Journeys›Photograph

Hills, Redwoods, and Coast: A Mid-August Weekend

·San Francisco, California·#hiking#california#summer#bay area#landscape#redwoods
An aerial view of a city overlooking a large bay with islands, distant mountains, and a suspension bridge under a hazy sky.

A few clear days in mid-August. I spent some time up in the hills overlooking the bay. The sky was completely open, and you could see across the water to the bridges and the city on the other side. The air was warm and dry up there, with the typical summer haze just visible on the horizon.

I also went for a hike in the redwoods. It’s always a shock how quickly the temperature drops when you get under the canopy. The light changes completely, filtering down through the immense height of the trees. It’s quiet, just the sound of the trail under your feet.

The path wound up and down through the groves, with the sun breaking through in patches, illuminating the ferns and the forest floor. The scale of the trees makes everything else feel small. Just a lot of looking up.

We also drove out to the coast one day. It was a complete contrast to the forest—wide open sand and a huge, clear sky. There was this one massive rock formation just off the shore, standing out against the water. A good way to spend a few days close to home.

Panoramic view from a hillside overlooking a city, a bay with ships, and distant mountains under a clear blue sky.Looking up at tall redwood trees in a dense forest with sunlight filtering through the canopy.A dense forest of tall, straight trees with reddish bark and green undergrowth on a slope.Sunlight streams through a dense forest of tall, straight trees, illuminating the ground and undergrowth below.Looking up at a dense forest of tall trees with sunlight filtering through the canopy and casting shadows on the forest floor.A large, dark rock formation stands on a sandy beach next to the ocean under a clear blue sky.From a hillside, a large city and bay stretch to the horizon under a vast clear blue sky.Tall redwood trees in a forest reach up, with bright sunlight shining through the canopy onto the shaded forest floor.

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