The California Redwoods: Breakfast in Carlton, a Morning Among Giants
A spring morning among the tallest trees on earth, reached in about 45 minutes from McMinnville and still home to Carlton shortly after lunch.
Some excursions feel almost impossible until the airplane changes the scale of the map. The California redwoods are one of them. In the spring of 2026, we shared this day with guests who had breakfast in Carlton, flew south from McMinnville, spent the morning walking beneath old-growth redwoods, and returned just after lunchtime.
Forty-Five Minutes South
The flight from McMinnville to Crescent City is about 45 minutes. The Willamette Valley gives way to the Coast Range, the Pacific appears off the wing, and Northern California arrives before the morning has had time to get away from you.
Crescent City Airport is about a ten-minute drive from Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. That proximity is what makes the day so special: the transition from airplane to forest is nearly immediate.
A Morning Among Giants
Howland Hill Road winds through the heart of the park on a narrow, unpaved route beneath some of the tallest trees on earth. Windows down, the forest feels close enough to touch. Pullouts and trailheads lead into groves where ferns cover the ground, fallen trunks become bridges, and the scale of the standing trees is almost impossible to capture in a photograph.
There is no need to rush the morning. A hike can be as gentle or ambitious as the group wants, with time to stop, look upward, and let the quiet of the forest settle in. These photographs are from the excursion we completed with guests in spring 2026.
Build a Bigger Day — or Keep It Simple
The redwoods are remarkable enough to be the whole excursion. Breakfast in Carlton, a morning hike, and an early-afternoon return is a complete day in itself. For guests who want to keep exploring, it can also pair beautifully with wine tasting in Southern Oregon or a scenic flight home along the Oregon Coast.
That flexibility is the real luxury. A place that normally asks for a long drive, an overnight stay, and two days on the calendar becomes part of one generous morning — and Carlton is still waiting when you return.
Planning a Redwoods Excursion
Every excursion is shaped around the guests, the season, and the flying weather. Contact the concierge to talk through timing, hiking preferences, ground transportation, and whether you would like to add Southern Oregon wine country or the Oregon Coast to the route.
A Morning Among Giants
