The range of Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) extends into the extreme southwest corner of Oregon. While the groves found in Oregon are not as impressive as those in the state parks in northern California, it is still worth a visit to see these massive trees.
This is one of the trees along the Oregon Redwood Trail. From Brookings, drive south along Hwy 101 to Winchuck River Road. Turn east for two miles, then cross the river on Forest Service Road 1101. Follow this narrow gravel road for four miles to the trailhead. A more easily accessible grove is found at the Redwood Nature Trail, located on North Bank Chetco River Road about eight miles east of Brookings, but this grove has been closed to public access in an effort to reduce the spread of Sudden Oak Death. The Redwood Nature Trail is scheduled to reopen in the summer of 2010.
It is often the case that the most scenic areas are not necessarily the birdiest. Birds seen in the redwoods are often limited to Steller’s Jays, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, and Winter Wrens. With a little luck, you can find Varied Thrush, Hermit Warbler, and Pileated Woodpecker. Vaux’s Swifts fly above the forest. At dawn during the nesting season, listen for the harsh call of Marbled Murrelets as they leave their nests in the forest to forage on the ocean.
Banana Slugs are among the more easily approached species of wildlife in the forest. I’m not sure what these two were doing on the wall of the restroom at the trailhead. I’m guessing we are witnessing either mating behavior or an act of canibalism.
That’s one forest area of Oregon I have not made it too yet. I’ve camped at Harris Beach a lot, but never made it up the local roads. Just for curiosity sake, I may like to see the bombing site from when Fujita fire-bombed the forest there in WW II. Those Oregon redwoods are still in my plans too.
MDV ~ Oregon
I have hiked in the two groves of coastal redwoods in Oregon (up the Chetco River and up the Winchuck River – peavine ridge). It is surprising how few people know that ancient redwoods grow in southern Oregon. Even the map of coastal redwood distribution on the Save the Redwoods League website does not show redwoods growing in southern Oregon. I have contacted the Save the Redwoods League several times by email and they do not feel it is important to show an accurate representation of coastal redwood distribution. Their map shows the Oregon-California border as the northern most range of the coastal redwood. Even a casual observer would know that a political boundary seldom represents a natural distribution boundary.
Great! The “foremost authority” (StheRL) on redwoods is not interested in the accuracy of the ‘facts’ they convey to the public. Sham on them.
What is wrong out there. I like redwoods whether they grow in Oregon or California.