Debra Parmley | Tales From the Trailer One Bridge at a Time: Finding Wonder in California’s Redwoods

I have always been afraid of heights.

So when my husband and I traveled to California in 2021 and discovered Trees of Mystery, I surprised even myself by deciding to try the Redwood Canopy Trail.

We had come west hoping to see the giant redwoods, and Trees of Mystery seemed like the perfect place to experience them. At the entrance, enormous statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox greeted us. After purchasing our tickets, we wandered through the museum, explored the trails, and stopped to admire some of the remarkable trees.

The redwoods seemed almost impossible to comprehend. Some have survived for thousands of years, growing hundreds of feet into the sky. One of the most impressive was the Brotherhood Tree, a Coast Redwood more than 2,000 years old and nearly 300 feet tall. Looking up at these ancient giants made me feel very small—and very grateful to be standing among them.

We also rode the Sky Trail gondola through the forest canopy. From above, the trees stretched in every direction, creating a view I will never forget.

But the real adventure was still waiting for me.

The Redwood Canopy Trail consists of aerial suspension bridges and platforms built high among the majestic old-growth redwood trees at mid-canopy level with viewing platforms from 50-100 feet high in the trees. There are 10 platforms, 2 of which are connected by a spiral staircase, and 8 suspension bridges. Once you start moving across you cannot go back, only forward.

I knew the bridges would move. I knew I was afraid of heights. And I knew that once I started, there was no simply stepping off halfway through. The only way out and down was to move on through.

I took a deep breath and started across.

The bridges swayed beneath my feet. I gripped the ropes and moved slowly, one step at a time. I tried not to look down.

When I reached each platform, I wrapped my arms around the enormous tree beside me. Somehow, hugging that solid trunk made me feel safer than standing on the swaying bridge.

So I kept going.

Bridge by bridge, tree by tree, I made my way through the canopy.

By the time I reached the end, I had done something I wasn’t sure I could do when I began. I had faced a fear and discovered that sometimes courage doesn’t mean you’re no longer afraid. Sometimes it simply means taking the next step.

That is what I remember most about Trees of Mystery.

Yes, I remember the towering redwoods, the gondola ride up to the top, and the incredible views. But more than anything, I remember standing high above the forest, holding onto the ropes and telling myself to take one more step.

Sometimes, that’s all an adventure requires.

For more about the Trees of Mystery visit https://treesofmystery.net/

And for more pictures from our adventures at Trees of Mystery visit https://beautifuldaytraveler.wordpress.com/

About Debra Parmley

Debra enjoys writing military romantic suspense and making sure her veteran heroes have a happy ever after that will last.

She also writes western, contemporary, dystopian, fairytale, and holiday romance, urban fantasy, poetry, and nonfiction. In her Tales from the Trailer articles for Fresh Fiction, she shares the RV lifestyle and travel adventures in the U.S. from the point of view of a working author. As Debra Bishop, she writes children’s picture books.

You can also sign up for her newsletter.