Where Did We Park | AAA Club Alliance

Klamath River sunrise — A spectacular sunrise at the mouth of the Klamath River as seen from Klamath River Overlook.

High bluff overlook — The High Bluff Overlook located along California’s Coastal Highway offers a view of grasses, beach and sea stacks.

Lupins in bloom — The indigo blooms of lupins accent Redwood National and State Forest from late spring to summer.

Pelicans inhabit the 37 miles of coastline that are included in Redwoods National and State Parks.

Coast redwoods in fog — Fog shrouds an ancient redwood forest.

Fog in forest — Fog gives a mystical cast to an ancient coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest.

Hikers at overlooks — Hikers on the Flint Ridge Section of the Coastal Trail seem like miniatures when compared to the ancient coast redwoods.

Path in forest — A narrow path wends through ground cover and under towering trees.

Coast in Redwood parks — Parts of Redwood National and State Parks extend to a coastline full of drama.

Elk — A Roosevelt elk grazes in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

“Walking among giants” is a cliché these days sometimes used inappropriately to describe historic figures and politicians. When you visit Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP), the phrase will truly resonant. These trees are so old that their ancestors were used as backscratchers for dinosaurs

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park were established by the state of California in the 1920s. In 1968, the federal government created Redwood National Park adjacent to the state parks.

The protected lands encompass not only ancient groves of some of the tallest trees on the planet but also 37 miles of rugged coastline, prairies and oak woodlands, along with Smith River—a National Wild and Scenic River—and the Kalmath River, which begins in Oregon and empties into the Pacific Ocean. More than 200 miles of trails wind through RNSP.

In addition to redwoods, you’ll find Roosevelt elk, black bears and meadows filled with wildflowers. There are opportunities to whale watch from bluffs high above the Pacific. There’s also the Prairie Creek Fish Hatchery and Radar Station B-71, a WWII early-warning radar station disguised as a farmhouse and outbuildings.

Don’t try to take in everything in the parks on one trip. Slow down, find a peaceful spot, and imagine the old-growth forest sharing its home with you.

For more on RNSP, visit nps.gov/redw.

All photos courtesy of NPS