Wednesday, July 31
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
Redwood National and State Parks
Unceded lands of the Yurok Tribe
20.02 miles
3,109′ ascent
3,072′ descent
West Ridge Trail and down Zig Zag #2
Rhododendron Trail to Brown Creek Trail
cross Drury Parkway to Knapp Trail
Miner’s Ridge Trail to Clintonia Trail
James Irvine Trail back to park headquarters
After the 45+ minute drive, I’m on trail by 8:20am climbing up the West Ridge Trail. It’s just me slicing through spider webs. I find my usual log break spot and listen to the Osprey overhead. It’s another perfect day in the redwood forest as the sun starts to cut through the fog.
There’s a few tiger lilies still in bloom. Despite not usually being on the menu of deer, I often find tiger lilies with their tops bitten off. Or is it the elk? After about 2 hours of hiking, I arrive at the junction with Zig Zag #2 and take a short break on the rotting bench there. I had originally planned to do the whole Rhododendron Trail but given my aversion to and the severity of the cobwebs, I research alternate plans. I decide to hike just the beginning of the Rhododendron Trail and then drop down the Brown Creek Trail.
I hike for a few more hours passing red baneberry, clintonia, big aerial spider webs, and a varied thrush that lets me sneak up on it. The newest spectacle is a sticker on this already funny trail marker, “Welcome to dowhateverthefuckyouwantsville.”
Just as I approach the Brown Creek Trail junction, I encounter an off leash dog that’s a bit aggressive and starting to growl. Its owners spin around and they frantically call their dog. It reluctantly returns to them and they immediately turn around and disappear. They know that they’re breaking the no dogs on the trails rule.
I fork onto the Brown Creek Trail and search for a lunch spot. Given the dense forest, it’s not easy to find a patch of ground big enough for me to lay out my mat. I find a spot right next to the trail. Like some kind of joke, it’s not long before the only beam of sun breaking through the canopy is spotlighted on me. I’m too warm and try to lean out of the direct beam. This obvious gap in the canopy is not enough for my Garmin InReach messages to send.
It’s 1pm and I’ve hiked almost 11 miles. If I drop down and cross Drury Parkway, I can hike the Knapp Trail and then connect to some extra miles on Miner’s Ridge, Clintonia and James Irvine Trails. Well, go big or go home! I decide I want to try hiking the ~9.5 miles and make it back to the visitor center before they close at 5pm. I kick it into high gear and walk as fast as I can.
The hours click by and luckily it’s all mostly cruiser trail. I’ve got my heart set on buying a sticker at the visitor center and push as fast as I can. I roll in about 4:45pm and drop my pack near the front door. I search around for any stickers specific to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park but most of them only say Redwood National and State Parks. It’s like 4:50 and they’re actively trying to get customers to leave. I ask a young woman if they normally have PCRSP stickers (because I don’t see any) and she responds “we have what we have.” I ask again if they normally carry them and she’s getting all flustered and argumentative. An older staff lady comes over and actually assists me, showing me the exact thing for which I was looking. Kids these days.
Journey Return 