This Easter, we went for a hike in Armstrong Woods State Park in Guerneville, California. It’s quite a gem tucked away in a small woodsy town on the Russian River in Sonoma County, about 30 minutes west of Santa Rosa. It’s truly a magical place; right when you enter the park, it is green and luscious.
Ferns, Trilium, and Clovers dot the forest floor, creating a green paradise. If you look down, it’s green and spotted with flowers, and if you look up, you are surrounded by giants.
We went fairly far into the woods this time, and stumbled upon a rarity: a redwood orchid (calypso orchid)! I had never seen one before and was enchanted by this little beauty.
She was tucked away on one of the lesser-used, harder trails, and it was such a delight to get to spot a calypso orchid for the first time! I may have (read: most definitely did) lain on the ground to get this shot, only to get up and find gum on my knee! Whoops! Friendly reminder to use a trash can, haha.
We also spotted this funny little mushroom! There are many types of mushrooms around Armstrong Woods, and they can be found all over – we enjoy searching for mushrooms on our hikes to see how many we can find.
To me, the forest’s magic inspires me, to see the beauty in the tiniest things to the tallest trees. It reminds me that it is our job to be the keepers of the planet, to make better choices and conscious decisions that will improve our planet. It’s a reminder that we are connected to the Earth, and it is connected to us.
Happy trails!
xoxo
caryn hewlett 
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