Fern Canyon

Site of the Jurassic Park 2 sequel....fern ancestors of prehistoric day ferns hanging on the sides of the 50 foot canyon walls. FIVE different kinds of ferns, (didn't know there were so many--five-finger, deer, lady, sword, and chain ferns)...We went on a dreary day and it just seemed like you were stepping back in time, eons ago in the canyon. It starts on a trail but then we lost the trail and it looked like you were supposed to traipse through the creek bed to pick up the trail a little further on....Wish I had on my waterproof shoes because I needed them! Eldy had on HIS waterproof hiking shoes but he was bound and determined NOT to get them wet!

After the first foot sloshed through water deeper than I thought it was, it was easy enough to just say, aw, what the heck and get both feet thoroughly soaked through, socks and all! Picture this--me sloshing through the creek and Eldy doing his best with the use of a pole and "log walking" to try and keep from getting his feet wet and he's got the waterproof shoes! Here's a photo that will help!

Or this one...

There were some SERIOUS fallen log obstacles in our way, but that just makes it more fun! Will you slip and fall in the water?  or not? But there wasn't much water in the creek today...no worries, mate!

Eldy made it through without a mishap!

He's laughin' because I was teasing him about his waterproof shoes and not wanting to get them wet....

On the way out of the canyon is where we saw all the elk yesterday....even though it was a drizzly, dreary day, we had a lot of fun on this short hike, about two miles total, if that. There's a nice trail you pick up after you've sloshed through the creek a little bit. Back into that Jurassic Park looking forest on your way back, and then views of TONS of driftwood and purple lupines in the fields along the beach.

A perfect day.......after we got home, I looked at the brochure about the park, and it said there were black bears, mountain lions, coyotes and bobcats hunting in the park at night for elk and small game---guess that might keep some people awake at night in this park!  There are also lots of unique birds (endangered murrelets-related to puffins), endangered Western snowy plovers, and peregrine falcons that are flying around Gulf Beach, one of the beaches there. AND--California sea lions, harbor seals and Steller sea lions just off the coast. Wow! This is quite the park and one we'll want to spend more time in next time we come through.....see you later......  P.S. If you don't see a post tomorrow or the next day, we are in a "black hole" as far as our air card and AT & T cell phones. Very little internet signal, but wait till you see where we are---in Oregon at Cape Blanco State park just north of Port Orford. (Blog is a couple of days behind but I think I'll try to schedule the next two days in advance and hope they come out ok) If anybody doesn't believe in a Higher Power, they need to criss cross this amazing country of ours and see what we are seeing.....