Onyx Northwest Tour Day 5
Started up hw 199 toward Cave Junction with no fixed plan. Drove into Smith River National Forest to discover a redwood grove called “Stout Grove.” Could not resist the pun that really Stout represented the goals of my trip combined: passion for nature and passion for dark beer. Half mile hike was worth it to see these impressive trees. Many had been charred by fire and I of course wondered whether you could use that wood to flavor a homebrew stout. Hit the highway again and not far up the river found a beautiful white water section with falls and blue pools that could be seen from the highway vista point. Decided to climb down the dangerous rocks and take a swim. Found a pool to swim in and have a “perfect moment.” Drove to the cave near Cave Junction and took the tour with a guide that had a pretty amazing history with the park himself having discovered adjacent caves and ways to preserve the formations. Loved the white heart shaped formation that was secreting “moon milk” a natural antibiotic and the phallus formation (but our guide did not call it that).
