Day 3 in the Redwoods was spent in just two places:
That doesn't sound like much, but it proved to be a lot; this was my shortest, but most strenuous day.
My original plan for Prairie Creek was to stick with one of the flatter trails closer to the road—Foothill, for example—so I could get in and out in under 90 minutes and get started on Tall Trees while the morning was still cool with less direct sun. But, I took a "wrong" turn when I found the Rhododendron trailhead first and thought it looked lovely. It was, but it also took me considerably longer at three hours. Of course, part of the reason for that is because I stop every few meters and compose another image. If one is carrying a small camera, or even a phone, that's no big deal. But with a full-size tripod, backpack, and Phase One XT and three lenses, each stop can consume a bit of time. And before you know it, you've doubled the time you allotted for a hike. In a place this beautiful, that's a feature, not a bug.
And was it ever beautiful. I had the entirety of Rhododendron Trail area to myself—and a few critters rustling in the brush—for all three hours; breaking spider webs every step of the way told that tale. I can't wait to go back.
NB: if you do carry a camera, or more than one, plus multiple lenses, do yourself a favor and add a viewfinder app to your phone. Most allow you to show the frame lines and/or POV for every lens on every camera. It's an invaluable tool for planning images. There are several such apps and a few more powerful ones focused on video, but my favorite for still photography is Mark II Artist's Viewfinder; not cheap, but worth every penny. It lives on page one of my phone's home screen. Here is a screenshot example:
Tall Trees Grove is located in the southern end of Redwood National Park. Access is somewhat tightly controlled. The trailhead is seven miles in on a dirt road after a locked gate. Reservations are free, but they must be made on line, and as you might imagine, they get snapped up pretty quickly. The day before your reservation, the NPS will email you the next day's combination lock code. It actually all works very smoothly.
Tall Trees Grove is notable for its 800-foot drop into the alluvial flat next to Redwood Creek that houses the grove. It's a pleasant enough walk down, but as many a sign in the parks states: "Going down is optional; coming back up is mandatory." 800 feet of elevation doesn't sound so bad, but it's a lot more than the 80 flights of stairs it implies, because the trail has a fair number of switchbacks and some of the terrain is mildly uneven. But it sure is beautiful. Take plenty of water, and a snack if you are so inclined. Think twice before hauling a 30-pound backpack down, because you will be bringing it back up.
The pack was heavier than usual, because I decided to make Tall Trees primarily a B&W session with the the Arca Field Metric, so yeah, that's on me. But it was thoroughly enjoyable; mosquitoes were not as bad as I had expected, not as bad, for example, as Decker Creek [before I remembered to bring some repellant]. Here is one of the spots where I found some nice light setting an interior burnt trunk aglow:
Was it worth it? Oh yeah, but in part, just for the doing of it. The trees themselves are not actually any more spectacular than what is much more easily accessible and numerous in any of the places I've blogged about this week. But the combination of limited access, the hike, and the creekside location contribute to a sense of seclusion that one might otherwise not experience. The sunlight is also different in Tall Trees because of the open creek bed area, as illustrated by the image heading up this post.
If time is short, I would recommend any of Prairie Creek, LBJ, Stout, or Humboldt, as all are easier to reach and plan. But if you have the time and can get the reservation, enjoy Tall Trees.
