Big Trees, Big Adventures & One Very Determined Cat
Three weeks in, and we've officially entered the “How remote is too remote?” phase of full-time RV life.
This week took us deep into Northern California, where the trees are enormous, the roads are winding, cell service is apparently optional, and one of our cats decided he was ready to experience the great outdoors.
Welcome to Week Three.
Where We Landed: Klamath River, California
Our home base this week was Klamath River RV Park, tucked away in a very secluded, rural stretch along the Klamath River.
The park is located in the homeland of the Pulikla Tribe of Yurok People, and the setting is incredibly peaceful and surrounded by nature.
The campground itself is definitely on the rustic side. Let's just say it has some character.
But the location more than made up for it.
What We Explored: The Redwoods
This week was all about one thing: Redwoods.
First, we visited the Trees of Mystery park, where we walked the aerial netted suspension bridges through these majestic old-growth redwoods at mid-canopy level with viewing platforms from 50-100 feet high in the trees. Then we took a gondola ride to the top of the mountain and enjoyed the steep hike back down. Fun stop.
Another day we drove south on Highway 101 and turned onto the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, a spectacular ten-mile drive through the heart of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.
The road winds through thousands of acres of old-growth redwoods, with towering trees on both sides and plenty of places to pull over and explore.
We stopped at Big Tree Wayside, where we saw, appropriately enough, the Big Tree.
Although the whole concept of a “big tree” starts to become a little relative.
We hiked the beautiful Cathedral Trees Trail, where the sheer size and age of the forest make you feel very, very small.
We made a quick stop at the Prairie Creek Visitor Center. Right in front of the visitor center is an open meadow where a free-roaming herd of Roosevelt elk regularly gathers.
Social life even in the most remote places
Another highlight of the week was meeting our neighbors Mark and Tammy. Mark also served 26 years in the Army. We enjoyed wine by the fire and swapping stories. We were thrilled to learn we’ll overlap for a night at our next stop, too!
The places are amazing, but the people are often great, too.
Dinkel the escape artist
Just when we thought the cats were settling into RV life, Dinkel decided it was time to explore the great outdoors, too.
Not just once – but twice!
Fortunately, we were able to get him back inside both times.
But there’s a couple little complications that made me more worried about Dink:
1. There is a resident bear that wanders through this park at night.
2. There is also a resident cat who could be Dink’s twin!
On a couple of occasions, I saw the cat outside and my heart skipped a beat.
Remote Means REMOTE
Our remote location meant no cell service, limited nearby amenities and—no grocery store nearby. So we ended up making the 30-minute drive back up Highway 101 to Crescent City to get food for the week.
Not a huge ordeal, but definitely something we'll think about differently next time.
Fortunately, the Starlink did not let us down!
Next Stop: Keep Heading South
We’re starting to get into a rhythm.
We're figuring out our routines.
We're learning what we need—and what we absolutely don't need.
We're meeting people.
We're discovering places we might never have visited otherwise and spending time fully experiencing a location.
Tomorrow, we pack up again and head to our next stop. The adventure continues.
What we learned this week
If we're heading somewhere remote, we'll do a good map recon first and figure out where we can pick up groceries, fuel, and other necessities along the way.
Speaking of fuel… Brandon watched the fuel gauge in the RV count down… too far! We had planned to stop and get fuel in Brookings – just before the California border. However, at 13 miles out, Brandon radioed to say that the RV was showing only 12 miles to empty! We were going up and down curvy hills with 7% grade and we were sucking up the gas. Each mile we went, he gave me an update. And the gas station was still a mile outside the range. By some miracle, we rolled slightly downhill into Brookings as the RV’s fuel gauge showed 0 miles to empty!
