Are you looking for the perfect woodsy family photo location for this years holiday photos? Problem is you live in Southern California where images of beaches and desert are more common. We stumbled upon the perfect spot that will look like you are right in the middle of the forest! Orange County's only grove of Coastal Redwoods is very hidden, but very easy to access. It lies in Carbon Canyon Regional Park and is one of the best hidden gems in Orange County. They offer shade and breathtaking scenery right here in our own backyard. Danielle and I grew up in Orange County and had no idea this Redwood Grove existed!  

Coast redwoods are actually cousins of the giant sequoias found in Sequoia National Park, one of our favorite vacation spots for camping and hiking. We were so excited to find this park and be able to enjoy these trees a little closer to home.  The coast redwoods can actually grow taller than the “giant” sequoias, but because they aren’t native to SoCal which can't offer them as much water as needed, they are thirsty and don't always grow to their fullest potential. But that doesn't make these red-trunked wonders any less amazing!

The grove is the perfect spot to let kids run around and capture them as they are. It also provides lots of opportunity to catch lots of beautiful shots with the sun glowing in through the trees. Our question was how did these tree get to these three acres of undeveloped land? The answer is pretty funny. A local local bank was giving away redwood seedlings in 1970 to anyone who opened a new account. When the promotion ended, it gave the overstock to Orange County. The seedlings were planted as part of the park's opening in 1975.

You can get to the grove from the main vehicular entrance off Carbon Canyon Road in the town of Brea. Carbon Canyon charges $3 per vehicle to park. Park in lot A by the volleyball courts. From there its a short walk. If you have little ones you may want to consider a wagon or stroller. Another option is to park in the residential area behind Carbon Canyon and walk in 1/4 mile from Red Pine Road and Valley View Circle.

We had such a great time photographing the Hsiung family who tipped us off to this park. We can't wait to go back and explore the park further.