Redwood Guide

05/23/2026

Trillium Falls Trail, Redwood National Park. This is one of my favorite spots to just sit, listen, and breathe. The Big Leaf Maple here at Trillium Falls has a perfect spot to nestle in amongst its roots, a most wonderful natural chair.

Make sure when you are visiting Redwood National Park, to have a significant amount of open time to just sit and breathe and wonder. Trust me, if you move too fast you will miss so much.

05/21/2026

This beach is epic for seeing wildlife! I love on a Full Day Tour to combine a walk through the old growth with an adventure to the coast combining the best ecosystems of Redwood National Park! On this day we saw seals, sea lions, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Kingfisher, Lamprey, Brown Pelican, Cormorants, and a variety of Gulls.

05/18/2026

Justin's opinion on the 2026 purple Lupine Bloom up Bald Hills Road.

Is it beautiful to see flowering purple wildflowers? Of course! The purple lupine are absolutely stunning! Though if you think the entire Bald Hills area is going to be covered in lupine, you will be dissapointed. You will find some here and there along the way up Bald Hills Road, but there is one major patch just before Lyons Ranch Trailhead that is the main source of excitement. I am not even going to use a certain term that is being thrown around, causing what I feel is overexcitement in the name of using a fun term.

Should you visit the lupine bloom? It really depends! How much time do you have? Are you a first time visitor to Redwood National and State Parks? Do you have a solid 2 hours extra to take this bumpy road just to see the wildflowers? It is a steep and bumpy road that you share with logging truck traffic at times, are you comfortable driving that? For a visitor, it will take you about 45-minutes to drive to the location itself from the intersection at Bald Hills Rd and Highway 101. The location of the bloom also lacks any real parking, just a few small pull outs. There also is not a real trail through the lupine or a destination besides the side of the road here.

It is unfortunate to see obvious trampling by the humans that have gone to visit. If you do go, please just be gentle amongst the wildflowers. You can get extremely close, as my pictures show, without damanging or trampling the flowers here.

I shared two pictures, one to see the overall extent of this large patch of lupine, and the second to give that "insta" perspective you are seeing around that makes it seem like an unending field of wildflowers.

Not trying to discourage per se, just trying to give a real perspective, and further encourage gentle use of this beautiful park.

05/16/2026

Ever hear the Orick story of "Big Diamond" the circus elephant? A rather odd one indeed! Fun bit of Americana mythology along the Redwood Highway just before you enter Redwood National Park!

05/13/2026

Rhododendron occidentale, the Western Azalea. Generally when folks speak of the Rhododendron in Redwood National Park they are referring to Rhododendron macrophyllum, which is more commonly referred to as simply Rhododendron. They are both wonderful and beautiful!

Make sure to stop and take a big sniff as they smell wonderful, just be careful as they can also be rather sticky!

05/13/2026

I hope you can join me one day to experience Redwood National and State Parks!

05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day!

04/30/2026

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." A favorite quote attributed to Lao Tzu. A reminder to move slowly, especially on a walk in nature. When we rush through a trail to get to the end, the destination, some goal we feel we need to accomplish, we often miss out on the most beneficial parts of our time outside.

Try not to have a destination in mind. Move slow. Notice what is around you. Some of my favorite times outdoors, we barely went anywhere.

Give it a try! Or join me one day for some guidance and suggestions, being with others can really enhance the experience, not to mention give you your own "tools for your toolbox" on how to immerse in nature on your own.

Similar to other wellness practices, such as yoga for example, it can be very beneficial to go with a certified guide or trainer to learn the core concepts before practicing on your own.

04/29/2026

Redwood National Park is a great place to learn about and experience a guided Forest Bathing Walk.

Hope you can join me!

https://65nation.com/wellness-forest-bathing-4-real-health-benefits-for-seniors/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRfD2FleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeHurcKKapGuH02fJiG3CnpDyPX62s6_Tkj4daLIp9n7zYrcDovGKcHHERCaA_aem_4MfrlFzhqz6tTgddT2Yf9A

A slow walk among trees can lower stress, sharpen focus, and even help you sleep better. Here is what the science actually says.

04/10/2026

The Western Trillium is perhaps the most beautiful wildflower in Redwood National and State Parks.
From massive Redwoods, to delicate wildflowers, the beauty here in the ancient redwoods abounds!