Redwood National Forest + Thousand Trails Sunriver Bend May14th-19th 2023

After changing our reservations several times, we finally headed out for the 12 hour road trip to California.  Over Spring Break in March John and I went on a coffee date and had our sights set on the ocean and trees and we were finally going!

Day 1

Vintage Gas Stations.  Oregon still pumps your gas for you.

He did great for 12 hours in truck, and this was the 3 seconds he sat still.

Finally seeing the ocean.

Our first day of traveling we noticed a big change in Oregon since we traveled to the coast 5 years ago.  One being several plots of land in the middle of nowhere with cars, trailers, and lean to's with no power but people living there. We were shocked at how far we went without a store, gas station, etc and it was surprising people are sustaining out in the desert with no power/water. My kids find it fascinating how some people choose to live so far away from suburban life.  We were struggling with the trucks ac not working when we finally hit California we were melting, John and I both forgot to have it looked at since last summer....let the family vacation begin!

Day 2

our RV spot at Klamath River RV Park

morning view

Kids enjoying the view

these 2 have grown so close this last year and its been so sweet to witness

I was in heaven with all the greenery and the smell of the ocean

Jillian and I felt like we were in Ireland after studying and watching videos last year on Europe

I thought of Miss Rumphius and my mom here....

We just sat and watched and listened....

Jillian is a thrill seeker and is quiet about her quests.  I think she is trying to see how young her mom could have a stroke.

We were hoping to see whales but its more common in April than May

Mr Adventure

Ok....so this was labeled as a bike trail.  I have some beef with trail management along these parts, and the road sign department.  We almost took a wrong turn to a prison?? Maybe its not active anymore but Hadley seriously questioned her parents ability to travel well.  I had thankfully packed some essential oils to help combat the stinging nettle that was knee high and attacking us all along the way.  We were all laughing and crying...

It was a gradual uphill overgrown trail with huge holes you couldn't see, after Jillian got dumped we decided to turn around and head back, but it was hilarious.

A WWII sight that is again, very overgrown and boarded up.  If you go, just read the sign at the top of the hill, you aren't missing anything.

This was along the Klamath Overlook where the river meets the Ocean, at the end I have more pictures of all the wildlife.  This was Johns favorite spot.

Crescent City Beach - more on this spot later.  The day before it was 80 and beautiful.  Now its about 68 but kids were dying to get in Ocean.

The bravest of the clan

Jillian is the first to be brave and go in the water.

Community fire pits unless you bring your own.  

Day 3

Big Tree

I fing these fellas so fun to watch.  However, Owen found a baby one on his bare feet at the campground and I am sure the world heard it.

Learning selfies from sisters

It was so fun watching this big dude munch and chill

Much anticipated Fern Canyon.  You need to go online and get a permit - its free or 12 bucks, I can't remember, but its to help it not be packed. Its a very long drive, lots of turns on gravel road.  And they were doing  heavy construction while the traffic flow was not stopped and we had to figure out what to do.  They had zero flaggers and could careless you were there.  We were almost hit twice.  It was bizarre. 

This was our families favorite thing we did besides the beach after this.  It was the most beautiful spot in nature. The rocks in the wall, the water dripping down, all the greenery.  Your feet will get wet, there is a trail along the wall that we took back, but you would miss so much if you only did that trail.

The trail back, not in water

We stopped in Trinidad for food.  I can't begin to explain how hard it was to find places to eat.  We love camping and eating breakfast and dinner at camp, but out to eat for lunch.  We had to really plan our day to find a town with restaurants that didn't serve Gordan Ramsay seafood fare only.

This beach.  We spent 2 hours here checking out tide pools, playing in water, reading.  It was gorgeous. 

He climbed, played, and talked for the entire time.  I'm chatty.  I got energy.  But I need to restore, replenish.  I don't know how he does it nonstop.

Master of finding starfish

God is so good.

