Giant Trees & Changing Weather: Acton-Sequoia-Morro Bay
So crystal clear is the light around Acton that the surrounding mountains are frequently cast into sharp detail, so clearly defined as to appear, at times, almost one dimensional. Morning light brings a shadowy dapple to the contours, evening sunsets swathe the mountainsides in a pinkish tinge; in between those times the bright sunlight brings a majesty to the whole scene. There is something very special about it.
But our time in Acton is up and it’s goodbye to the mountains and canyons and it’s goodbye for now to my daughter Lindsay – opportunities to be with loved ones who live so far away are precious and it has been absolutely lovely to be here. Now, a California adventure awaits.
If diverse scenery is one of California’s renowned characteristics then we certainly get an introduction to it on the drive upstate towards our next destination. Collecting our hire car from Palmdale – with glorious imagery we have a Chevvy for our road trip – our journey northwards on Highways 58 and 99 takes us out of the mountains and into barren desert-like plains, and then down into the lush green of fruit farms and vineyards. Mile upon mile of fruit trees pass by, punctuated by acres of parched grass the colour of a surf bum’s blond hair.
Eventually we drop in to Visalia – you say it “Vye-Sally-a” – a small town with oak trees and a fast flowing river, a main street full of bars and eateries, and, judging by tonight, a thermometer where the mercury never drops too far. It’s extremely hot as we settle into our new surroundings.
Visalia is our gateway to Sequoia National Park, and the spectacular approach to the Park is just a tiny foretaste of the magnificent sights of our fabulous day hiking its trails. Home to the Giant Forest and including the world’s largest tree, the Park is an endless delight as we walk through and among these towering Goliaths.
Forest management includes both controlled burning and branch removal, creating a strong scent of cut pinewood throughout our walks. Giant sequoias, like the equally huge giant redwoods, are unique to California, the distinctive colourful bark catching sunlight through the trees and shining a shade of cinnamon amongst the greenery. We’re still in awe of their sheer size after over five hours studying these majestic beasts.
Following three trails – the General Sherman, the Morro Rock and the Soldiers Loop – also takes us to the top of Morro Rock, a soaring granite monolith towering above the canyon below. A “morro” is the former heart of a volcano, exfoliated by wind erosion to leave an immense rock seemingly reaching for the sky. The views from the top, across the mountains and canyons and with a clear sight of the mighty Great Western Divide, the Sierra Nevada, are absolutely staggering.
Down in Visalia today the temperature tops 100F, though up here in Sequoia it’s “only” in the low 80s so with the extensive tree cover the hiking is easily manageable despite the heat. And yet, with 100-degree temperatures just a few miles away, pockets of snow are clearly visible on the peaks as we look across from the top of Morro Rock.
The General Sherman is the largest tree in the world by volume, but isn’t either the tallest or the oldest, and in fact despite its colossal form, it wouldn’t really stand out in this land of thousands of giants if it wasn’t for the helpful signs. It is estimated that the weight of the General Sherman is some 1,300 tons, its height 275 feet, and each year it grows enough wood to form a foot-wide tree 60ft high. It has been dated at 2,200 years old and still going.
The trails are fabulous; only at the major points are there any crowds and we meet just handfuls of other hikers on the more remote stretches. Spending a full day wandering amongst some of nature’s most impressive creations is absolutely fantastic. Afterwards, of course, we have to take the obligatory drive through the Tunnel Log, including the equally obligatory photo opportunity for me and the Chevvy.
Later, as we wander in to downtown Visalia for our evening meal, it is, implausibly, still 98F at 8pm – perhaps unsurprising then that we experience a huge thunderstorm during the night, torrential rain hammering down on to the arid ground.
There is though something odd about the weather forecast for our next destination as we head away from Visalia and towards the California coast – surely it’s an error on the website, it can’t really be nearly 40 degrees cooler, can it? Only fifteen miles or so from Morro Bay, the temperature drops below 90, down through the 80s, the 70s, until eventually we arrive on the coast to find a sea fog enveloping the town and a proper chill in the air.
So here we are on the Pacific coast of California, our minds full of those images of endless summer on surfing beaches, yet we’re wearing sweatshirts and long trousers and putting the heating on in our room to take the chill off the air. Just about the polar opposite of our visions of this part of the journey.
