I just got back from Redwood National Park and wanted to give you guys an update in case anyone is considering going.
The Rhododendron display is awesome right now. I would say it is just past peak bloom. But there are still plenty of flowers to photograph including falling flowers on the ground in parts. Best location for them appears to be Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park which is where I spent the majority of my time. I'll post photos once I have a chance to process them.
After shooting dogwoods in Yosemite it was nice to get away from the crowds for a while on this trip. I took a few side trips as well to Southern Oregon and Trinidad. Once you get past Ukiah it is really *green* up there. Its kinda like rolling back the clock of Spring. Many other wildflowers are still in bloom including lupine, iris, and a bunch of others I don't know the names to. Yesterday the sun broke out on the drive home down the 101 and the green forests and hills were popping with color.
So for you nomadic free spirited individuals who have have time off or can get it its not too late.
Thanks for the update, Derek. I'm planning on arriving in Oregon next Monday to photograph
waterfalls at Silver Falls SP. While in the area I would like to photograph some wildflowers.
Can you suggest any locations that will still be at peak bertween June 8-14 that you noted? I was thinking about going to Del Norte and the Redwoods for Rhododendrons on the way back to CA near the end of my trip on say the 12-14. However, I suspect from what you've said the Rhododendrons will be past peak by then.
That sounds like a cool trip and a tough call. The thing is the Gorge may still have some wildflowers. Did you see the recent (although he didn't say how recent) shot from Jesse Estes in ESS of Rowena? There are a lot flowers still in bloom above Ukiah especially. And in Brooking there were some beautiful coastal Irises in Samuel Boardman SP.
If I were you I would email Jesse or post this question on the PNW forum for sure. Those guys are really helpful and *very* knowledgeable about current conditions.
It also depends on if you really want to catch the Rhodies. If so you will find more if you stop by there on your way 'Up' the coast instead on the way back. But I think there might still be some left in a couple weeks. I am just not sure how many. I have heard they have a fairly short window. But I am no expert thats for sure. Either way I think you will have a great trip.
As I said there are a lot of lupine along the coast. I would definately take the coast road from at least Brookings thru Bandon - my favorite part actually. Then you can cut up to Silver Falls SP.
Glad you had a good trip. That filtered light you got on Friday was awesome. I missed that but I loved the rich, soupy fog the days I was there. Did you make it to the Damnation Creek Trail area? The rhodie bloom up there was REALLY impressive.
Thanks, yeah the light was amazing on Friday. I was wondering if I would bump into you there. Most of the photographers seemed to both amazed and dumbfounded. The light was intense and tricky to capture, especially when trying to include rhodies in the frame.
I was planning orginally to shoot Trinidad on Friday. But when I saw the fog and partial sun I bolted to Del Norte. I spent the majority of the day along the Damnation Trail which is where the ones I posted on ESS & M&N were taken.
It was great to have the fog the reamining days thats for sure. What day(s) were you at Del Norte?
Trinidad had some nice flowers on the cliffs above which I shot on Sunday. Although the fog and clouds made for better conditions in the forest. I also went and explored some spots in southern Oregon at SBSP.
I was just at Del Norte on Sunday morning. I could have spent every day there though. Sunday evening I ended up shooting at a different beach a little south of Trinidad, and not Trinidad SBP. There was some sun but nothing spectacular with a fog bank offshore causing a premature sunset. Stout Grove was another place I liked quite a bit. I was there in the afternoon so not much fog. Next year I'll have to come back and concentrate on Damnation Creek, Stout Grove and Trinidad.
Derek >>>"Once you get past Ukiah it is really *green* up there. Its kinda like rolling back the clock of Spring."
Isn't that nice! One thing about the state of California with its enormously varied topography and geology, is there are so many different environments, each of which has a particular period each spring when wildflowers rise and then peak. The earliest low elevation spring is usually in February at the south end of Death Valley and southern Anza Borrego while the last low elevation spring blooms are from mid May thru mid June up in Humboldt and Del Norte north coast counties. Once a photographer has the experience to understand how that plays out each year and in this Internet age where to get current climate information, they can work a long five month period while always finding prime conditions. Even such small zones like the San Francisco Bay region with its complex topography can have a number of different peaking periods in small microclimates. And of course there are the above snow line mountain areas too that continue with their own different set of species. However it is the spring lower elevation flowers that often the most impressive wide swaths of color that are of greatest value to those of us lugging tripods.
