Planning Phase Headaches
Alright, so I got this itch to see America's tallest trees for real, not just pictures. Figured "top destinations" meant easy planning. Yeah, right. First off, finding legit info was a mess. Everyone online shouts "Redwoods!" but where exactly? California, obviously, but which park? Oregon popped up too. My kitchen table disappeared under maps and scribbled notes.
My State-by-State Gut Check
Started digging past the obvious:
- California: Seemed like ground zero. Redwood National and State Parks kept coming up, plus Humboldt Redwoods State Park. But dude, those places are huge. Which trailheads? How crowded?
- Oregon: Kept seeing mentions of "Valley of the Giants" and some Bureau of Land Management spots. Sounded wilder, less polished. Intriguing, but info was sketchier. Could I even find the darn trailheads?
- Washington: Olympic National Park has biggies too. But hey, that's a whole other corner of the country. Trip was ballooning fast.
My coffee went cold stressing over choices. Felt like I needed a dang PhD in forest logistics.
Pulling the Trigger & Roadtrip Realities
Finally bit the bullet: Fly into San Francisco, rent a car, drive north targeting Humboldt and Redwood National/State Parks. Booked a chaotic mix of motels and random Airbnbs near the parks because everything decent booked way too fast. Pro tip? Book sleeping spots early. Big mistake thinking I'd wing it.
Hitting the road was its own adventure. GPS crapped out deep in Humboldt County. Like zero signal. Good thing I had those wrinkled paper maps – felt ancient but saved me. Driving those winding roads among giants? Absolutely surreal. But finding specific trailheads? Sometimes pure luck.
Standing Among Giants (Literally)
Walking into places like Humboldt's Founders Grove or Redwood National Park's Lady Bird Johnson Grove… man, words don't cut it. You crane your neck until it hurts. The air smells different – damp earth and something ancient. Touching bark thicker than my car felt humbling. Pictures are trash compared to being there.
- Got rained on hard in Oregon. Like soaked-to-the-bones Pacific Northwest rain. Waterproof gear? Non-negotiable. Learned fast.
- Surprise fees galore. Some parks charged entry, others didn't. Some trails needed separate permits. My wallet took unexpected hits.
- Crowds were no joke near famous spots. Started waking up stupid early just to find parking and get some quiet time with the trees.
What Actually Worked (And What Didn't)
Looking back, my planning had wins and epic fails:
Winning Moves: Renting a solid car for those backroads. Packing legit rain gear. Bringing paper backups for GPS. Staying flexible - changing routes when crowds sucked.
Epic Fails: Underestimating booking needs. Not checking permit rules per trail. Thinking Oregon rain was "just drizzle".
Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. But next time? More research on specific trail rules, book lodging six months out, and pack an extra raincoat. Seeing trees that old makes you feel tiny in the best possible way.
