On Day 17 we were in California and still progressing down Highway 101. We passed through Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park and on down 101, thus bypassing the drive through the tall trees. Oops. We stopped at Kuchel Visitor Center and discovered our error. So we took the park map they gave us and went up the scenic parkway through Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. 
We saw an elk herd that conveniently hangs out in a meadow provided for us to view them.
We turned around at the top of the parkway and came back down as if we had just arrived and stopped at the Big Tree Wayside. There was a massive 1500 year old tree and we walked on the Cathedral of Trees trail through a grove of old trees. 
We saw fallen nurse logs with new trees growing on them and some large ones in odd configurations that must have begun on a nurse log.
It was a beautiful walk through the forest and we got back to the car via the Circle Trail. And we spent a lot of time doing this.
We entered the National Park section and hiked the Lady Bird Johnson Grove trail. It goes to the site where Pres. Nixon dedicated the park in her honor and wanders through an old-growth forest area.
There were lots of huge rhododendrons with pink flowers all over. They were so lovely and were bright spots peeking through all the tall trees.
The trail had a nature guide that was very informative, pointed out some unique features, but basically said there were lots of big trees. There were many that had the center burned out from fire but the outer layers are still living so the tree continues to grow. 
Coast redwoods are the tallest trees in the world. They are taller but not as old or have as thick trunks as giant sequoias.
We drove east out of the park on what turned out to be the “descent from h-e-double-toothpicks”. Oh. My. Word. There was a gravel road that twisted and bumped that ran into a paved road that twisted and bumped until we were afraid for the bottom of our car. It went through barren areas with absolutely no signs of life, twisting all the way down and we seriously thought it would never end. Gah! But we eventually made it to Redding and got a good night’s sleep.
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