San Francisco Side Trip

When Mike and I were driving from San Francisco to Sonoma, we decided to make an impromptu pit stop.  I had been reading about the Muir Woods National Park and thought it might be fun to see the great Redwoods of California.  Holy Cannoli, this decision did not disappoint. 

The road to get to the park is a little windy and narrow, but it offers some amazing views of the forest.  The worst part is that we were relying on my GPS system to get us to and from the park, but once you get into the woods, you lose all cell phone service.  So this wouldn't be a place to go on a first date or with someone that you think hates you. 

When you get into the park there are boardwalks all through the redwood trees, so even if you are an inexperienced hiker you can still enjoy the forest.  There were tons of different paths you could take.  I think we could have walked for hours.

It's also extremely quiet in the woods.  There was a light sound of water rushing and these gorgeous rays of sun that were piercing down through the tree canopy.  It was beautiful and peaceful.  I am not much of a nature girl, but I started to feel one with the trees.

And just how big are the trees, you ask?  It's hard to put it into perspective, but if I were a tree hugger, I couldn't get my arms around one.  There were some fallen tree trunks that you could look at and they were impressive.  Here's the best photo that I could get of an entire redwood.

The leaves were huge, although I have baby feet, so maybe it's just that my feet are really small. 

There were also so many weird tree formations in the forest.  I couldn't get enough of the bright green moss that was covering these awkwardly bent tree trunks.  Here are my two favorites:

If you find yourself in San Fran, take a little side trip to the Muir Woods for some peace and beauty.  I left these woods feeling refreshed and clear headed.  It's amazing what a little nature can do for you!