So here it is.  The thing that happened on our vacation that is most talked about because we couldn't believe it happened, yet all our suspicions and awareness was validated.   Redwoods- I thought we were going somewhere ...nice.  Lets break it down - anywhere we went in Oregon and California to eat, get gas, hike, explore - no one smiled.  No one responds to me saying Hi, how are you? before I order my families meal or I pay for gas.  Eye contact - nope.  Just do your thing and move on. So my guard was up and this was day 3.  We had passed a sign on the 101 at a random overlook that said "take your valuables with you"  and I thought that seems odd.  So when we left our grumpy restaurant in Trinidad, we passed a site of homeless people camped out on the side of the road and found this lookout and spot to park to go to the beach.  We couldn't see our truck from the beach so I said I think we should take everything with us.  Hadley thought putting her stuff in her back pack and hiding it would be safe, but sadly someone saw a redneck truck from Idaho and although the road was busy and others came and went from the beach no one saw this or heard it, and they wanted to see what we had.  I wish they would have seen the back window was open and used that but they kicked in a window and dumped out our lunch and left it so they weren't hungry, they tried to get Owens bike that was chained up (like I said my radar was up) and didn't take Hadleys Under Armour backpack thats 80 bucks (so I think they were on foot because thats easy to spot) but took air pods, a digital camera, and phone charger - things easy to hide and can pawn or sell.  So we left our window by the trail marker so others would know what happens there, and cleaned up as much glass as we could and headed back to camp.

Day 4

Owen is under there somewhere.  It was cold in the mornings, Especially with no window.

We went to Crescent City to find a temporary window and asked a Dutch Bros worker what there is to do around here.  Beach, hiking, and bowling.  We asked about thrifting and she said no don't go.  We passed a few shops that had bars on the window and were filthy.  So we took kids to Ocean World Aquarium and  that was fun.

John and I snuck away to check out the point again with all the seals and sea lions.

I felt like I was headed to an English cottage on this trail. 

Day 5

Tall Trees Grove.  A hike that requires a permit.  It also requires you to be fit and love hiking straight down and straight up.  At the end when we finally got back and ate I was crying laughing.
One, we read the details on the website as a family.  So the guy with plantar fasciitis, the volleyball player whose knees do not love going downhill, the asthmatic, the 8 year old who hates hiking, and usually I rally but I didn't care for this-this group of misfits decided, yes, sounds great.  The end was just...trees you just walked by.  I had to force the hypoglycemic asthmatic to stop and eat before she fainted, the volleyball player just stayed consistent and left us but being so guarded I wasn't sure how safe she was alone, John stayed with Owen trying to coach him but Owen did not do himself favors when he told his Dad - carry me, you are already big,  whats 70 more pounds?

When we pulled up people were eating behind there car and we had to park next to them, it was the only spot left and they were so irritated, we tried saying hello, but it was not going to happen, I just found this so odd

Redwood Creek Basin
the closer to the ocean it was foggy and once you drove away it was so sunny and warm

The bottom of the trail at Tall Trees Grove.  See, more trees.

I have more videos than photos of all the seals and sea lions, they came right up to you.  They are so beautiful.  

We brought the kids to the overlook and they loved it.  Our last night.


Day 6
We decided to leave and start the drive home.  With no window we decided to break it up and go halfway.

We stayed at Thousand Trails Sunriver Bend RV Park and it was so much fun.  I wanted more time here!  In the summer they have a pool but they had a tennis court, miniature golf, playground, a cute store...Owens energy again was ready to burn so we did all the things....

Hadley's family tournament of tether ball ended in me being terrified her volleyball swing would crush my face, but it dodged me and swung around and got herself.  We were done after that!

We started a fire and the storm came.  We went to bed and got up early and drove home.  We were 20 minutes from Bend, a town I have heard so much about and I wanted to go see it.  Maybe another day.  

Owens last words about the trip was "I can't wait to NOT see trees."  So, do you need 5 days in the Redwoods?  No.  I kept saying, maybe we should have started at the Oregon Coast where there are towns and places to eat and just come here for a few days and then Hadley told me her friends family car got stolen on their vacation at the coast. So our window doesn't seem so bad now.  And bad things happen everywhere.  I'm from Caldwell. It was the combination of grumpy people for 7 days (except Bob, a grandpa we adopted for 2 nights at our campground.  As soon as we were broken into Owen said, We need to tell Bob)  and not doing enough research on the area and thinking we would have a day or two to eat out, shop, and safe spots on the beach.
 I think Fern Canyon was the highlight, a beach day and maybe doing some of the scenic drives, you could do 2 days and just keep going.  All in all we would pass through, we are glad we went because we laughed at all the crazy and have this trip to remember forever.