Moving to the coast, we come to the Redwood National Park. Again, a personal favorite. There are numerous excellent hiking areas, but we are here to see big trees. The aptly named Tall Trees Grove is the place we want. In classic hiking terms, the route is only 3 miles roundtrip and should take an hour and a half. Hah! This is the place of many of the tallest trees in the world, many topping out over 300 feet. The trees are so large, the base can be as much as fifteen feet across. That is probably wider then the room you are sitting in now. With such heights, you are going to be looking up a lot and walking very slowly. Count on turning this hike into a three hour event at a minimum

Lassen Volcanic National Park is located to the east of Redding. As you might have guessed from the name, the park has a history of volcanic activity, eruptions and lots of geothermal activity. Any of the hiking routes in the park will pass muster, but I am a sucker for volcanoes. Prior to Mount St. Helens hogging the limelight, Lassen Peak was the last volcano to erupt in the United States. Okay, it was 1914, but it still counts. More importantly, you can hike it! It is 5 miles roundtrip and takes two or three hours. Unfortunately, you have to hit it between July and September because it is closed the rest of the time. As an aside, you can also try the Bumpass Hell hike. I know nothing about it, but the name makes it worth a go if nothing else.