Redwoods are the tallest living thing on earth, with the tallest one currently measuring at 379.7 feet tall. They can live to over 2,000 years with bark 12 inches thick! Movie scenes filmed in the Redwood Forest include the "speeder chase" scene from "Star Wars Return of the Jedi" and "Jurassic Park: The Lost World" scenes among others. Can you imagine being chased on a speeder through the forest!
This was our longest hike yet at over 12 miles. We took the James Irvine trail to the beach, walked the beach for a mile and returned on Miner's Ridge trail. We passed through Fern Canyon, where the canyon walls were covered with ferns. Beautiful! This was a great route with a lot of variety.
We were treated to an Elk sighting on our return trip. Pictures safely taken with a long lens! They are known to become dangerous and aggressive with Elk calves present.