Gold Bluffs Beach

Another day in the California Redwoods!

But this time,instead of being deep in the trees, I decided on some scenic beach time.

I headed out on Davison road which leads up through second growth forest, then down to the beach.  As a comparison of the size of trees that were here to the ones presently on site, you can see the huge old stump in this picture.

 Though I could find no mention of it in the park brochure, it appears that this is the only part of the park with a vehicle entry fee!  And it is only a four mile section of dead-end road.

Undaunted, I looked behind the seat of my truck for my secret weapon in such cases.   My mountain bike!

Although the each sand was too soft to ride on, the road just back of the beach was a pleasant scenic ride down the coast.

The sun was shining, and the surf was crashing on the beach.

There was a small campground along the beach, but with the prices raised as a result of the California budget crisis, the price was now $35/night, and there was no one in the campground.  I’m guessing that the previous price may have been $20?  I can’t see how that is good economics to raise the price so that you eliminate any revenue at all?

 

Flowers growing out of the top of a rotted post!                         

After I had biked to Fern Canyon at the end of the road, a large European style camper had taken up residence in the campground.  I guess the Euro is doing better than the dollar?    

Apparently the Gold Bluffs beach got it’s name from the gold that was discovered here mixed with the sand washed down from the watersheds upstream.  Miners used to haul the sand and gravel on the backs of mules to the top of the banks, then use water from the winter storms to wash it down through sluice boxes to recover the gold.