Discussion
8 repliesThe Rhododendron display is awesome right now. I would say it is just past peak bloom. But there are still plenty of flowers to photograph including falling flowers on the ground in parts. Best location for them appears to be Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park which is where I spent the majority of my time. I'll post photos once I have a chance to process them.
After shooting dogwoods in Yosemite it was nice to get away from the crowds for a while on this trip. I took a few side trips as well to Southern Oregon and Trinidad. Once you get past Ukiah it is really *green* up there. Its kinda like rolling back the clock of Spring. Many other wildflowers are still in bloom including lupine, iris, and a bunch of others I don't know the names to. Yesterday the sun broke out on the drive home down the 101 and the green forests and hills were popping with color.
So for you nomadic free spirited individuals who have have time off or can get it its not too late.
Derek
waterfalls at Silver Falls SP. While in the area I would like to photograph some wildflowers.
Can you suggest any locations that will still be at peak bertween June 8-14 that you noted? I was thinking about going to Del Norte and the Redwoods for Rhododendrons on the way back to CA near the end of my trip on say the 12-14. However, I suspect from what you've said the Rhododendrons will be past peak by then.
That sounds like a cool trip and a tough call. The thing is the Gorge may still have some wildflowers. Did you see the recent (although he didn't say how recent) shot from Jesse Estes in ESS of Rowena? There are a lot flowers still in bloom above Ukiah especially. And in Brooking there were some beautiful coastal Irises in Samuel Boardman SP.
If I were you I would email Jesse or post this question on the PNW forum for sure. Those guys are really helpful and *very* knowledgeable about current conditions.
It also depends on if you really want to catch the Rhodies. If so you will find more if you stop by there on your way 'Up' the coast instead on the way back. But I think there might still be some left in a couple weeks. I am just not sure how many. I have heard they have a fairly short window. But I am no expert thats for sure. Either way I think you will have a great trip.
As I said there are a lot of lupine along the coast. I would definately take the coast road from at least Brookings thru Bandon - my favorite part actually. Then you can cut up to Silver Falls SP.
Here are some lupine near Humbug Mtn from last year to give you an idea:
http://landandseaphoto.smugmug.com/photos/302721138_fBgPp-XL.jpg
Derek
Did you speak to Paul Bunyan? Or at least stop in Hopland(Mendicino Brewery)?
Glad you had a good trip. That filtered light you got on Friday was awesome. I missed that but I loved the rich, soupy fog the days I was there. Did you make it to the Damnation Creek Trail area? The rhodie bloom up there was REALLY impressive.
Thanks, yeah the light was amazing on Friday. I was wondering if I would bump into you there. Most of the photographers seemed to both amazed and dumbfounded. The light was intense and tricky to capture, especially when trying to include rhodies in the frame.
I was planning orginally to shoot Trinidad on Friday. But when I saw the fog and partial sun I bolted to Del Norte. I spent the majority of the day along the Damnation Trail which is where the ones I posted on ESS & M&N were taken.
It was great to have the fog the reamining days thats for sure. What day(s) were you at Del Norte?
Trinidad had some nice flowers on the cliffs above which I shot on Sunday. Although the fog and clouds made for better conditions in the forest. I also went and explored some spots in southern Oregon at SBSP.
Derek
Isn't that nice! One thing about the state of California with its enormously varied topography and geology, is there are so many different environments, each of which has a particular period each spring when wildflowers rise and then peak. The earliest low elevation spring is usually in February at the south end of Death Valley and southern Anza Borrego while the last low elevation spring blooms are from mid May thru mid June up in Humboldt and Del Norte north coast counties. Once a photographer has the experience to understand how that plays out each year and in this Internet age where to get current climate information, they can work a long five month period while always finding prime conditions. Even such small zones like the San Francisco Bay region with its complex topography can have a number of different peaking periods in small microclimates. And of course there are the above snow line mountain areas too that continue with their own different set of species. However it is the spring lower elevation flowers that often the most impressive wide swaths of color that are of greatest value to those of us lugging tripods.