Northern California Vacation
“Keep close to Nature’s heart...and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.”
After our month in Chicago, we headed west for a week-long vacation in Northern California. We would visit national parks and do some hikes and scenic drives - one of my favorite kinds of trips!
On our flight from Chicago to Sacramento, we got lucky with airplane seating and had a row to ourselves. I sat in the window seat and enjoyed watching the landscape change as we flew further west.
Oddly, the Sacramento airport rental car lot was filled with minivans, dozens of them. Fortunately, there was exactly one SUV - a bright red Jeep Compass - and we grabbed it! We certainly put that vehicle to good use.
Lassen
During the first half of the week, we explored Lassen Volcanic National Park, about three hours north of Sacramento. The weather was gorgeous! Lassen was a hidden gem, with great hiking trails, geothermal features, and a scenic drive, but without the summer crowds. Even the fire-ravaged part of the park was beautiful.
Lassen Part 1: The Volcano and the Highway
Lassen Part 2: Warner Valley
Lassen Part 3: Beauty after Chaos
Redwood and the Coast
The second half of the week was all about Redwood National and State Parks, stretching more than 50 miles along the Northern California coast. Here we hiked in sun-dappled old-growth forests, gawking at the towering redwood trees. Where the forest meets the sea, we discovered a magical green canyon.
Redwood Part 1: Howland Hill Road
Redwood Part 2: Sun, Fog, and Ferns
We also explored the area near Trinidad, a tiny and picturesque seaside city. We learned about native Yurok traditions and enjoyed vistas of the magnificent Pacific Ocean in both sunshine and fog.
I’m delighted with how this vacation turned out! The July weather had been perfect, with plenty of sunshine, not too much heat, and just enough fog. The hikes and drives had been scenic, memorable, and wildly different. It was all new - I had never seen this part of Northern California before, and although Steve had visited these places as a kid, after 50+ years it was like seeing them for the first time. We had made good use of our rented Jeep, reaching remote and interesting places. We learned about volcanoes, redwood trees, and much more. Best of all, we had filled our souls with awe at the majesty and beauty of the Great Outdoors.
