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Can we talk about the old growth forest that only opens one week a year? | Hidden Gem Destinations - Opinions Matter

Can we talk about the old growth forest that only opens one week a year?

I read about this place in a local paper years ago, a patch of ancient trees kept quiet to protect it. To go, you have to enter a drawing for passes, and I tried for three straight years before getting picked. The window to visit is just seven days in early spring, so you have to drop everything when your time comes. I drove out there on a misty morning, and the silence was so deep you could hear your own heart. The trails aren't marked well, which adds to the feel of finding something special. My big tip is to enter that drawing every single year without skipping, and keep your schedule flexible. It took a lot of waiting, but walking under those massive, old branches felt like stepping into another world. Your mileage may vary, but for me, the patience was part of what made it amazing.

3 comments

3 Comments

lindab497mo ago

Doesn't the hassle sort of prove the point? Avoiding those big crowds is exactly what makes a place feel special. Some spots just need that protection to stay quiet.

logan_allen687mo ago

It sounds kinda over the top when you break it down. A secret forest with a lottery? Idk, maybe it's just me but it feels like a way to make a regular patch of woods seem way more important. There are plenty of big trees you can go see any weekend without jumping through hoops. The whole thing just seems like it's trying way too hard to be some big deal.

max_murphy7mo ago

Yeah when you said "jumping through hoops" it reminded me of my buddy who tried to see some famous big trees out west last year. He drove all the way there and the place was so packed with people taking selfies that it just ruined the whole vibe, loud and kinda trashy. He said it felt more like a line at an amusement park than being in nature. So maybe the lottery thing is annoying, but I could see it being the only way to keep a place from getting totally loved to death. He found a smaller spot later with no signs and it was way better, just quiet and big trees without the circus. I mean it's a trade off for sure.