To the left are intermittent views of a steeply sloping prairie and, at 1.1 miles, of Grasshopper Peak. You then make a switchback to the right and come out on a ridgeline. Since fetid adder’s tongue blooms too early for the normal pollinators to be present, it needs to attract flies to do the job, and, as we all know, the scents preferred by flies are quite different from those preferred by most other species, including humans.īy way of compensation, the next plant you meet along the trail has a far more pleasant aroma-the California bay is sometimes known as both pepperwood and laurel, and its sharply pointed, dark green leaves suffuse the air with a strong but strangely appealing scent. The odor is actually part of the plant’s survival strategy. If you are lucky enough to be here in February, you’ll see the delicately pointed, cream- and wine-colored petals of the fetid adder’s tongue (Scoliopus bigelovii), whose forbidding name refers not only to its shape but also to its distinctive smell, which some beholders have likened to rotting meat. ![]() Just ahead the path is bordered by one of the park’s earliest blooming flowers. Look also for the dusty green leaves and grayish bark of tanoak, another common under story resident.Īt 0.9 miles you pass a second Pacific yew, this one overhanging the trail from its perch on the bank to the left. The small-leaved shrub that fills much of the area is evergreen huckleberry, one of the most common plants in the redwood forest. The trail rises along the hillside through mixed forest until it reaches a flat at 0.7 miles. As you gradually climb the slope the creek sends its splashing sound upward, raucously noisy in winter and spring, more subdued during the dry months. At 0.2 miles you head into the canyon of Harper Creek. The hiking route turns right, following the Horse Trail until mile 0.1, where you branch left at a fork. ![]() It is hard to believe that such an unassuming specimen is part of a proud heritage however, yews have long made important contributions to humankind.Īfter 50 yards the path meets the Horse Trail, an equestrian/hiker route that runs along the northern edge of the flat. ![]() THE HIKE: You start in the fabled Rockefeller Forest, the largest grove of old-growth redwoods in the world. While staring skyward at their soaring trunks you’re likely to miss another red-wooded tree-a small, moss-covered Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia) that stands forlornly just to the right of the path a few yards from its start. Now you can take a shaded park trail to the gravesite of the lamb’s long-departed owner. HISTORY: A lost lamb originally led the way to the peaceful ridge-top spot where this hike concludes. Excerpted with permission from the book " Best Short Hikes in Redwood National and State Parks," by authors: Gisela Rohde and Jerry Rohde.įeatures: A shaded stream canyon and a pioneer woman’s grave.
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