Northern California!

Trees of Mystery!

     The Trees of Mystery is a privately owned roadside attraction in Klamath, California. It is located off of US Highway 101 on private land surrounded by Redwood National and State Parks. The property contains a number of unique tree formations, hence its name.

Trees of Mystery is best known for the 49-foot-tall statue of Paul Bunyan and the 35-foot-tall Babe the Blue Ox. Both  are visible from the highway. Constructed largely of wooden beams, chicken wire and stucco. The current Babe was built in 1950 and the current Bunyan was built in 1961. The original Bunyan was built in 1946, but was destroyed by rain that winter. In late 2007 the 1000-pound, 9-foot-wide, head of Babe fell to the ground as a result of rotting materials damaged from rain. The head has since been replaced.

It also features the End of the Trail Museum, a large private collection of Native American art, crafts and tools. In 2001 an aerial tramway was installed called the Sky Trail. It takes you to an observation deck where you can enjoy a view of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding forest. And of course we took the Sky Trail ride to the top, and what a view it was. To get to the ride you have to walk through the Trees of Mystery part of it. I enjoyed the hike, and the views of all the unique trees, overall, it was worth the stop. If you are in the area, stop in! 

Battery Point Lighthouse!

  The battery Point Lighthouse in Crescent City was one of the first lighthouses on the California coast. 

Rugged mountains and unbridged rivers meant coastal travel was essential for the economic survival of this region. In 1855, Congress appropriated $15,000 for the construction of a lighthouse on the tiny islet, which is connected to Battery Point by an isthmus at low tide. Although not included in the 1852 contract by the United States Lighthouse Service for the first eight west coast lighthouses, the Battery Point Lighthouse was actually lit ten days before the Humboldt Harbor Lighthouse, the last of the original eight to become operational. The fourth-order Fresnel lens was lit in 1856. The lighthouse was automated in 1953, and a modern 375mm lens replaced the fourth-order Fresnel lens. Theophilis Magruder was the station's first keeper; Wayne Piland was its last before automation in 1953. The 1964 Alaska earthquake, the strongest earthquake ever recorded in the northern hemisphere, caused a tsunami. The lighthouse survived, but the following year, the modern beacon that replaced the Fresnel lens in the tower was switched off, and a flashing light at the end of the nearby breakwater served as the harbor's navigational aid. In 1982, the light in the lighthouse tower was lit again, and the Battery Point Lighthouse was listed as a private aid to navigation.

Arcata Marsh!

  Another stop of the day was the Arcata Marsh. We stopped to walk along the wooden path that goes through the Marsh. At the time we were there we didn't really see much wildlife and it was windy and chilly, needless to say it was a short visit there. It was interesting to see how they handle waste water treatment though.The Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary is home to the City of Arcata’s innovative wastewater treatment facility. By integrating its conventional wastewater treatment with the natural treatment processes of constructed wetlands, Arcata has succeeded in turning its treated wastewater into a resource. The sanctuary includes 307 acres of freshwater marshes, salt marsh with tidal slough, grassy uplands, tidal mudflats, brackish marsh, 5.4 miles of walking and biking paths and an Interpretive Center that serve over 150.000 visitors every year.

Clam Beach Park!

 Just north of Arcata we stopped at Clam Beach Park to take a few quick pictures of the area. As I said up above, it was chilly and very windy.

Trinidad Head Lighthouse!   

Trinidad Head Lighthouse is an historic lighthouse in Trinidad, California. It is 20 miles north of Eureka, California, built in 1871. The station originally consisted of the small two-story light tower, a single Victorian residence, and a small barn. In 1898, a bell house was constructed and a 4,000 pound bell was added that was operated by weights. A second keeper was assigned at that time and the quarters were expanded to accommodate two families. In 1947 the fog signal changed to an air horn. In 1949, the Trinidad Civic Club constructed a facsimile of the tower in a park overlooking the harbor and installed the original lens in its structure as a memorial to those lost or buried at sea. The 4,000 pound bell is displayed alongside the tower. In the late 1960s, the Coast Guard razed the original dwelling and barn and constructed the present triplex. The fog signal was discontinued when the station was automated in 1974. However, the complaints from the citizens of Trinidad Head were so vocal that the Coast Guard was forced to install the present ELG 300, operated by a fog detector. The new fog signal is operated in the original bell house. The original tower remains essentially unchanged.

Miscellaneous Pictures, some from Crescent Beach and Trinidad area's and some I don't remember other than on the Northern coast of California! Oldtimers I guess!