Howland Hill Road and Stout Grove

Stout Grove, 44 acres of huge Redwoods, was a gift from the owner of a logging company. In order to see the trees, we had to venture 12 miles down a rugged dirt road (Howland Hill Road) to arrive at the grove which borders the Smith River. I learned today that the redwood trees grow best at elevations below 2000 feet and thrive on the continuous rainfall and moderate temperatures of the coastline.

The looped trail was an easy 1.5 mile stroll through towering trees. The day was perfect - the sun was shining brightly through the forest.

The patterns and swirls in the redwood stumps were beautiful. Apparently redwood trees are quite resistant to disease and rot, and are able to bounce back even after being burned. Some of the trees along the coast are over 2000 years old.