Redwood trees in Southern California? I had heard that there was a grove of Sequoia sempervirens somewhere in Orange County, but had never been able to figure out where.
As it turns out, the trees are located near Brea, California off State Route 142 near Carbon Canyon Dam inside Carbon Canyon Regional Park. The park itself offers visitors activities including fishing, hiking, volleyball, picnic areas, tennis, ball fields, and playgrounds in a idyllic setting, and virtually every review is positive. From my hike through the park, to get to the trailhead, I could see it was well-maintained, had plenty of grass areas and shade trees, and is certainly worth a visit. It’s a very family-friendly park. Parking costs weekdays is $3, and I believe I read that it’s $5 on weekends, or you can save the entry fee and park on residential streets nearby.
I’ll be the first to say that I’m not a fan of mountain bikes shooting down hiking trails. While there are certainly some mountain bikers who are cognizant of others, the vast majority of mountain bikers I’ve encountered have been rude, unsafe cyclists who don’t seem to be in control of their equipment; I’ve seen far more accidents involving bikers running into hikers than the other way around.
Dick Hagerty, an Oakdale real estate developer active in community nonprofits, has written an excellent community column in the Modesto Bee about getting outdoors and hiking the Sierras.
Sierra Trek is a terrific event hosted by the California Association of 4WD Clubs, Inc. It’s the biggest fundraiser of the year, and an event that shouldn’t be missed. It’s taking place near Truckee in Northern California from August 8th through the 11th at Meadow Lake.
On August 1, 1941 the legendary Jeep was born.