Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 03-13-2015, 12:27 AM   #1
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Southeast Michigan
Posts: 130
Default The Redwoods in late May - Early June

We are planning a trip to the Redwoods for the last week of May/first week of June 2015. Can anyone suggest what the weather might be in that neck of the woods? We are thinking about using a tent for the half of the group that won't fit in the B.
Thanks for any feedback.
__________________
A 2014 Ocean One MB Sprinter by Advanced RV named "Imagine"
mikes47 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2015, 05:27 AM   #2
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 300
Default Re: The Redwoods in late May - Early June

Where exactly are you going? There are two kinds of redwoods in California and they grow in different places. Both are tall, ancient and spectacular. No matter how old you are, you'll feel like a tiny young kid when you're standing next to a giant 2000 year old tree. The key to enjoying them and learning about them is to get out and walk. Find a trail map and hike away from parking lots, roads and campgrounds. You'll find yourself in places that literally are like nowhere else on earth. Some state parks have trails for the disabled that are flat. Some have trails that are paved and made for wheelchairs. Of course, there are more rugged trails, as well. From inside a vehicle, it's impossible to feel the power of a forest of 100-300 foot tall trees.

The coastal redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) grow from around Santa Cruz to a little bit north of the Oregon border. Because they grow along the coast and thrive on foggy weather, you can probably expect temps in the 50s-70s. Typically, the fog blows inland in the late afternoon, stays overnight and burns off mid-morning. Wear layers of clothes. When the fog burns off, it can warm up at least 10 degrees fairly quickly. When the fog moves inland, temps can drop quickly, as well. A tent, as long as it's out of the wind and you have a rainfly, should be fine. Why do you need a rainfly, even when it's not raining? Redwood needles are arranged on their branches like combs and they "comb" the wet fog to get water. That water then drips down onto the forest floor. The trees and the fog can drip all night long. That's why you'll need the rainfly on the tent.

The redwoods in the Sierra Nevada Mountains are a related tree, the Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum). Some of the most famous of these grow in Yosemite's Mariposa Grove but they grow along most of that mountain range. Because they grow at higher altitude and rely on snowpack and storms for water, the weather there is akin to the weather in the North East U.S., except that the summers are *bone* dry and as a result, are prone to fires. In May and early June, you may get cold temps (upper 30s), especially at night, along with occasional storms. A tent is a maybe in that climate. The issue that time of year in Yosemite won't be the weather, it will be the crowds. Unless you have a reservation, forget it. There may be campsites available in the surrounding areas, but again, without a reservation, you may end up with no place to stay.

You'll probably see various locations described as having "old-growth" trees. That's a forest that's never been logged. A second-growth forest has been logged but generally, that happened about 100 years ago. If you can, visit an old growth forest. You'll generally see larger, older, more majestic trees in mature forests. In May or June, you might be too late to see the native rhododendrons and azaleas in bloom in the coastal redwoods or the white dogwoods in the Sierra Nevada redwoods, but there are plenty of other beautiful plants that are a part of a mature redwood forest.

For information about California's State Parks, visit: http://www.parks.ca.gov
For information about California's National Parks, visit: http://www.nps.gov/state/ca/index.htm
SiennaGuy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2015, 05:51 AM   #3
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 300
Default Re: The Redwoods in late May - Early June

To see photos of the flowering plants found in the coastal redwoods, see these two pages on the National Park Service site. The plants are listed by the time of year that they first come into bloom:

http://www.nps.gov/redw/learn/nature/wh ... page-1.htm
http://www.nps.gov/redw/learn/nature/wh ... page-2.htm

For information about the wildflowers that grow in Yosemite and the giant redwoods of the Sierra Nevada, see this page:
http://www.yosemitepark.com/wildflowers.aspx
SiennaGuy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2015, 11:44 AM   #4
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Southeast Michigan
Posts: 130
Default Re: The Redwoods in late May - Early June

Thanks for the write up, SiennaGuy. We are heading to the coastal redwoods. Hiking is definitely part of the itinerary. You have been very helpful.
Mike
__________________
A 2014 Ocean One MB Sprinter by Advanced RV named "Imagine"
mikes47 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2015, 02:12 PM   #5
Platinum Member
 
Davydd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 5,964
Default Re: The Redwoods in late May - Early June

You will never see the sun when camping in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
__________________
Davydd
2021 Advanced RV 144 custom Sprinter
2015 Advanced RV Extended body Sprinter
2011 Great West Van Legend Sprinter
2005 Pleasure-way Plateau TS Sprinter
Davydd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2015, 04:28 PM   #6
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Southeast Michigan
Posts: 130
Default Re: The Redwoods in late May - Early June

LOL!
__________________
A 2014 Ocean One MB Sprinter by Advanced RV named "Imagine"
mikes47 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2015, 01:12 AM   #7
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern California
Posts: 130
Default Re: The Redwoods in late May - Early June

If you're staying at the campground for awhile, don't expect much charge help from your solar panels. But you probably will see the sun.
wabbit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2015, 10:57 AM   #8
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Southeast Michigan
Posts: 130
Default Re: The Redwoods in late May - Early June

Good point, wabbit. I guess that's an advantage of the B ... as I drive around looking at the scenery I will be recharging my batteries. Then I'll return to the campground fully charged for the night.
__________________
A 2014 Ocean One MB Sprinter by Advanced RV named "Imagine"
mikes47 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-21-2015, 03:27 AM   #9
Lou
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Vancouver BC
Posts: 106
Default Re: The Redwoods in late May - Early June

Last year, we were there in April. I was wearing long sleeve fleece shirt in the day but my husband was wearing a Tshirt. I don't think you could charge your solar panels but the most glorious sunlight filtered through the trees. It was magnificent!
Lou is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-31-2016, 12:43 AM   #10
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 300
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Davydd View Post
You will never see the sun when camping in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
Giant trees cast giant shadows. There are, however, almost heavenly shafts of light that filter through and illuminate parts of the floor of the forest.

When I was in the redwoods a while ago, the ranger station had a sign that explained how the trees gather water from the fog. It said,
"A relatively small 100-foot-tall redwood can gather the equivalent of four inches of rain in a single evening."
Attached is a photo of a coastal redwood's needles. The new growth is light green. The needles are fairly flat and are arranged just like a comb to "comb" water out of the fog. Like I said, expect redwoods on a foggy night to drip water all night long.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Redwood's Comb-Like Needles.jpg (264.7 KB, 5 views)
SiennaGuy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-31-2016, 01:42 AM   #11
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 554
Default

I live in Humboldt, the weather depends where your are on the coast. Inland, just a few miles and it starts getting hot. I live about 10miles from the coast and the weather has been mid 60's, low 70's sunny, like it is most of the year. Are you going to the music festival in Benbow that week end?
mojoman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-31-2016, 06:18 AM   #12
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 300
Default

I wish I could make it to Benbow, but I've got too many other things to do. Life sometimes gets in the way of having fun.
SiennaGuy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT. The time now is 12:09 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.