Setting out day 1
Big Basin Redwood State Park, established in 1902, is California's oldest state park. Looking up at the towering redwood giants, some clearly hundreds of years old and some merely 1/2 inch saplings, the forest's age is obvious. Imagine that some of these trees have been standing since the time of explorer John C. Fremont. These trees have been constants despite all the change that has taken place in California during their lifetimes. If you really think about it, its breathtaking. This is an area in which the wilderness has existed for generations, and hopefully will continue to exist for generations to come.
I was lucky enough to visit Big Basin with my brother and our friends the Hawkeys. A few weeks ago, we went on a 2 day, 13 mile backpacking trip from Jay Camp Headquarters to Sunset Camp and then from Sunset Camp to Waddell beach.
A canopy of leaves: this is what you see if you look straight up
On day one, we drove from Redwood City, where we were staying with the Hawkeys' grandparents, to Big Basin. I was the driver, and the drive up to the campground was a little harrowing. The last section of the road is thin, almost not big enough for two cars to pass each other, and the outside edge of the road is a drop off cliff. There were a few moments when I thought we were going over the edge, but luckily we made it to the trailhead in one piece. We parked the car at Jay Camp Headquarters, hefted our packs onto our backs, and set out on the trail for a 5 mile hike into Sunset Camp. The thin dirt trail wound up and down between enormous redwood trunks, over rocks, and underneath fallen trunks. Looking up, all I could see were the tops of the tall trees. The green dome of ancient beauty towering over us was humbling. It really makes me think about how special the earth is, and amplifies my desire to protect and conserve natural wonders such as this forest.
After a few hard but rewarding miles, we reached a creek, and the rest of the trek followed that creek to another, Berry Creek, and eventually led to Berry Creek Falls, which, as the name suggests, is a waterfall. Following a creek is a very nice way to hike; whenever we got too hot, we could pause to dip our feet or a hat into the water to cool off. These pauses also allowed time to reflect on the natural beauty around us.
We arrived at our campsite, sweaty and tired, in the late afternoon. After having chosen a spot (the site operates on a first come first served basis, but the place was pretty empty so we had ample choice) and setting out our gear, we walked about five minutes down to the Berry Creek Falls hoping to stand under the waterfall to wash off the day's grime. The falls are stunning. A few small falls lead to the largest one, accessible by a steep, winding staircase (slightly reminiscent of the stairs leading to almost certain death in the giant spider's lair in 'The Lord of the Rings') built into the side of the waterfall, with a rope railing to prevent anyone from taking a fatal tumble over the edge. Once we reached the bottom, we could easily clamber over some fallen tree trunks to stand under the tumbling, pounding force of the water. The freezing streams cleansed us of the day's dirt and weariness, leaving us refreshed and revitalized.
The stairs
The biggest section of the waterfall
After standing under the falls, we walked back to camp and took a short nap, then cooked up a pizza for dinner. We slept under the stars and a full moon so bright it seemed like daylight.