West Coast Wanderings Day Five: The Long Drive Home
Final Day - Heading Home
📍Garberville, CA to Dana Point, CA
🥾 628 miles
📈 Elevation Change: 302 feet
Favorite moment: Getting home to a hot shower and my bed!
The final morning of the trip began at Richardson Grove State Park.
After arriving late the night before, I hadn't realized just how incredible this park really was. With a little time to explore before beginning the long drive home, I wandered through the campground and surrounding park. Everywhere I looked, another path disappeared into the forest. There seemed to be more trails than I could count, and the park felt endless.
The towering redwoods, quiet groves, and peaceful atmosphere made me wish I had planned an extra day or two here. Throughout the trip, I had discovered one amazing place after another, but Richardson Grove was one of those parks that felt like it deserved more than just a quick visit. It wasn't a destination to rush through. It was a place to slow down, explore, and get lost for a while.
Unfortunately, the road home was calling.
After packing up camp, I pointed the truck south and began the long journey back to Dana Point—a 628-mile drive that would bring this adventure to an end.
Unlike the previous days, there weren't many photo stops along the way. The weather was changing, and the rain was moving in. More importantly, after several days of hiking, exploring, driving, and sleeping in campgrounds, I was ready for the comforts of home. The thought of a hot shower, clean clothes, and sleeping in my own bed sounded pretty good.
As the miles passed beneath the tires, I found myself reflecting on everything I had experienced over the past few days. The sea caves and tide pools along the coast. The starfish on Seaside Beach. The towering redwoods that seemed to grow larger with every mile. Seeing cars drive through the Chandelier Tree. The mysterious ambulance hidden deep in the woods. The eight-mile "short hike" through Prairie Creek. The warning signs about bears. The dramatic Oregon coastline. The herd of elk grazing beside the road. The lucky campsites that somehow always seemed to appear when I needed them most.
What started as a simple road trip became something much more memorable.
There is something special about traveling alone. The freedom to change plans, take a different trail, stop whenever something catches your eye, or spend an extra hour watching elk in a field is hard to replicate. At the same time, there were moments during the trip when I wished someone else had been there to share the experience. Not because traveling alone wasn't enjoyable, but because some places are so beautiful that you want someone standing beside you when you see them.
Maybe that's what the next trip is for.
This journey along the coast and through the redwoods is one I'll remember forever. The miles, the forests, the beaches, the wildlife, and the unexpected discoveries all came together to create an adventure far better than I had imagined when I first left Dana Point.
As I pulled into my driveway, tired, dirty, and ready for that hot shower, I wasn't thinking about the drive I had just completed.
I was already thinking about the next one.
Because if this trip taught me anything, it's that there are still countless trails to hike, campsites to discover, and hidden places waiting just around the next bend in the road.
And I can't wait to go back.
Thanks for journeying with me!
~ Bridget
