9, at the southernmost turn-out of the park, near where the railroad crosses the highway. I then took a woods road that headed steeply down through the forest to the bank of the San Lorenzo River.

The Coast Redwoods forests of California are remarkable, even in places like this one where the trees are not among the most ancient. The trees tower! Descending the steep slope, I had to look way to see the top of a tree and way down to see its base. And the trunks of even the small ones are more than a yard wide. The air beneath the canopy is very distinctive – misty and primeval. Despite the large trees, the forest has an open appearance, reminiscent of the interior of a high-vaulted Gothic cathedral. The forest floor is mostly carpeted by mosses and leafy plants just a few inches high.

I viewed the river for a few minutes and then headed upstream (north) along the Diversion Dam Trail (unblazed), which followed it bank. The valley, though mostly narrow, widens out on occasion and in one such place I came across a group of anglers fishing on a sunny strip of sand along the riverside. Some sections of the river are calm; others have small rapids. I continued on the trail for a mile or so. It gradually narrowed and became increasingly difficult to follow. Eventually, I gave up trying to hike at river level and bushwhacked up to the rail bed, which is set on the hillside about halfway between river and highway. Judging from the rust, these tracks see little, if any, rail traffic. I continued northward, taking one side trip back down to the river to view a small waterfall.

I took the left turn when the rail bed forked and wound up in a grove of extremely large redwoods crisscrossed by many trails. I wandered around them for a while, admiring the trees, but could not find a way further north, for I ran into a residential section set off by fences. Here a trail map would have helped me, but I had none. I backtracked to the rail bed and crossed a bridge to the main part of the park.

On the other side of the park, I joined the Redwood Loop Trail, which winds through a grove of truly ancient trees. A few have hollow trunks that were large enough for me to walk into. In a few minutes, I came to the end of the trail near the park entrance. I purchased a trail map and a snack at the Visitor’s Center, and then hiked Highway 9 back to my car.

About 3:30.