JACT in the Redwoods

Welcome to part 2 of our September 2022 motorcycle camping road trip. We pick up from our last blog on day #4, when we cross the Oregon border into California & head to Gold Bluffs Beach Campground. It is located in Orick, CA & within Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. If you missed Part 1, click below to start over at the beginning of this adventure!

If you have not visited the CA Redwoods & are looking specifically to check it off your National Park bucket list, it can be confusing to search for an official entrance. It is actually multiple state parks with a national park coordination. It began when the Save the Redwoods League started in 1918 after thousands of acres of old growth had been cut to the bare ground. The League & the state of CA started purchasing land from lumber companies to establish parks:

• 1923 Prairie Creek State Park

• 1925 Del Norte State Park

• 1929 Jedediah Smith State Park

• 1968 Redwood National Park

• 1978 Redwood National Park boundary expansion

The National Park boundary encircles the three State Parks, & in 1994 the NPS began managing the parklands cooperatively with the CA State Parks & Rec Department. During your visit, you may meet either a State or NPS Ranger anywhere in the 138,999-acre encompassed area.

We were mid-vacation & reaching the bottom of our road trip loop, so we only visited the northernmost of these parks. South from OR on Hwy 101, we made some selfie stops before switching our focus to the giant Sequoias.

We left Hwy 101 to travel 6 miles on a dirt road to Gold Bluffs Beach Campground, where we had reservations for the next two nights. Our adventure bikes switch from hwy mode to dirt mode at the push of a button, so the transition was easy. An enchanting forest enveloped us the entire way with trees related to redwoods that thrived 160 million years ago. When the road ended, the white sands of the beach began.

We parked at our campsite & took in the view. It's a remote & quiet campground with 26 dry-camping tent sites, which also allow for vans or RVs no wider than 8’ & no longer than 24’. The camp host had the only RV while we were there. We set up our little tent, with the door opening toward the ocean sunset.

We visited with & bought wood from the host for our evening fire. She was there with her partner for the season while working a full-time computer job remotely. When James retires, this is exactly what we want to do! Later at our fire, we re-hashed our dreams while our ice diminished. We cooked up our entire package of hotdogs & drank a cold 6-pack, relaxing & knowing there was no pressure to wake early & pack up.

Wednesday morning gave us one of those gifts reserved for people waking up in the wild. When we opened our door, we were greeted by the sight of a Roosevelt Bull Elk walking the beach. We got up, brewed our coffee & enjoyed the peaceful sound of the waves as we watched him pass us by.

We ate oatmeal for breakfast, then put on our hiking shoes & backpacks. Time to trek over to Fern Canyon, located about 1.75 miles from camp & features 50’ walls with 7 kinds of ferns growing throughout the 1.2-mile loop trail. The path repeatedly crosses Home Creek, so water shoes are suggested for this one. The atmosphere truly feels pre-historic & as a matter of fact, part of The Lost World Jurassic Park was filmed here.

We finished our canyon hike & embarked on a tranquil walk back to camp, along the sandy shores of Gold Bluffs Beach. The rhythmic sound of crashing waves serenaded our senses, as we left behind a trail of footprints as ephemeral as time itself.

We would have liked to stay longer but were happy getting this far on our 1-week vacation. The next morning, we packed up for our journey north & back home. Before parting from the Redwoods, we rode an old stagecoach trail through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, called Howland Hill Road. It’s a narrow, 10-mile, all-dirt road that transports you into a magical world of majestical giants.

We chose a scenic path up central OR, stopping the next night near Crater Lake. We checked in at Union Creek Resort, where we ate real food at Beckies & slept in a real bed - both were delicious! This area deserves a week's vacation itself, but all we could fit in was a short hike at the Natural Bridge & a quick visit to Oregon's only National Park.

Crater Lake National Park was established on May 22, 1902, & boasts the deepest lake in the United States & the deepest volcanic lake in the world. It formed about 7,700 years ago when Mount Mazama erupted.

We continued through OR, making our way to Mt Hood. It was almost a 7-hour ride which sort of kicked my ass. We opted to hotel it instead of camping out & lucky us - it was right next to a brewery! We showered and then walked over for the best-tasting beer of our entire trip!

Our next travel day was even longer than the last. We made it into WA & even ventured onto more dirt roads, as we scoped out a great little campground we heard about at Takhlakh Lake. We should have pitched our tent there, but we hoped to find a spot near Mt Rainier. Unfortunately, all the campgrounds were full & we finally had to settle for a Rodeway Inn near Enumclaw.

Lake Takhlakh

Our final day was a short ride home comparably, but delightful nonetheless as we maneuvered on backroads to avoid freeways. We can both attest to being burnt out with sore backs & sore bottoms, so we were glad to see the garage at the end of our driveway! Click on the Youtube video below to watch our return home from the CA Redwoods:

We were grateful for home & for the sunshine that followed us for most of our 9-day & 1,430-mile adventure. Whether it's exploring new places, trying new activities, or pursuing unconventional passions, being adventurous allows you to create memorable experiences. So, why wait? Embrace the unknown, take risks, & encourage others to join you on this exhilarating journey of self-discovery & growth. Adventure awaits, GO DO IT! #JACTventures