About 200 miles north of San Franciso is the small town of Garberville, CA. It was founded around the late 1800's as South Fork but was changed to Garberville in 1874, being named after the postmaster. Garberville is the gateway to the Eel River, Shelter Cove and the Lost Coast, and the 31-mile long Avenue of the Giants that winds through stands of ancient redwoods.
The Avenue of the Giants offers more than just the majesty of towering redwoods. It also passes thru several small towns that give a glimpse into the history of the timber industry. Several of these towns have been completely devastated by the Floods of 1955 and 1964 and if rebuilt, were placed on higher ground.
When we arrived in Garberville, it was absolutely gorgeous weather. Across from the RV park on Highway 101 stands the "One-Log House" which was hollowed in 1946 from a single redwood more than 2100 years old. The comfortable living quarters were made from a 40 ton tree, taking two men eight months to finish. The living, sleeping, and dining areas are completely furnished (it reminded us of the old RV's without slides). Amazingly, enough wood chips were produced from the hollowing to build a five-bedroom home.
Upon waking to a bright and sunny day, we decided to take the 31 mile drive down the Avenue of the Giants and it was certainly spectacular to look several hundred feet into the air and be in awe of the majestic beauty portrayed by these trees. The road was quiet and tranquil and built as a stagecoach and wagon road in the 1880's. It parallels Highway 101 and the Eel River. Fossil records show that redwoods grew naturally in many places across the Northern Hemisphere. Due to climatic changes and other factors, Coast Redwoods now only grow naturally in a narrow 40 mile wide and 450 mile long coastal strip from southern Oregon to southern Monterey county in California. Redwoods are taller than any other living thing.
They can live over 2,000 years and withstand most fires, floods and insects. Only the greatest fires can kill mature redwoods because of their thick fire resistant bark and lack of resin. They also contain a great amount of tannin, a material that insects find particularly distasteful. Redwoods are so immense that they live in three climatic zones at once. The base of each tree is in one set of climatic conditions, the stem in another, and the crown in yet another. Redwoods need great amounts of moisture. The 65 inches/year average rainfall plus the summer fog moderate the climate. Redwoods help create their own microclimate through the transpiration of moisture from the leaves to the atmosphere. A very large redwood can release up to 500 gallons of water into the air per day.
When towns were originally built along the Avenue, it was because of farming and logging. Now they rely on the tourists. Humboldt Redwoods State Park covers over 52,000 acres, 17,000 of which are old growth coast redwood forests with trees whose average ages are 400 - 600 years.
We followed the auto tour, stopping and taking the half mile hikes back into the forest. Sunlight peeks from the clouds and foggy treetops, streaming down onto the needle packed paths. The silence is unbelievable as you hear only your steps crunching along and an occasional bird voicing its melodic chant. Founder's Grove, dedicated to the founders of the Save-the-Redwoods League, contains the 346 foot tall Founders Tree and the Dyerville Giant. The Dyerville Giant was recognized as the "Champion" Coast Redwood as certified by the American Forestry Association until it fell on March 24, 1991. Before it fell, it was at least 362 feet tall. That is 200 feet taller than Niagara Falls or comparable to a 30-story building. It is also 17 feet in diameter and 52 feet in circumference. It probably weighs over 1,000,000 pounds.
During this trip, we camped at the Westport KOA. What a beautiful campground location. Loved it and would recommend it again.
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