Trees Don't Have to be Boring
by Susan Nelson
Do you know people who think that trees are boring?
Maybe they agree with that famous line attributed to former California Governor Ronald Reagan, "If you've seen one redwood tree, you've seen them all." (What he actually said was: "…a tree is a tree. How many more do you need to look at?") Whether you're spending time with visiting family members, out-of-town guests, or unenlightened locals, you can show them how exciting trees can be with some of these fun and unusual activities.
For a time-travel experience, step across the covered bridge into Roaring Camp in Felton, (831-335-4484) http://www.roaringcamp.com/history.html and find yourself in the 1880s. Once a logging camp, the site is now finding success as a place where trees grow, instead of where they are cut. After you walk past the grassy meadows, you can choose from two different train rides.
The steam train travels six miles through the towering redwood forest on Bear Mountain, puffing all the way, as the conductor describes the history of Roaring Camp, the train, and the forest. The round trip takes about an hour.
The diesel train goes down a rail line first used in 1875 hill under a canopy of trees along the edge of the San Lorenzo River gorge. The view of the forest and the river is breathtaking. After crossing a 1909 steel truss bridge and through an 1875 tunnel, you arrive at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Some people like to catch an early train, spend some time at the Boardwalk, and then take a later train back. The round trip is about three hours.
Either train is a spectacular way to explore the majesty of our redwoods, while barely moving a muscle once you're on board.
Looking at trees is fine, but have you ever been inside one?You can do that, if you know the secret on the one mile loop trail at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park (831-335-7077), right across the tracks from Roaring Camp. Pick up a map at the start of the trail and do a self-guided tour, or join a free docent-led walk every Saturday and Sunday at 2:00pm. The one mile trail is wide and level, so it's accessible to strollers and wheelchairs.
Some of the giant trees are more than 1,500 years old in this majestic grove of old-growth redwoods. Shafts of sunlight streak through the spreading branches overhead, lighting up the green carpet of sorrel on the ground. If you look carefully, you might spot squirrels, deer, or even banana slugs in the forest. After reading the map or listening to the docent, you'll be able to amaze your friends with little-known facts about the trees and the history of the area.
Be sure to bring a small flashlight, so you'll be able to see where you're going when you stand up inside the tree that was once used as a "Honeymoon Suite" by a Victorian era hotel. Or so they claim. Others say that the explorer John Fremont slept there. If you're doing the self-guided tour, watch for the sign that identifies the Fremont tree, and then walk around the tree clockwise until you discover the secret.
What kind of people built railroads and logged trees and rented Victorian Honeymoon Suites deep in the forest? At Big Basin State Park, a docent will be happy to tell you about the pioneers who came to the Santa Cruz Mountains to live and to work. A fairly easy three-mile, two-hour stroll will take you to the site of the Maddock cabin. The hikes are scheduled regularly through the year; there's one planned for Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 12:00 noon, for example. Check their website for other dates at http://www.bigbasin.org/activitiesmain.html If you'd like to go, bring a bottle of water and meet the group at the Park Headquarters for the "Footsteps of the Pioneers" walk.
People who enjoy puzzles, optical illusions, or a good laugh really have to go to The Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz (831-457-2814), located off Branciforte Drive at 465 Mystery Spot Road. It's a classic roadside tourist attraction, with a cramped gift shop and tacky bumper stickers, but it's something you should experience at least once. Think about it--how many of these unique little places are left, now that the mega-amusement parks have taken over?
It's a short and steep trail up to the area where the laws of gravity no longer apply, but it's completely shaded by a variety of native California trees, so it's like a hike with a bonus destination. Adults will enjoy the jokes and wild claims of the cheerful tour guides, and kids will love the balls that roll uphill, the log that makes people get taller and shorter, and the cabin where you can walk up the walls.
One of the few places where you can ride a bike in the redwoods is along Pipeline Road inside Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. As you enter the Park, be sure to get a map when you pay for parking. Pipeline Road starts at the Park's nature center near a dense stand of rare old growth redwoods, and then goes down toward the edge of the San Lorenzo River, where a variety of local trees and wildflowers grow.
You can stop under the overhead train trestle to dip your toes into the river, or keep going as the asphalt road gently rises and falls along the river valley. The road gets more hilly as it goes along, and the last section is only for experienced riders with excellent brakes. Even young riders can enjoy the beginning of the trip, though, especially if there's a picnic lunch involved. It's a great combination of trees, water, and exercise that city dwellers will find amazing.
These adventures should be enough to convince even the most skeptical visitors that being in the trees in an awesome experience. After they've been on one, they'll be begging you to try them all.
For freelance writing and editing projects, e-mail Susan Nelson at wordsbysue@yahoo.com