DonTom

[DonTom]

Today, I first went to the Visitor Center and then all three hikes across the road. Very easy hikes, pancake flat and each one is less than a mile. But round trips mean around 4 to five miles total. But these have to be the easiest hikes in all of the park and one of them goes down to the river.

So here are some of the photos:

The Visitor Center open on July 4 and there I watched a short film about stuff to do in the park:

There are several benches on the trails for those who need a rest often:

One of the trails goes to across the river on a bridge:

There were some people enjoying the river right near there:

I did a lot of motorcycle riding after those hikes. I took a ride to Benbow Lake SRA where I recharged across the street at the Benbow Hotel and then I headed back here on the Ave of the Giants when I got to the south part of it at just south of Phillipsville.

-Don- Redcrest, CA

 

[ziplock]

I saw on the news that there is a new fire in California.

Is that near you?

Thinking of you.

Have you seen any animals or reptiles or anything worth a second glance?

We haven't went anywhere this week. We just got 3 cords of wood delivered, so we stacked that for the 4th of July. YUCK, hahahah

 

[DonTom]

I saw on the news that there is a new fire in California.

Is that near you?

Thinking of you.

Have you seen any animals or reptiles or anything worth a second glance?

We haven't went anywhere this week. We just got 3 cords of wood delivered, so we stacked that for the 4th of July. YUCK, hahahah

No trace of any fires up here, the fires are hundreds of miles to the south. Unlike there in MD, CA is a long state. Nice sunny and clear up here.

I am about ready to leave on my motorcycle to hike in the Rockafellow Forest. Named such after John D. Rockefeller, Jr donated a couple of million bucks (in 1930's money!) to save the Redwoods here as a logging company was trying to chop them down. Today, less than 5% of the old growth redwood trees exist, and this forest has the most of those.

I did see something run across the road (Ave of the Giants) yesterday, but it was very fast, and I was on my bike, and this was around a curve, and I only saw a quick glimpse. I am not sure, but I think it was a mountain lion. Several have been spotted in this area. By the time I got there on my bike, there was no clue. Whatever it was, was then long gone.

-Don- Redcrest, CA

 

[DonTom]

Today's hike was around seven miles round trip from Bull Creek to Big Trees and back in the Rockefeller Forest. Most of it is dark forest, very high trees, that follow Bull Creek. Kinda the entire forest from south to north I hiked today.

The place I ended up at can be driven to all the way, the Big Trees Parking Lot. But I did the longest way possible by hiking from the south at Bull Creek trailhead to Big Trees in the north end of the Rockefeller Forest. Best way to see all of it.

The Big Trees area has the tallest, fattest and oldest trees in this park. Other than that, I didn't see anything interesting today, but a hike in the dark cool forest in the summer is as good as a desert hike in the middle of winter.

By the time I got back to my bike, I was glad to get back, seven miles was enough! Took many hours.

I do have a few photos, but nothing all that exciting.

Some of these "Flat Iron Trees" (large fallen trees) take a long hike to get around! We can barely see it in the background, hidden behind bushes.

The Giant of the giants. No need to use a camera to see the top because it is so high cannot see anything anyway in all the other tall trees around it. Same with the tallest tree in this park.

I wonder who is building what here:

Much of this trail follows Bull Creek:

The trail far from everything looks like this (creek on the left, trail on the right):

Even though this is a busy 3-day holiday, it just like all other places I hike, many people the first quarter mile from a trail head, and then nobody at all until close to the next trailhead or parking area. Not many want to do a seven-mile hike, but many will do less than a half mile or so max.

-Don- Redcrest, CA

 

[ziplock]

I am not sure, but I think it was a mountain lion.

Oh my goodness. Well, you can outrun it on your bike, be careful on foot! Yikes!

I wonder who is building what here:

Jenga?

Jenga - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

hahha

 

[NY_Dutch]

I wonder who is building what here:
View attachment 1324953

I used to stack fresh cut firewood like that to let it dry out.

 

[DonTom]

"I used to stack fresh cut firewood like that to let it dry out."

OIC. Then I assume it is to dry out there too, but I wonder what the wood will be used for. Very large boards, so I doubt if it's for firewood. OTOH, they can be cut smaller.

Maybe I will find out next year. I expect to come here every summer for a couple of weeks from now on.

-Don- Redcrest, CA

 

[DonTom]

Oh my goodness. Well, you can outrun it on your bike, be careful on foot! Yikes!

It is rare for a mountain lion to bother anybody, unless running or on a bicycle or doing something else that will trigger its instinct to chase. Hiking is usually not an issue. However, since this happened near Auburn right in an area I have been to many times, I now do think about it, because those guys did everything right and they were attacked anyway. And I usually hike solo these days.

And at my Auburn house, once when I arrived there, there was a fawn carcass on my front lawn a few years ago. An obvious Mt. Lion kill.

I have seen one mountain lion there in Auburn, running down a crossroad. Lots of deer in the area to attract the Mtn lions.

-Don- Redcrest, CA

 

[DonTom]

It got up to 85F here today, so I just got back from a swim at my favorite swim spot on the Eel River which is exactly 4.0 miles south of this RV Park (Ancient Redwoods RV Park).

Last year, it was very difficult to walk into the water because of the sharp pebbles. But when I got home, I ordered a pair of these which I just tried out today. They were perfect. No need to take them off while swimming and I cannot even feel those sharp pebbles.

It's been a little too cool for swimming until today when it warmed up here quite a bit. My first and last swim of this trip. Most of this trip has been motorcycle riding and hiking, I am glad to get one swim day in.

I leave here on Tuesday. I will be coming back here every July for two weeks. It's the perfect place for me in July.

