Redwoods and South Fork Smith River 3-29-23

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bobcat
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Location: SW Portland

Redwoods and South Fork Smith River 3-29-23

Post by bobcat » April 2nd, 2023, 12:17 pm

I caught a brief window (almost) in the eternal winter and motored south. At Grants Pass, I drove through the cold tail end of another atmospheric river that was slamming California and the Oregon borderlands. Grants Pass was a winter wonderland but already beginning to melt out. At Cave Junction there was a foot of heavy wet snow, but Highway 199 had already been ploughed all the way through.

Jedediah Smith Redwoods

After crossing the Smith River, I parked near the bridge and took the Hiouchi Trail above the river to stretch my legs. There were some views of the river itself as the trail ploughs through the big trees in a thick undergrowth of evergreen huckleberry, tan oak, and myrtle. There’s a typical grove of giant redwoods where the Hiouchi Trail ends at Mill Creek. In summer, a temporary bridge is put across here to connect to the campground across the Smith River. Some months, you can also wade across Mill Creek to visit the Stout Grove, off Howland Hill Road, which was closed because of storm damage.

Snow queen (Veronica regina-nivalis), Hiouchi Trail, Jedediah Smith Redwoods.jpeg
Hiouchi Trail betweent the giants, Jedediah Smith Redwoods.jpeg
Smith River from viewpoint, Hiouchi Trail, Jedediah Smith Redwoods.jpeg
Stream crossing, Hiouchi Trail, Jedediah Smith Redwoods.jpeg
Pair of redwoods, Hiouchi Trail, Jedediah Smith Redwoods.jpeg
Footbridge, Hiouchi Trail, Jedediah Smith Redwoods.jpeg
Open grove, Hiouchi Trail, Jedediah Smith Redwoods.jpeg

Not able to visit the Stout Grove, I drove down gravel Walker Road and walked the Leiffer and Ellsworth loop trails in the north part of the park. Everything was very wet after the day’s storm, which also caused a widespread power outage. I took the long way, so hiked a stretch along Walker Road to get back to the car.

Swollen creek, Leiffer Loop, Jedediah Smith Redwoods.jpeg
Flagstones, Leiffer Loop, Jedediah Smith Redwoods.jpeg
Junction for Leiffer Loop, Jedediah Smith Redwoods.jpeg
Big tree at puncheon, Leiffer Loop, Jedediah Smith Redwoods.jpeg
Between the big trees, Leiffer Loop, Jedediah Smith Redwoods.jpeg
Plaque, Leiffer Loop, Jedediah Smith Redwoods.jpeg
On Walker Road, Jedediah Smith Redwoods.jpeg

Del Norte Coast Redwoods

I had found that Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, which has many trails, was entirely closed because of storm damage. However, the Damnation Creek Trail, right off Highway 101, was hikeable. This trail drops through large redwoods and then Sitka spruce for 1,000 feet, first crossing Old Highway 101, which is now part of the California Coastal Trail. The closed bridge is so close to a nice little bluff overlook that no one goes down that far and turns back. (Parts for a new bridge have been staged near here, so that situation should finally be fixed this year.) Like all the others, I scrambled down into the small ravine and came out at the bluff, which offer views south to Patricks Point and to various sea stacks. Damnation Creek reaches the ocean here, and the giant purple trilliums were blooming in splendor.

Trailhead signs, Damnation Creek, Del Norte Redwoods.jpeg
Into the redwoods, Damnation Creek, Del Norte Redwoods.jpeg
Western trillium (Trillium ovatum), Damnation Creek, Del Norte Redwoods.jpeg
Old Highway 101, Damnation Creek, Del Norte Redwoods.jpeg
Leathery polypody ferns, Damnation Creek, Del Norte Redwoods.jpeg
Kingpost truss bridge, Damnation Creek, Del Norte Redwoods.jpeg
Closed footbridge, Damnation Creek, Del Norte Redwoods.jpeg
For the new bridge, Damnation Creek, Del Norte Redwoods.jpeg
Giant purple trillium (Trillium kurabayashii), Damnation Creek, Del Norte Redwoods.jpeg
Two giant trilliums, Damnation Creek, Del Norte Redwoods.jpeg
View south to Patricks Point, Damnation Creek, Del Norte Redwoods.jpeg
Bluff lettuce (Dudleya farinosa), Damnation Creek, Del Norte Redwoods.jpeg
Mouth of Damnation Creek, Del Norte Redwoods.jpeg

Craigs Creek

This hike, about 3 ¾ miles one-way, is along the South Fork Smith River and then Craigs Creek. There are redwoods here too, but also a typical Siskiyou evergreen woodland of knobcone pine, myrtle, tanoak, madrone, and chinquapin. The well-constructed trail, originally a pack route for gold and platinum prospectors, works its way high over the South Fork offering few views. Then the route makes a big switchback above Craigs Creek and traverses down to its mouth where an old prospector’s camp remains, complete with cabin platform, a donkey engine, compressor, and other mining paraphernalia.

Trail sign, Craigs Creek, South Fork Smith River.jpeg
Redwoods along the trail, Craigs Creek, South Fork Smith River.jpeg
Evergreen violet (Viola sempervirens), Craigs Creek, South Fork Smith River.jpeg
Bend in the South Fork, Craigs Creek, South Fork Smith River.jpeg
South Fork view, Craigs Creek, South Fork Smith River.jpeg
Stream crossing, Craigs Creek, South Fork Smith River.jpeg
California toothwort blooms (Cardamine californica), Craigs Creek, South Fork Smith River.jpeg
Brook trillium (Trillium rivale), Craigs Creek, South Fork Smith River.jpeg
Two-mile marker, Craigs Creek, South Fork Smith River.jpeg
Madrones over trail, Craigs Creek, South Fork Smith River.jpeg
View to Craigs Creek, South Fork Smith River.jpeg
Back view of donkey engine, Craigs Creek, South Fork Smith River.jpeg
Basin by Craigs Creek, South Fork Smith River.jpeg
Compressor, Craigs Creek, South Fork Smith River.jpeg
Looking down the South Fork from Craigs Creek, South Fork Smith River.jpeg
Last edited by bobcat on April 2nd, 2023, 12:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Wrong forum

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