It was a foggy morning as we raced to get to the top of Armstrong Woods to experience being above the clouds before the fog burned off. We had heard you could drive to the top of the park and see for days so off we went in search of this magical spot. We asked the super nice ranger how to get to the top and he laughed as he gave us the directions. He said we would enjoy the drive up…on a 2-way 1 lane road for 3 miles that was along the side of the mountain most of the time.
The hubs and I switched spots so he could drive, put the top down on the bug, blasted the heater and we slowly drove through the old redwood groves stopping every so often so I could snap a pic. We were there early enough not too many people were in the park yet but we still got funny looks from others as I was propped up in the front seat halfway out of the car which I personally think is a great way to take pics. We drove at 10 mph all the way up. There were a few other cars once we hit THE spot. We all had our cameras out and were in awe of the sight we were seeing. The fog was settled in the canyons with the trees popping out of the top…for days. We paused to take some pics and chat with the other people enjoying the view and kept climbing up the mountain.
As we curved around the hairpin turns to the top the road split. We went to the right to see the campground. Note to self, this would be an amazing place to tent camp! After we went through the campground we turned around and went the other way. On this side we could see the Austin Creek Recreation Area and it was totally clear. It’s so very green this time of year.
Driving along the road at the top we came to a clearing on the foggy side again, parked the car and walked the trail down a bit to get to a good spot for photos. This is the steep trail we would have had to hike up a couple miles had we not known we could drive to the top. The views did not disappoint! The sun was out and warm and the fog was clearing a little more in the canyons so we could see more of the mountains. It was like we were opening the fog curtains in slow motion.
Next time we have visitors we are definitely going to have to add this little drive to the Armstrong Woods adventure!
Back down the mountain we parked and enjoyed the short hike/walk through the forest floor stopping and taking pics along the way. There’s always so much to see there each time we go we find something new to admire. Seriously, if you are in the area and want to experience the tranquility of being among 300+ year old redwood trees you need to stop in here…and breath. It’s so relaxing.
Hope you enjoy the photo gallery below and it brings you calmness while looking at them!
This is also linked to the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge. Check it out here.
Oh my gosh, what gorgeous pictures. And what an amazing place! Thank you for taking us with you on your adventure!
Thank you!! It was amazing being there and so glad we could share it with everyone!
Beautiful set. Love this area for photography.
Thank you!! You really can’t go wrong taking pics around here. It’s so beautiful!
Stunning photos…and loved your post about the drive to reach the top.
Thank you!! It was a nice slow drive to the top but oh so worth it!
I think you nailed it with magical! It sounds like an adventure and looks absolutely gorgeous!!
Thank you! Can’t really go wrong at Armstrong Woods. It’s our secret here in Sonoma, we let Muir Woods get all the attention and crowds so we can enjoy the redwoods peacefully here. 🙂
[…] Smiling in SonomaTop of the World! […]
These are gorgeous! I love layered shots like these.
Thank you! Mother Nature provided some amazing shots for us!