The Rain Forest – 12/20/2012
Dec 23rd, 2012 by admin
We’re up and out early and on the way to a World Heritage site, the Dorrigo Rain Forest. The Dorrigo is on the eastern slope of the coast range about 50 miles from Coffs Harbor. We head south down the coast and then turn inland. The road starts to climb and gets very narrow and twisty. Soon we’re up on a plateau of sorts and the road widens and straightens a bit. An hour later, we’re at the entrance station of the rain forest.
It turns out we’re the first of the day and the park is just now opening. WE make our $2 donations, get a map and head down into the forest. The day is overcast so the temperature is down, almost chilly. The humidity, though, is right up there and as we climb the small hills we get warm and wet.
We’re hiking an almost 7 kilometer circular trail that climbs and falls through the triple canopy forest. We hear many different birds but see few.
The top of the canopy is hundreds of feet above us and the different levels of forestation easily conceal all but the closest birds. The canopy prevents all but a small amount of light from penetrating so the floor on this overcast day is almost dark.
Occasionally, we see the some of the huge trees that pierce the canopy and make the up the highest level of the canopy. They are as much as 200 feet high and they are magnificent. We stand next to a tree with a diameter of maybe 10 feet and its trunk soars up through the lower levels of the forest.
We hike the circuit to its farthest point where there are a couple of water falls, we take some pictures and head back. The return hike is somewhat easier but a little longer. We eventually get back to the entrance station and get some lunch at a small restaurant that is attached to the gift shop.
Then it’s back into the car and back to Coffs Harbor. It’s been a great trip and we get a dinner in town. Back to the hotel, tired but feeling great.
Obi-wan
2 Responses to “The Rain Forest – 12/20/2012”
Did you do a Skywalk?
No, we ran out of time and by the time we got up from the floor, a huge crowd had arrived. We were still considering making it to Batesman’s Bay at the time so we decided to fore-go it.
P