Jughandle State Reserve
A unique ecological experience
Early morning light gleams through the trees of the Jughandle Ecological Staircase.
Alright, we have to apologize. We were walking the Jughandle Ecological Staircase Trail (part of the Jughandle State Reserve) this week, and we realized we haven’t told you about it yet! We love this unique, up close and personal introduction to some of the amazing natural history in our area, and we have definitely been remiss in not sharing it with you earlier. So please do allow us to atone for this egregious oversight and tell you we love it so much.
To begin with, the Jughandle trail is the perfect distance if you want to get in a good walk but don’t want to be out all day. So, it’s great for mixed groups or when you’ve already packed in a bunch of other hikes that weekend. From the parking lot up to the top of the trail and back is only about 4 miles, and if you add in the coastal section, you might get around 5.
A view of the beach from the bluff top above.
Second, the beach just down from the trail near the parking lot is so lovely. Backed by a picturesque bridge and leafy shadows where the Jughandle Stream meets the sand, it is surrounded by rugged cliffs and looks out through a small break in the rocks at the rolling waves of the Pacific Ocean. There’s something special about this little beach. We’re not completely sure what it is, but whether we’re the only ones out there or one of the many that flock to its soft sand on busy summer holidays, we feel perfectly at peace, our minds and hearts freshly washed by the waves that surge into the tiny bay.
Then, of course, we love getting into nature nerd mode and marveling at the immense ecological variety contained in such a reserve! You can grab a trail guide from the kiosk at the beginning of the trail that will walk you through the reserve’s 5 distinct coastal terraces, each with its own plant community, soil, etc. You can also download the digital version on your device of choice beforehand, but we love the physical feel of having the real pamphlet in our hands. What can we say? We’re old school!
So yes, ecological variety. Oh my.
The windswept grasses of the coastal prairie.
There is the coastal prairie, where not much besides the hardy coastal grasses and some tenacious wildflowers can withstand the often potent fury of the ocean winds that come whipping in from way across the waters. We love standing out on the farthest point of this section, our spirits thrilling to the crash and spray of the swirling waves as they break on the rocks below. When we’re particularly feeling it, we’ll spread out our arms into the wind – and it’s almost like we’re flying!
Talk about a tangled mess!
Just in from the cutting, salt-laden winds, the woods start with the most amazing grove of gnarly, twisted old trees. Talk about cool! These ancient giants are so bent and misshapen that you’re not quite sure where one begins and the next one ends. Is that a trunk? Or a branch? Or another tree? I don’t know!
Don’t let the lovely blossoms of the gorse bush pull you in too close - those spines really poke!
Next up, you pass through the not-so-common Bishop Pine forest, the riparian habitat of the Jughandle Creek floodplain, and a small meadow filled with non-native yet still beautiful gorse and ringed by transplanted Monterrey Pine. Then you’ve reached the third terrace, which is dominated by Sitka Spruce and Grand Fir. The bit of trail through this section always reminds us of a fairytale with its gentle turns and airy feel, and we half expect to see Little Red Riding Hood or Goldilocks come skipping around the corner ahead of us.
Oh, redwoods, dear redwoods!
After passing through thick hedges of the prolific native huckleberries, you come to the glorious redwoods. These particular specimens may not be as overwhelmingly huge as what you would find in Hendy Woods or even quite as tall as in say, Russian Gulch, but they still fill us with solemn awe as we pass beneath their stately trunks.
A meandering boardwalk lets you pass through the pygmy forest without disturbing its fragile hold on life.
At last, you make it to the delicate pygmy forest. This rare, fragile ecosystem clings to life in shallow, nutrient-poor soil that just barely covers the iron hardpan beneath. It’s fascinating to see such tenacity in such harsh conditions – some of these trees could be at least 100 years old, and yet not reach more than a few feet in height!
This flourishing reindeer lichen forms an integral part of the pygmy forest’s well being.
On the way back down the trail, we love stopping to look at everything again, trying to remember all the info we read in the guide on our way out and marveling afresh at the intricate beauty and diversity of each step in this ecological staircase. Oh, and in fall when the blackberries and both red and blue huckleberries are ripe, we stop just as often to nibble and glean as we do to gaze at the scenery around us. We can’t help it!
Jughandle State Reserve and the Ecological Staircase Trail are only a couple miles south of Fort Bragg, and immediately north of Caspar. Look for the parking lot on the west side of Highway 1. Trail difficulty is moderate, with occasional downed trees, prominent root systems, and stairs to navigate.
If you have mobility challenges, you can view another section of pygmy forest at Van Damme State Park.
Words and pictures by Laura Hockett