The Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Redwood National Forest
On a recent visit to the Redwood Groves of Northern California, the Lady Bird Johnson Grove stood out as an easy immersion into the forest’s density and diversity. It is a well-marked and maintained trail with a reasonably sized parking lot for cars only. The hike is less than 2 miles in length but offers a clockwise loop layout. Though basic in its layout, the Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail is perfect for a short hike amid the redwoods. The density of this part of the forest is easily seen and experienced. The elevation rise is minimal and did not pose any difficulty to complete.
Much of this part of the Redwood National Forest has trees of various ages and represents the initial efforts to preserve the redwood groves of Northern California in the 1960’s and is a testament to the forest ecology of that era.
Due to the tree density within the redwood forest here, as in most of the forest, a feeling of encapsulation was felt throughout the hike.
Numerous birds, such as the Pacific Wren, Steller’s Jay, and the Fox Sparrow, will reveal themselves visibly occasionally, but definitely by their varied songs.
The following 2 links offer detailed descriptions of the Redwood groves with a relevant historical overview:
https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/cook/index.htm
https://www.nps.gov/redw/learn/nature/about-the-trees.htm