Have you seen any animals or reptiles or anything worth a second glance?

Yes! On the four miles back, I saw a very cute Ringtail looking out of some bushes until I got too close. Again, right on the Ave of the Giants. I didn't even know they had Ringtails here, as I have never seen one anywhere in CA before. But I have seen MANY in the high country of Zion National Park in Utah.

Hiking for miles I saw no wildlife at all. It's all been right on the main road while riding when I am not even thinking about wildlife.

-Don- Redcrest,

 

[ziplock]

. It's all been right on the main road while riding when I am not even thinking about wildlife.

Hiking for miles I saw no wildlife at all. It's all been right on the main road while riding when I am not even thinking about wildlife.

Hiking for miles I saw no wildlife at all. It's all been right on the main road while riding when I am not even thinking about wildlife.

What a mess of a post! hahah Can't get rid of quotes I don't want. Oh well.

Seems like when people are not looking for something, it always shows up.

 

[ziplock]

I noticed you saw a VERY CUTE ringtail.

What does a very UGLY ringtail look like? Hahah

Hubby and I are enjoying your posts and pictures.

 

[DonTom]

What does a very UGLY ringtail look like?

I don't know because I have yet to see an ugly one.

-Don- Redcrest, CA

 

[DonTom]

Can't get rid of quotes I don't want.

Start over by clicking on the 3 vertical dots on the right to get more stuff than select "draft" and then "delete draft" and then refresh the page and your message is gone for good if not yet posted, quotes and all.

There are other ways to delete the quotes but often it is easier to just delete the whole thing--and that is much easier to explain here!

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[DonTom]

As if anybody cares (but I will tell you all anyway).

I will be leaving tomorrow, I think I am going to the Coconino Forest (just north of Flagstaff) for some boondocking in my old junky Y2K motorhome. Wherever I go, I will be mostly boondocking this time, as that is why I still own my Y2K RV. It's for the unpaved roads. Has a lot more ground clearance than my Class A and I don't care much if I beat the crap out of it.

It's all loaded up, with my smallest, lightest electric motorcycle and all. The only thing left to do is drive it away.

On the way back, I will probably go up Hwy 395, to Tom's Place, CA, and visit @oldcrow for a few days.

Not sure how long I will be gone. Not even sure where I am going. But I assume this trip will all be places I have been to before.

I am also thinking about going down to Cottonwood, AZ. Very nice hiking area. I can take my pick in a few miles to hike to swamps or to desert, and just about any other type of environment. I have not been there for years and I would like to see the place again.

Same for Payson, AZ and so many other places. I often don't know where I am going until I am set up for the night, but this time I have a long list of places I want to see again, all in AZ.

Where I go can also be because of the temperature/weather. AZ has everything from cool to hot at this time of year, depending on location.

-Don- Auburn, CA

I still realize nobody cares, but I will tell you all again anyway.

I am going to leave in a few days and repeat the same trip I did last year. Or something very close to it. Again, in my old junky Y2K motorhome.

It will be interesting to see how well the genny now works from the same location after doing the valve adjustment and replacing the choke tube.

Where I go next after a week or two in the Coconino Forest will mostly depend on the weather.


-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Jackiemac]

Have a fun trip!

 

[DonTom]

Have a fun trip!

Thanks, I will try my best to do such!

This trip will be mostly boondocking, I didn't make it to Cottonwood last year, so perhaps I will go there this time. I probably will not go to anyplace new, but I won't know for sure until I get back home in six weeks or so.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Old_Crow]

Thanks, I will try my best to do such!

This trip will be mostly boondocking, I didn't make it to Cottonwood last year, so perhaps I will go there this time. I probably will not go to anyplace new, but I won't know for sure until I get back home in six weeks or so.

-Don- Reno, NV

Where do you stay in Cottonwood, Dead Horse Ranch?

The year Lynn and I managed in Sedona we spent a lot of time cruising all the back roads and such in the area. Found a nice looking RV park in Cornville. Called Page Springs RV Park. Don't know anything about it except it looks nice as we drove by. Creekside sites and big shade trees.

 

[DonTom]

Where do you stay in Cottonwood, Dead Horse Ranch?

Yes, I have only been there once, I think that was in 2017. But yes, I stayed at Dead Horse Ranch. I enjoyed the hikes there as each direction was quite a bit different. Within the park, you can hike in desert or swampy areas. I found that rather unusual. IRC, they have water and electricity at the RV sites.

On the way there, I recall a very nice boondocking camp next to a creek in a deep canyon that had signs that said "watch for snakes". That is Cave Springs Camp on Oak Creek Canyon. I stayed there several nights.

 

[John From Detroit]

On the way there, I recall a very nice boondocking camp next to a creek in a deep canyon that had signs that said "watch for snakes". That is Cave Springs Camp on Oak Creek Canyon. I stayed there several nights.

Alas one always needs to be on the lookout for snakes.
But the ones that walk on two legs are sadly not endangered.

(Note: Laughter is acceptable as a response)

 

[Old_Crow]

Alas one always needs to be on the lookout for snakes.
But the ones that walk on two legs are sadly not endangered.

(Note: Laughter is acceptable as a response)

That sign is right before the entry road crosses the creek and refers to a non-poisonous snake that can only be found in a few places. In 6 months there I never saw one.
Cave Springs was one of the campgrounds I managed in 2020 when the company sent us to Sedona for the (covid) season. That is a nice campground, but the dude I had managing it for me was a nightmare. He didn't get a second season, and I'm one who prefers the same people come back every year if I can make it happen.
Here's a pic of an Arizona Black Tail rattlesnake that I had to remove from a swimming area at Crescent Moon Ranch.