Redwoods, Part 2: Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

The coastal groves of Prairie Creek are densely wooded, with thick layers of organic tuff on the forest floor and thick fog that hangs in the moist air. The woods here have a tangible quality and it’s possible to feel the damp air heavy on your skin while inhaling the sweet smell of decomposition. Walking here it is like being enveloped, the massive trees and thickets of ferns absorbing your movements and sound. The density and height of the trees block out much of the light too, contributing to the still atmosphere. It was an incredible peaceful place to hike.

The low-light made it challenging to get pictures in focus, but the photos below are the best I could do. It is also difficult to capture the scale of these enormous redwoods, and practically impossible to capture the atmosphere of the forest, so you will have to believe me when I tell you that these groves are truly magical.