A first saunter around Morro Bay’s picturesque harbour reveals a gorgeous little seaside town and fishing port which is clearly a thoroughly charming place, still obviously so despite the strange weather. It somehow feels a little bit like a March day in Cornwall. The unusually shaped bay is absolutely teeming with wildlife – more on that in our next post – and the barking of seals joins the sound of the fog warning drifting through the murk.
As I stir in bed at around 4am, I can just detect the sound of the foghorn still sending out its warning. We may not see the sun again just yet, I fear.
25 Comments
Terrie
Love that you are loving your trip north. The redwoods indeed are cathedral like and almost sentient. So happy you are experiencing a good side of America. Xxoo
Phil & Michaela
Hi Terrie, thank you. Sequoia was magnificent – bit of a shock to find it so cold and foggy on the coast though!
Gilda Baxter
Wow…those giant trees are incredible. Such a huge change in temperature, sounds like you have packed clothes for all weathers? Have you pre-booked all your accommodation or just going with the flow? Beautiful photos, I love the one of your Chevy under the tree tunnel.
Phil & Michaela
Well not really, clothes wise. We have just one sweater each, which we brought for mountains, not for what we thought would be a sunny coastal section. We don’t have any coats or waterproofs, may have to buy at some point. All our California accommodation was pre-booked before we started, simply because it’s high season and accommodation at the Parks gets fully booked.
Alison
Looking through these photos almost makes me want to travel to the US again. I hope you have all the right clothes to keep you warm.
Those trees are magnificent
Phil & Michaela
We really didn’t expect “cold and foggy”, Ali. We have just one sweatshirt each so we’re hoping to see the sun again soon!
Alison
The San Francisco area can be like that though when the fog rolls in
Phil & Michaela
We’re learning how to live with it!
Alison
Your sweatshirts are getting a lot of wear! I’m sure it will be hot again soon
grandmisadventures
Love your pictures! Sequoia is definitely on my list. I visited the Redwoods years ago and was overwhelmed by the size of those trees. I know what you mean about the weather difference though. I had the same experience last year when I was in Santa Barbara, I was packed for bright sunshine days on the beach only to find I needed a sweatshirt most of the time because that coastal air was much cooler than I planned for.
Phil & Michaela
It’s a bit of a shock, we were expecting sun drenched beaches!
Toonsarah
We missed Sequoia on our CA road trip (just couldn’t squeeze everything in!) so it’s great to now see it through your eyes. Those views are magnificent! Your Morro Bay experience reminds me of ours in San Francisco. We arrived in sunny weather but the next day we had to pile on all our layers at once to stay warm!
Phil & Michaela
Yes Sequoia really was fabulous, Sarah. We’re a bit shell shocked at this cold foggy weather though – we really did expect endless summer on this part of the trip!
Jyothi
Great captures Michaela!! Glad you enjoyed your trip!!
wetanddustyroads
Yeah, let the road trip begins! Wow, those trees are big (and beautiful). And the views over the mountains into the valley … that is just magnificent. Great photo of you, the Chevvy and the Tunnel Log. So, you drove straight from summer right into winter … but fingers crossed that the sun is gonna throw its hot rays over you guys soon 🌞.
Phil & Michaela
We’re still hoping so but there’s no sign yet of the fog lifting. We thought we’d be baking in hot sun on gorgeous beaches, instead it’s like being in England!
wetanddustyroads
😄 … hopefully soon!
mochatruffalo
What you’re experiencing on the coast is what we call June Gloom. Along with May Grey, these are the 2 months when the mist and fog envelope the coast due to the greater temperature discrepancy over the ocean and on land. All of this will be gone in the month of July.
Phil & Michaela
We’re learning how to deal with it!
Joe
I believe California is home to the largest, tallest, and oldest living things, all trees (Giant Sequoia, Coastal Redwood, and Bristlecone Pine). It’s good to see you have your hiking legs. There are so many great trails in the Golden State.
Phil & Michaela
It was fabulous up there, really enjoyed hiking round Sequoia
WanderingCanadians
Your pictures are gorgeous. It’s incredible how huge and old some of the sequoias are. It makes you wonder what some of our forests might have looked like without us humans disrupting the landscape.
Phil & Michaela
Absolutely! It’s a remarkable place to wander through.
Latitude Adjustment, A tale of two travelers!
Happy to see you made it to Morro Bay.Great photos!
A little tidbit: It is one of many harbor entrances in California that is dangerous to enter. Many years ago John Wayne lost his boat trying to get into the harbor. Safe travels.
Phil & Michaela
Great little town despite the fog – which actually was quite characterful