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Memorial Park (5th Hike) Mt. Ellen Nature Trail San Mateo County, California
Photos of Hike & Haikus |
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Preface: The old-growth redwood forests of Memorial County Park have been favorite
camping grounds for generations. This popular park has trails, campsites, group camps,
a visitor center, and 499 acres to explore. Acquired by the County in 1924, this is the
system's oldest park. It is dedicated to the San Mateo County servicemen who died in
World War I. My friend drove me here for the fifth time this summer. Today we went on
the Mt. Ellen Nature Trail. A 15-page guide pamphlet The Mt. Ellen Nature Trail
by Carol Kemnitz (April 1992) may be purchased for $2 at the Park Entrance.
This illustrated booklet provided information on the trees and plants as we
passed the 26 guide posts A-Z along the trail. This trail winds through a
coniferous forest dominated by Coastal Redwoods. Since the weather was cloudy, we
brought umbrellas as our walking sticks that shielded us from the rain near the
end of our hike. Four photos taken inside car on Highway 280 of storm clouds came
out surprisingly well.
(Bay Area Hiker;
Map)
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Sunday, September 13, 2009, 1:55 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Tan Oak Flat Picnic Area Gap between two giant redwoods U-doorway entrance between two giant redwoods to a fallen log. | |
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Sunday, September 13, 2:20 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Mt. Ellen Nature Trail Signpost C: Poison Oak Poison Oak warning sign under directional guide to the three trails. | |
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Sunday, September 13, 2:30 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Mt. Ellen Nature Trail Signpost E: Wild Blackberry Nature's "Ouch" plant— thorny branches, fuzzy leaves, and tasty blackberries. | |
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Sunday, September 13, 2:47 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Mt. Ellen Nature Trail Past Sign F: Gnarly Bay Tree A tree bends with the looping Bay Tree for better view of its magic. | |
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Sunday, September 13, 3:00 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Mt. Ellen Nature Trail Y-branch tree near switchback In Nature's quietude this Y-tree asks the question "Why are we here?" | |
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Sunday, September 13, 3:11 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Mt. Ellen Nature Trail Top of "Be Careful" Douglas Fir Top of "Be Careful" tree is like a dragon with many arms at war. | |
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Sunday, September 13, 3:25 pm Mt. Ellen Nature Trail Signpost O: "Baby Wipes"— soft leaves of California Hazel Charcoal from plant provide artists with drawing pencils Soft Hazelnut leaves called "Baby Wipes" with Filbert nuts that's good to eat. | |
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Sunday, September 13, 3:46 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Mt. Ellen Nature Trail Clouds moving fast over forest Ghost clouds on the march— scenic sky show surrounded by redwood forest. | |
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Sunday, September 13, 4:12 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Mt. Ellen Nature Trail Signpost T: 1961 canyon fire Here's a Redwood scarred by the 1961 fire— still standing tall. | |
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Sunday, September 13, 4:22 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Mt. Ellen Nature Trail Signpost V: Wood Ferns (Dryopteris arguta) Wood Ferns spray out like small fountains with spores in two rows covered by a flap. | ||
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Sunday, September 13, 4:32 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Mt. Ellen Nature Trail Signpost X: "Goose-pens" Redwoods with hollow shell bark at the base Shape of Platonic Lambda— Soul of the Universe sings through this tree. | |
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Sunday, September 13, 4:44 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Mt. Ellen Nature Trail Signpost Z: "Mother Tree" Redwood with rabbit hole in its trunk Let's play hike and seek— Leap into rabbit hole into another world. | |
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Sunday, September 13, 4:48 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Mt. Ellen Nature Trail Signpost Z: "Mother Tree" Redwood with close-up of rabbit hole in trunk Close-up view of hole— Are you ready to enter the dark abyss? | |
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Sunday, September 13, 4:52 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Plant samples near Entrance: Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) Toyon also called Christmas berry & holly gave Hollywood its name. | |
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Sunday, September 13, 6:25 pm Highway 280: On the way home Storm clouds & Stanford Dish Stanford Dish is flat— collecting rain or messages from deep outer space. | |
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Sunday, September 13, 6:27 pm Highway 280: On the way home Storm clouds photo from moving car Camera captured oncoming storm clouds with car moving— photos came out well. | |
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