As a closing to our redwood trees/train unit, we ventured off to Big Basin Redwood State Park near Boulder Creek. We used the long, windy drive to catch up as a family, but as soon as we hit the forest, it was all ooh's and aah's. Immediately exiting our vehicle and stepping out into the wilderness, we were pleasantly greeted by the sweet woodsy aroma and fresh, clean air. We walked up towards the information center like tiny ants amid these gigantic trees. Outside the center, we waited for our guided Redwood Loop Trail Hike to begin. Our wonderful, knowledgeable, avuncular guide took us through a half mile trail, stopping at intervals to explain the majesty of the forest.
When we came to a giant felled tree, Aidyn anxiously volunteered to climb it, per the guide's suggestion. Aidyn and his daddy scaled the tree and ran (seriously!) up the trunk. They must have been about fifteen feet above the ground! Also during our hike, Aidyn explored a "chimney tree" which was basically a hollowed out redwood. When inside, if one looks straight up, a large hole makes the sky beautifully visible. We greeted two important trees in this state park: the Father of the Forest and the Mother of the Forest, appropriately named, I may add.
After our hike came to a close, we browsed the gift shop, store, and connected nature museum. Aidyn adopted a cute, stuffed bear that he named Whitey. We toured the nature museum and learned all kinds of neat trivia about the Redwood Forest. This quintessential-to-homeschooling- type journey reinforced our learning goals and made us desperate to spend a whole week camping out there.
We also attempted a Mystery Spot trip, but alas, we arrived too late. Now we have more reason to go next time!
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