Tonelli's Travels

Today was body told me to take it easy, and for once I listened. Growth. I stopped my drive at the Giant Tree Museum and headed out on the easier trail to Moro Rock.

I had the trail all to myself as I walked through the woods of giant trees, high above the road on the ridge. The path was soft and narrow. I wandered by trees shedding bark, pieces as thick as my hand strewn about on the ground. I wandered by Sequoias dropping pine cones, many larger than my head! New discoveries were all around.

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Eventually I made it to where the people were, close to the parking lot for Moro Rock. First, a short side trip to Hanging Rock up a steep incline. There the forest opened onto a large rocky platform with one erratic boulder resting by itself. It seemed to have decided it had moved enough, and stopped to rest on the downward sloping slab. I couldn’t blame it, the view was stunning. Pointy green mountains stretched out before it, their sides leading down to the river and then jutting back up the other side. I’d like to stay and rest here too.

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After admiring the view, I continued on to Moro Rock. You can’t miss it when you arrive. A magnificent chunk of … hanging on to the side of a cliff. Stairs lead you to the top, a 300 foot ascent with a rewarding full circle view. While there are handrails the whole time, the trail isn’t for those afraid of heights. The staircases are often only wide enough for a single person at a time, sometimes with a cliff on one side, other times cut into the rock like a canyon. If you can make it, which I recommend trying, you won’t be disappointed. Green mountains on one side, with a bird’s eye view of the meandering park road, and gray peaks on the other side capped with snow. That’s the continental divide, reaching heights of more than 12,000 feet above sea level. Magnificent.

On the way down I found a rock to sit on and enjoy a snack as I admired the mountains. People traveled up and down the path behind me, but I couldn’t be bothered. The scenery was too captivating.

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Back down at the base I took the Soldiers Trail back to the museum, slowly wandering through more noble giants on the way. My pace was slow and often stagnant as there was just too much to stop and admire. Trees, flowers, lizards, birds, streams. I could have spent all day out here.

Before ending my hike, I stopped to soak up the warmth of the sun and eat lunch on a wooden bench. With nobody around, I was in heaven. It’s not often you have a trail to yourself.

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The day ended with a trip to the park store for more books, phone calls to family, apartment searching for my relocation to Vermont (real life is never too far away – haha), and journaling back at the campsite. Another full day in the healing world of Mother Nature. Next time I hope I can enjoy the experience with someone.