Sabiniana nee Digger LbNA #44783

Digger Pines are very cool pines now renamed to (amongst others) Pinus Sabiniana since “digger” is sometimes considered a pejorative term as historically applied to California Indians. Native peoples spent time digging for roots and other necessary items. Why that’s such a nasty thing to be called is beyond my imagination as I have spent much time digging in my life and don’t consider it having been anything to be ashamed of. Digger Pines are not in the redwood grove you're visiting, but can be seen growing on the sunnier sides of the hills just above the grove. Digger Pines are grayish in color, not compact in growth and without the common conical pine shape. Their cones are large and their nuts delicious.

Driving south on 101 past Confusion Hill look for the Frank and Bess Smithe Grove on your right. It’s directly after the announcement of the The Peg House’s assumed civic responsibility and handy advertisement sign. If you see 96.42 you’ve just missed the Grove.

Park in the designated area, hop out of the car and walk around into the grove through the entrance on your right as you face the river. Walk a few minutes in the grove between the river and the highway heading toward Santa Rosa. By all means avoid submerged obstacles and follow along on the flats in the forest near the bank. After a few minutes you’ll see a major rock outcropping on your right and a long log perpendicular to the river between the rock and you in the forest. Walk around the northeast end of the log on the boulder side and then aim for the middle of that rock. When you get about three feet from the rock locate yourself along the rock’s side about 1/3 of the way toward the river. Note the tall tan oak tree with good-sized trunk and then a bunch of smaller trunks forming together a small bowl. On the ground in the middle of the trunks in the bowl under some brush and rock will be the Sabiniana nee Digger Letterbox.

Thanks for coming and please reclose everything tightly as this is a moist area.