Redwoods

Which park has bigger redwoods?

Muir Woods or Big Basin?

I%26#39;ve seen pictures where you can drive through the trunk of a redwood.

Is that at either of the above places?

Greatly appreciated!

D

Redwoods

They both have some pretty big trees. Muir Woods is a LOT closer to San Francisco. The redwoods tat you can drive a car through are far away to the north of San Francisco, and in Yosemite and Sequoia Natl Parks

Redwoods

Consider going to Armstrong Redwoods, in Sonoma County, near Guerneville. We were there yesterday and you%26#39;ll find you practically have the whole woods all to yourself. It%26#39;s so much less visited than Muir Woods and you%26#39;ll find a serenity and peace when you get lost in the woods.

You can make a lovely day trip out of the trip, driving up 101 and visiting a couple of wineries before heading to Guerneville. Continue West towards Bodega Bay and get a look at the coast as well. Stop for dinner on the way back in Bodega Bay. Lucas Wharf and the Duck Club and the Bodega Bay Lodge are both great choices.

Hi

For drivethrough trees: www.tunneltree.com

www.roadsideamerica.com

We were most impressed by the 32 miles Avenue of the Giants in Humboldt Redwoods SP but it%26#39;s 225 M north of SF.

Tet

Actually, Muir Woods and Big Basin both have trees that are only about 80m (260%26#39;) tall. The tallest ones are about 100%26#39; taller at 110m tall on average in some groves in Humboldt County like Armstrong. Douglas Firs in a lot of places are taller than the Redwood trees at Muir Woods/Big Basin. They top out at 100m or so near Olympia, Washington.

There%26#39;s two other kinds of redwood trees available. The sequoias are a popular variety. They hit out 90-100m tall in Kings Canyon %26amp; Sequoia National Parks. The third variety is the Dawn Redwood which only hits about 40m tall. Most are in two inner provinces in China. There%26#39;s a few sizable younglings of these planted supposedly in Redwood City and Berkeley. These are worth a look because they blossom in the spring and turn orange/red in the fall. Many thousands of fossilized Dawn Redwoods can be seen in lots of places like above the Arctic circle.

Big Basin has the bigger trees, there are some over 300 feet tall there, notably the Mother of the Forest. Mother has a womb-like hollow in her trunk. Father of the Forest has an ';anatomically correct'; burl on his trunk. Big Basin is a far larger park also, and much more ';park-like'; in general, Muir is something of a museum with a paved, rail-fenced trail about 6 feet wide and only a mile long. Big Basin has the possibility of hiking all the way to the ocean, 15 miles one way or a loop past a series of waterfalls 12 miles long.

Big Basin%26#39;s Father of the Forest is yes, only about 250 feet tall. Father and Mother are both on the short loop Redwood Trail which has a self guided pamphlet which you can pick up at the head of the trail and return, or purchase outright for 25 cents, on the honor system. It is also available online. No drive through trees at either Big Basin or Muir Woods, though. Drive through trees are way up in Humboldt County, there%26#39;s only a few left, in some fairly obscure places, and not all that great, one at least is held together by metal bands and such. And you pay your money and then find that your vehicle doesn%26#39;t fit through, sorry, but no refunds.

Bayatuning,

Are you sure about the Mother of the Forest being 329 ft tall in Muir Woods?

I thought that Cathedral and Bohemian Groves contain Muir Woods%26#39; largest coast redwoods with the tallest coast redwood there being 252 feet; the thickest is nearly 14 feet across; and the oldest is at least 1,000 years old. There%26#39;s various sources saying trees in Muir Woods are over 300 ft tall but those sources haven%26#39;t been reliable.

By the way, it sounds like you%26#39;re another arborist here.

I mistakened Armstrong as being in Humboldt County. It%26#39;s more like Mendocino/Sonoma.

I happened to have a laser range finder. I%26#39;ll have to bring it Muir Woods and measure the tree heights myself!

Darth, the Mother is in Big Basin, not Muir Woods. The sign says she%26#39;s 329 feet high, so does the trail guide (site #9):

http://www.bigbasin.org/RedwoodTrailGuide.pdf

I noticed that Muir%26#39;s trees were shorter the first time I went there. Others have said they don%26#39;t notice the difference, though.

Armstrong Redwoods is in Guerneville in Sonoma County. The tallest tree is 308 feet. You can%26#39;t get the whole tree into a photo anyway. :-)