Day 19: Trees of Mystery

A long day of hiking has my legs beat to shit. Felt good to get out into nature today though. Went to the Klamath mystery trees which was one of the coolest places I’ve seen yet. Best way I can describe it is as a redwood theme park where Paul Bunyan is Mickey Mouse and Babe the Ox is Pluto. Commercialized but still able to get it’s point across with the natural beauty of the redwoods and appreciation for nature in general. – October 9, 2017, 5:45pm, Patrick’s Point, Trinidad

Walking through the “theme park” is a trip because it’s set up like a regular hiking trail but there are placards with the nicknames for particular trees on them and even music playing in the background which gives it that theme park feel.  The redwoods here are truly magnificent.  The branches twist and turn in ways you wouldn’t think the trees could grow and they tower above you as you walk the path.  Eventually you can take a “sky tram” up to the top to see the entire breadth of redwoods in the area.

After reaching the top, I decided to hike my way down instead of sitting in the tram.  It was a tough hike that was straight downhill most of the way but the experience was worth it.  Seeing the park from the tram was cool in that it was a unique viewpoint but I prefer walking on the forest floor, experiencing the redwoods from the ground and looking up at the giants.

“This is their temple, vaulted high,

And here we pause with reverent eye,

With silent tongue and awe-struck soul;

For here we sense life’s proper goal”

– Joseph B. Strauss, from “The Redwoods,” 1932

Drove a little while longer to Patrick’s Point where I saw some of the most stunning views I have seen yet. I had stayed here on the way up but didn’t get a chance to check out the wilderness aspect of it, only went down to the beach. I hiked a trail winding through the forested coastline to a huge rock that I can only describe as a natural castle. Looked like it was straight out of Ireland or Great Britain. Very beautiful and stunning views but all the walking I did today, has my legs spent. – October 9, 2017, 5:45pm, Patrick’s Point, Trinidad

I took so many great pictures from that hiking trail that I decided to try something a little different…. Check out this link for a visual journey of the  hike.  I think the pictures tell the story and display the beauty I saw much better than I could ever articulate.

I spent a lot of time in Patrick’s Point just sitting and observing.  The atmosphere and the vibes around the state park were conducive to get some critical thinking in and I felt calm and at peace.  I tried to just sit still for a couple minutes whenever I found a beautiful spot to stop  and I think that did wonders for my mind-state and mental health.  Patrick’s Point seemed like such a mystical place especially as I think about it now.  When going through the pictures for this post, it was almost like I had dreamt this day.

Coming back here was a great decision on my part because I definitely rushed it the first time around.  Being able to hike and take in all the sites was refreshing and got me back on track in terms of what I wanted to see in my original plan.  Tomorrow, I travel to Shelter cove near the “lost coast.”  It’s going to be about a two hour drive so I don’t need to hustle out of here too early and hopefully I will get another great night’s sleep beneath the trees like I did last night.  Seems to be getting a bit colder but I attribute that mostly to being closer to the coast here at Patrick’s rather than deep in the redwoods in Jedidiah.  Jedidiah was the quintessential “camping spot” but I think Patrick’s Point has been the most stunning and beautiful place I have seen yet.  Excited to see the Lost Coast tomorrow and stay under a roof though. – October 9, 2017, 5:45pm, Patrick’s Point, Trinidad