Last updated: March 24, 2022
Place
Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #13
Dave Van de Mark
Quick Facts
Location:
Lady Bird Johnson Trail
Significance:
Walking tour in old-growth redwoods
Designation:
National Park
Amenities
1 listed
Scenic View/Photo Spot
Full Circle
For us, the character of a redwood forest changes daily. One day, shimmering strands of yellow light beam from crystal blue skies through open windows of the forest canopy. The next day may bring fog or rain, enshrouding the dark green spires and closeting the forest in shadows and mystery. The storms of winter make the forest a dark and foreboding place, with unseen branches bending and creaking as the wind whips through the canopy. For us, the redwood forest presents a profoundly different experience each time we visit.
However, our days and years are not adequate to comprehend the ancient redwoods. Twenty human generations have passed since the tallest trees first emerged from the soil. Twenty more will come and go before today’s seedlings fall to give life to a new generation of redwoods. Old-growth forests are timeless, persisting, and patient, moving forward intime with or without us. Left alone, the forces of nature will continue to shape and recreate the majesty of these ancient redwood forests.
For us, the character of a redwood forest changes daily. One day, shimmering strands of yellow light beam from crystal blue skies through open windows of the forest canopy. The next day may bring fog or rain, enshrouding the dark green spires and closeting the forest in shadows and mystery. The storms of winter make the forest a dark and foreboding place, with unseen branches bending and creaking as the wind whips through the canopy. For us, the redwood forest presents a profoundly different experience each time we visit.
However, our days and years are not adequate to comprehend the ancient redwoods. Twenty human generations have passed since the tallest trees first emerged from the soil. Twenty more will come and go before today’s seedlings fall to give life to a new generation of redwoods. Old-growth forests are timeless, persisting, and patient, moving forward intime with or without us. Left alone, the forces of nature will continue to shape and recreate the majesty of these ancient redwood forests.