State park in Humboldt County, California, United States
Humboldt Redwoods State Park
is a
state park
of
California
, United States, containing
Rockefeller Forest
, the world's largest remaining contiguous
old-growth forest
of
coast redwoods
. It is located 30 miles (48 km) south of
Eureka, California
, near
Weott
in southern
Humboldt County
, within
Northern California
, named after the great German nineteenth-century scientist,
Alexander von Humboldt
. The park was established by the
Save the Redwoods League
in 1921 largely from lands purchased from the
Pacific Lumber Company
. Beginning with the dedication of the
Raynal Bolling
Memorial Grove, it has grown to become the third-largest park in the California State Park system, now containing 51,651 acres (20,902 ha) through acquisitions and gifts to the state.
[1]
It is part of the
Northern California coastal forests
ecoregion and has 23,600 acres (96 km
2
) of
old-growth forests
.
[2]
17,000 acres (69 km
2
) are old-growth redwoods, comprising the entire
Bull Creek
watershed
and the Rockefeller Forest.
[3]
Nearby
U.S. Route 101
, which generally follows the
Eel River
and its
South Fork
in this part of the North Coast, offers easy access to the park and nearby towns with connections to the scenic highway,
Avenue of the Giants
, also mostly located within or near park boundaries.
History
[
edit
]
Rockefeller Forest contains the world's largest remaining tract of old-growth redwood trees
The original inhabitants of the area were the
Sinkyone
. In the 1850s white settlers began
felling
the redwoods, seeking to clear the land for homes and pasture. About 20 years later the timber industry moved into the region, and railways and roads were routed through the area for accessibility to the trees. In 1918 after realizing how much of the old-growth forests closer to
San Francisco
had been harvested,
Boone and Crockett Club
members formed the
Save the Redwoods League
, and began working to preserve redwood forests in the region, including the area that became Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
[4]
[5]
The
Garden Club of America
, through its Redwood Grove Committee, raised half of the funds needed to buy the 2,552 acre Canoe Creek Grove which became part of Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
Sarah Gildersleeve Fife
was instrumental in the activities of this committee.
[6]
Redwoods
[
edit
]
The park is famed for its coast redwoods (
Sequoia sempervirens
), many of which grow to over 300 feet (91 m) in height. The forests on
alluvial plains
are almost pure redwood forest, but the forests on the slopes also contain
Douglas-fir
.
Over 100 of the 137 known trees over 350 feet (110 m) tall?all coast redwoods?occur in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. It is home to the 4th-tallest measured living redwood, the
Stratosphere Giant
, which was measured at 112.94 metres (370.5 ft) in 2004. Stratosphere Giant was the tallest known living redwood until the discovery of three taller trees in
Redwood National Park
; the tallest,
Hyperion
, measuring 115.55 metres (379.1 ft) in September 2006.
[7]
Before the discovery of Hyperion, the tallest redwood ever measured was the Dyerville Giant, also in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. It was 113.4 metres (372 ft) high when it fell in March 1991. It was estimated to be 1,600 years old. The Dyerville Giant can be seen on Founders Grove Nature Trail, which honors the creators of Save the Redwoods League.
[8]
Also in this grove is Founders Tree, which is 346 feet (105 m) tall with circumference of 40 feet (12 m).
[9]
There is also an albino redwood referred to as the Christmas Tree.
[10]
Recreation
[
edit
]
Meadow adjacent to Albee Creek Campground
The
Avenue of the Giants
offers visitors a 32 miles (51 km) drive through Humboldt Redwoods State Park with eight stops along an auto tour of park highlights.
[11]
The park has over 100 miles (160 km) of hiking trails. Visitors to the park can go horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing, and swimming in the
South Fork Eel River
. The park is prone to fire hazards, and camping is permitted in specified areas. Almost 250 sites are available for use, including an equestrian camp. Nearby
Burlington
, serves as a main camping spot, alongside
Albee
.
[4]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"California State Park System Statistical Report: Fiscal Year 2009/10"
(PDF)
. California State Parks: 26
. Retrieved
July 1,
2012
.
- ^
Bolsinger, Charles L.; Karen L. Waddell (1993),
Area of old-growth forests in California, Oregon, and Washington
(PDF)
,
United States Forest Service
, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Resource Bulletin PNW-RB-197
- ^
"Humboldt Redwoods SP"
. California State Parks
. Retrieved
July 1,
2012
.
- ^
a
b
Sinotte, Barbara (June 1, 1996).
California: A Guide to the State & National Parks
. Hunter Publishing, Inc.
ISBN
978-1-55650-733-5
.
- ^
Sheldon, William G. (1935).
A History of the Boone and Crockett Club
. Boone and Crockett Club. pp. 81?88.
- ^
Bulletin, Garden Club of America. May, 1931, page. 2
- ^
Prof Stephen Sillett's webpage
Archived
July 24, 2008, at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
"Founders Grove Nature Trail in Humboldt Redwoods State Park"
.
hikespeak.com
. hikespeak
. Retrieved
January 14,
2017
.
- ^
"Coast redwood 'Founders Tree' in Founders Grove, Humboldt redwoods state park in Weott"
.
monumentaltrees.com
. Monumental Trees
. Retrieved
January 14,
2017
.
- ^
"One of Calif.'s rarest trees may be another victim of drought"
.
sfgate.com
. June 22, 2021
. Retrieved
June 25,
2021
.
- ^
"Humboldt Redwoods State Park Brochure"
(PDF)
.
parks.ca.gov
. California State Parks
. Retrieved
January 18,
2017
.
External links
[
edit
]
Media related to
Humboldt Redwoods State Park
at Wikimedia Commons
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