The man, and apparently the waitress, were of the pro-logging contingent, and were elated that the rain might spoil the protest. Their delight, however, was short-lived. No sooner had I pulled off 101 in Phillipsville, six miles north, when the clouds cleared, revealing blue, sunny skies. Now it was my turn for elation. The Avenue was surrounded by Humboldt Redwoods State Park , which held the largest remaining stand of virgin redwoods in the world, covering more than 17,000 acres.
Coast redwoods are an ancient breed.
They've been around for more than 150 million years. They can only be found on a narrow belt about 40 miles wide and 450 miles long, stretching along the coasts of Oregon and northern California. This, however, had not always been the case. In the mid-1700s coast redwoods reigned over nearly 2 million acres. Since then some 96 percent of that forest has been harvested, leaving just 4 percent for us to enjoy today Almost as soon as I hit the Avenue, a sign coaxed me to stop and check out Chimney Tree, a hollow, living redwood purported to be 1,500 years old.