Patricks Point State Park, just north of Tridad, California, USA

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The next time you are in the area of the small town of Trinidad in northern California (which is where I would live if I was living in California) stop in and see Patricks Point State Park. It’s just a few miles north on Highway 101 from Trinidad, and well worth the drive. With the fog rolling in off the ocean and into the forest, hearing Sea Lions and Seals barking from the rocks jutting out of the water, it’s quite an atmosphere.

With 632 acres in the park, activities include camping, hiking, beach combing, nature sight seeing, and more. Forest and meadowland stretch down to ocean beach front, with spruce, hemlock, pine, fir and red alder growing wild. The ocean frontage ranges from dramatic large rocky promitories and sheer cliffs, to wide sandy white ocean beach. Deer, Sea Lions and Seals are commonly seen from within the park.

With fog coming in at some time almost every day, the vegetation is lush and green. Ferns growing wild and luxuriantly. Coming from the parched drough stricken east, that really stuck in my mind.

And, if you wish for striking photography, nothing sets it up like the wild storm lighting that comes with the ocean fog filtering it.

Like to walk? With six miles of trails looping thru the park, its a hikers paradise.

This photograph was taken on the Rim Trail, about a half mile from where I was camped.

There’s nothing more to say about Patricks Point. Its a magic place. Go see it. Then write and tell me how you liked it.

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