As recently as the 18th century, there were probably 2 million acres of redwood forests in California and the Pacific Northwest. By 1965, there were a bare 300,000 acres left and heavy pressure to log them. In 1968, the REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK was established to protect the remnant, and in 1978, it was expanded. The Park is a World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve.

As has often been noted, redwoods are extraordinary trees -- the tallest in the world. Some reach 300 feet. With their amazing upward sweep, redwood forests feel like cathedrals. The tree's life span is also astonishing. Trees typically live 500 years, and some live to more than 2,000.

But there is more to this Park than redwoods. Diverse wildlife can be found, including red-tailed hawks, great horned owls, river otters, salmon, mountain lions, black bears, coyotes, foxes and elk. Offshore, there may be California gray whales, orcas, seals, dolphins and porpoises. And the Park's rocky, rugged coastline is an attraction in its own right.

Photo: Chris J. Calwell