Looking over the Redwood Creek valley - you can see the Redwood creek gravel bar near the middle of the photo. We camped two night on the gravel bar in different spots. Looking mostly south from the Redwood Creek Overlook - I think that is Rogers peak in the distance Junction with the Dolason Prairie Trail - our original plan - but it was changed slightly when we got our permits - it made our first day quite a bit shorter. Sarah looking shocked at the trail junction. Kind of typical tread in the upper parts of the Emerald Ridge Trail - we just started to see a few smaller redwoods in here Started seeing a few more redwoods - and they were getting bigger Emerald Ridge Trail Started seeing a few more redwoods - and they were getting bigger - Emerald Ridge Trail - Kirk for scale Got down to Redwood creek and started looking for a campsite Wading the Redwood creek to find our campsite - the water was surprsingly warm Looking north down Redwood Creek (downstream) from where the Emerald Ridge trail intersected the creek. Looking upstream Redwood creek - a bit upstream from our first night campsite Our first night campsite on Redwood creek My tent at our first night campsite on Redwood creek Our first night campsite on Redwood creek - someone build a nice little bench Looking downstream from our campsite in the morning Crossing redwood creek upstream from our camp. We crossed the creek several times as we made our way north. A beautiful pool on Redwood Creek Heading north on Redwood creek - the gravel bar is very wide most of the way Another camper on the gravel bar as we travelled north on Redwood creek Getting near the "Tall Trees Grove" - it is at the end of the straight stretch. One of the big clumps of trees in the tall trees grove One of the big clumps of trees in the tall trees grove We were wondering what #8 was explaining - we never did find any interpretive sign or guides - guessing it was talking about the large downed tree Huge burned out tree in the tall trees grove Huge trees in the tall trees grove - it is hard to get scale they are so large This used to be the talled tree in the world - but the top has broken off and now it is the 34th tallest tree in the world - in the Tall Trees Grove More large trees - you can see Kirk for scale - he looks tiny Another very large tree- hiking pole for some scale Hiking in the farther north section of the Tall Tree Trail - there were more large maple trees in here One of the very large maple trees in the Tall Trees Grove Another large tree with Sarah for scale These are very large trees - in the Tall Trees Grove Trying to capture the whole tree - top to bottom - in the Tall Trees Grove Kirk and Sarah standing in front of one of the larger trees in the tall trees Grove This gives you a better idea of exactly how large these trees are- in the tall trees Grove This was pretty amazing - the inner part of the tree has been burned by fire, but the tree survived and is still alive - in the Tall Trees grove This is the burned tree - looking up - in the tall trees grove This is the burned tree - looking up - in the tall trees grove More large trees in the tall trees grove Two more giants in the tall trees grove This was a grouping of trees (probably the same root tree with shoots) - Sarah is there for scale This was a grouping of trees (probably the same root tree with shoots) - Sarah is there for scale More large trees- the one behind Kirk did not survive the fire. More tall trees with Kirk for scal - in the tall trees grove Looking up at some of the giants in the tall trees grove Kirk and Sarah being dwarfed by the huge trees in the tall trees grove A nurse tree with large trees growing out of it. Our first crossing of redwood creek on a "seasonal bridge". Just north of the Tall Trees Grove This was rather interesting as we headed north - up to an old road that followed Redwood creek - this tree was almost entirely burned out - just the shell of the tree remained. 44 creek from the bridge 44 creek from the bridge looking towards Redwood creek Bridge over 44 Creek M-12 - I saw references to M-11 on one map but wasn't sure what it was talking about - maybe an old trail? Bridge over Bond Creek was completely gone - many of the bridges were in rough shape, but this was completely gone Very broken bridge over ?? Creek (maybe has no name) A large downed log over the trail heading up Redwood creek (after Bond Creek crossing) A large Redwood along Redwood Creek Probably the largest maple tree I've ever seen - along Redwood creek Probably the largest maple tree I've ever seen - along Redwood creek Along Redwood Creek - 3 miles to trailhead? or Hightway 101? Cut log on Redwood Creek trail - 750 years old! Taken looking upstream from our camp on Thursday night along Redwood Creek Taken looking downstream from our camp on Thursday night along Redwood Creek A very large tree had come down on the other side of Redwood Creek - Right across from our campsite We had dropped our packs to search for a campsite - Sarah and Kirk are headed back to pick theirs up - I stayed behind just to make sure no one took our site. No one came by, but there weren't a lot of good options so I didn't want to lose it. Our campsite on Thursday night - after we had broken camp on Friday morning (I forgot to take it earlier). The second "seasonal bridge" on Redwood creek - it was at this point we started heading away from the creek Looking north from the seasonal bridge The trail took on a more "manicured" look from the bridge north to the trailhead. I'm guessing it gets more traffic in the wintertime - you can only go to the seasonal bridge crossing in the off season (unless you want to wade the river) Sarah and I at the sign for the park - we had to do a couple miles of road walking to get to the next trail segment After hiking a couple miles on roads, we got to the Skunk Cabbage Creek section of the coast trail - where we started our trip over to the beach The beginning of the Skunk Cabbage Creek trail is very lush - but not too many redwoods - more spruce, which made for a very "rooty" trail surface There were some larger redwoods on this section of trail Beautiful open forest of mostly spruce - and huge sword ferns Beautiful open forest of mostly spruce - and huge sword ferns The plant that gave the trail (and creek) its name - Skunk Cabbage - these had huge leaves on them The "overlook" to the beach was a bit anti-climatic - we were expecting a better view - it was pretty brushed in, but you could get a small view of the ocean A better viewpoint opened up a little farther down the trail At points it was literally a tunnel of growth we were walking thru A neat section of large spruce trees wtih tons of ferns The trail makes it way thru all the tall ferns The first real good look at the beach - the trail switchbacked down to the beach from here The first real good look at the beach - the trail switchbacked down to the beach from here Signs from the beach Signs from the beach The ocean from the bottom of the trail Looking north - we were headed somewhere up there - but it was foggy There were these signs all over the beach for quite a ways Some parts of the beach were very rocky Here are some of the gold bluffs that gave the beach and campground its name Kind of a cool find - a whole jellyfish washed up on shore Our campsite on Friday night - nice hiker campsite Our campsite on Friday night - nice hiker campsite Sunset on Friday night from our campsite Kirk took this sunset photo a little later than mine Our campsite on Friday night Saturday morning, we headed out the miners ridge trail - there were some VERY large trees on this trail - this was when we were just getting into some of them. Another example of a live tree that was mostly burned out Another example of a live tree that was mostly burned out Miners Ridge trail Miners Ridge trail Anotehr burned out tree on the Miners Ridge trail Miners Ridge trail Miners Ridge trail Huge trees on the Miners Ridge trail Huge burls on the Miners Ridge trail Giants on the Miners Ridge trail - Kirk looks so small next to the trees. Prairie creek near the visitors center Prairie creek near the visitors center 3 large trees near the visitors center First glimpse of the Dolason barn - on the Dolason Prairie trail The Dolason barn - on the Dolason Prairie trail The Dolason barn - on the Dolason Prairie trail Inside the Dolason barn - on the Dolason Prairie trail Inside the Dolason barn - on the Dolason Prairie trail The Dolason barn - on the Dolason Prairie trail Dolason Prairie trail Prairies on the Dolason Prairie trail Osborne fire finder at the Schoolhouse peak lookout The lookout volunteer (we didn't get his name) graciously offered to take our picture around the Osborne Fire Finder Schoolhouse peak lookout Heavy smoke from forest firest near Medford