For my third and final Wednesday Walk submission relating to my recent trip to Northern California, I would like to share a few images taken from a day spent along the North Californian coastal town of Bodega Bay and, later on, in the Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Preserve.
The day started out in the town of Bodega Bay, a small seaside town along the famous and scenic highway 1 approximately 70 miles North of downtown San Francisco. This small town offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean from the rocky, succulent adorned seaside cliffs. The cliffs here are covered in various succulent species, with the primary inhabitant being sea figs (Genus Carpobrotus). On this clear blue-skied day, I had a perfect view of the offshore rock formations and arches as well as the ferocious waves as they crashed into the jagged shoreline.
Bodega Bay:
From Bodega Bay, I drove North to the mouth of the Russian River. From here I drove inland towards my ultimate destination for the day: Armstrong Woods. Along the way however, I hopped out of my car to take a look at the gentle, meandering Russian River. I'm no fisherman, but to me, this spot looks like a perfect spot to cast a line!
Russian River:
After travelling along the northern bank of the Russian River for a few miles, I finally made my way to Armstrong Woods State Natural Preserve, a coastal redwood grove initially set aside for preservation back in the 1870s by Colonel James Armstrong, the former owner of the land. Shocked by the rapid pace of redwood deforestation, he hoped to preserve this beautiful grove for posterity to enjoy the majesty of these towering and ancient giants. After his death, his daughter, Elizabeth Armstrong, was successful in carrying on her father's ambitions, ultimately leading to the sale of the property to Sonoma County in 1916 and then the State of California in 1934. Today, the park is open to visitors and contains some of the eldest and largest coastal redwoods in the world. The largest tree in the grove is known as the Parson Jones tree, standing at a height of 310 feet with a diameter of 13.8 feet and an estimated age of around 1,300 years old.
This redwood forest is not as well-known as the more famous Muir Woods, but after having the opportunity to visit both on this trip, I can say that Armstrong Woods was by favorite of the two. The reduced foot traffic in this park combined with the larger trees transports you back in time to a prehistoric era where these giants dominated the globe. Now reduced to a small coastal range in the state of California, it is an honor to get to experience these ancient beings in person.
Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve:
Thank you for walking with me.
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