Stout Grove
This grove of colossal redwoods is easily accessible from Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park depending upon the time of the year.
Today we walk to the Winter Boat Launch within the campground and take a short rocky trek along the Smith River.
We arrive at the Summer Footbridge that crosses the river where, I admit, I feel a bit nervous halfway across.
Patting myself on the back and wiping my brow, I discreetly celebrate my bravery.
A short distance later we enter a serene, surreal, and scenic trail of redwoods.
Their stature of some 300-feet truly amazes us…
Until I discover…
So Jeff!
Stout Grove is a perfect example of an alluvial-flat. The redwoods here thrive in the rich soil of the Smith River floodplain where the flood waters also inhibit the growth of understory trees so common in other groves. (Redwood Visitor Guide)
Ferns and redwood sorrel carpet the ground. Horsetail reed, pictured below, grows along Miller Creek which empties into the Smith River.
According to multiple sources on the internet, Stout Grove is one of the most photogenic redwood stands on the coast.
Finally, no one says it better than Shakespeare. “One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.”
The plaque pictured above is on a bench in Stout Grove. Save the Redwoods League, founded in 1918, protects and restores redwood forests… to ensure that forests that take one thousand years to grow will be here for another thousand years. People and families generously donate a gift of money to support these ongoing efforts in addition to providing funds for further study and teaching. (savetheredwoods.org)
