Since the dawn of creation, all living things have leaned on trees as an embodiment of safety, sanctuary and healing. Behind their tall and imposing structure is a mystery shrouded in whispers, forgotten tales and mighty songs—describing of their powers and ability to instill a sense of oneness with the world. I do believe that we will never really demystify the full extent of dendrolatry and its spiritual providence, but I do commend the work that has been laid out by martyrs who believe in their magnificence. Hinduism and Shintoism, amongst other religions, revere trees with sacredness and deification—and it has helped devotees live lives who respect nature. On the other hand, there’s people like me, who just at the sight these marveling trees, admire the world a little more without uttering a single word.
Nature has its way to initiate a dialogue with humans. I was called to visit the Redwood National Park through a thought that got planted in my head. Was I crazy to buckle up and drive for 6 hours, covering 400 miles north to answer an itch brought by these trees? Maybe. It was worth it anyway.
The drive was nothing but amazing as you pass by and see the change in facade from monotonous urban usuals to lush vineyards, and fields of indescribable abundance of autumn foliage. Red, orange, yellow and green leaves fight for center stage as passengers feed their curiosity and excitement looking out the car window. You will never get tired of it, especially if you’re a city creature.
Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway
It is helpful to pay a stop at the visitor’s center, grab a map and plan your itinerary. Chances are, you will be recommended to drive through the Newton B Drury Scenic Parkway, a 10-mile, 20-30 minute drive that cuts through all the trees in a scenic, out-of-this-world fashion. Planted within the parkway are trails of various difficulties and durations, catered to your heart’s capacity.
I stopped by a couple of trails and took a peak of what was in store. It felt like stepping into another world that looked eerie and impressive at the same time.
From here, you can drive an hour north to see the Jedidah Redwood State Park and do more hiking. I didn’t have enough time to do it. What I realized is that visiting the Redwoods is best in the summer, when the sun sets much later during the day. Now that we’re in November, at 3:00pm, the forests and trails become a little difficult to navigate as it gets dark pretty quickly. These towering trees repel light aggressively and you wouldn’t want to get stuck in the middle of a trail during sundown!
When you’re lucky, you might even bump into fellow hikers.
When you allow time to do its thing, it becomes like this. It’s just marvelous.
The trees give off an alien vibe, straight out of a science fiction movie. With trees and stems looking like giant tarantula legs and plants that I normally don’t see from my grandma’s garden, you’ll never know what may spring out of the bushes to surprise you.
Trees of Mystery
Is an enclosed park that houses various sights and activities. This giant can hear any word you murmur under your breath, so be careful or it will talk back and call you out!
Turns out that this tree is a big deal.
The canopy trail that is suspended high up in the air was an amazing experience and exercise. You cannot fathom or put a grasp on how tall these things are and for you to get close and touch them is surreal, as simple as it may seem.
Looking up next to a tree, there’s something to be said about this.
Witness how dramatic it looks when the rays of light strike through this tree, it feels like a feel-good movie.
Just by touching them, you can feel how thick the bark has become, hinting of how long these towers have been living.
The Brotherhood Tree is not the biggest one, but boy my eyeballs were popping out of their sockets just by looking at it. I took a video walking around it to show how wide this thing is and it lasted about 32 seconds to finish a full circle. 32 seconds!
I’m not sure how accurate this timeline is that you’ll see below, but knowing that some of these trees have been here even the time of humans began is a mind-boggling thought that is as impressive feat even more than skyscrapers and the latest innovation from SKIMS.
There you have it folks! I wish I had more time to explore the other parts. It is something that I will definitely come back for.
Keep exploring!