Fort Jones, California

This hike starts in the parking lot of the Lady Bird Johnson Grove Picnic Area. As one of the more popular hikes in Redwood National Park, it is a good idea to get there early to secure parking and miss the crowds. To get to the parking lot from the Kuchel Visitor Center, travel north on Highway ...

This loop hikes starts at the Fern Canyon Trailhead.  To get to Fern Canyon, drive to the end of Davison Rd, also known as Gold Bluff Beach road.  There is a pay station at the entrance to the road ($8 in 2015).  After heavy rain, the road may be impassable for passenger cars.  From the parking a...

Fern Canyon is located within Gold Bluffs Beach at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park located some 45 miles south of Crescent City, CA. Entrance to the beach area is located on Davidson Rd off the US-101 in Orick, CA. You will need to drive for about 6 miles on the dirt road at the turn of Davidso...

The Yurok Loop Trail is a small loop on the northern end of the growing California Coastal Trail. This family-friendly hike starts at a picturesque lagoon near False Klamath Cove before crossing a bridge and entering the Sitka spruce forest. From the trail junction, you have the choice of passin...

This is really a dirt road that is gated off from Bald Hills Road. The trail head parking can fit about 6 cars but seldom do people venture out this way. After all, the attraction of Redwood National Park is the redwoods but this high prairie is definitely worth exploring.The walk to the ranch is...

Located at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, the access road to this beach is a dirt road through the redwoods. Once you arrive to the beach area there is a park booth. The charge to overnight is $35 per day. Can also pay a day use fee which is less. The campground is situated some 200 yards fro...

Trillium Falls trail is a nice little hike through a second growth and old growth redwood forest. The trail is lined with sweet smelling ferns and has plenty of shade the entire route. This would be good for a midday hike in summer.  The trail starts from the Elk Meadows Day Use parking area. St...

Day 1 Swift Creek Trail Head to Bear BasinThe trip begins at the Swift Creek trailhead in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. Permits are very easy to get, just stop by the Ranger station in Weaverville, CA. They are free and can be self-issued in front of the ranger station, or you can go in if you wou...

Located right on Highway 101, the Damnation Creek Trail is one of the best trails in Redwood National and State Parks. What makes this trail so special is that the hiker gets to experience nearly all of the various ecosystems within the park in only a few short miles. The trail descends from an a...

Black Butte is hard to miss from I-5 as it winds past the city of Mount Shasta. This lava dome formed roughly 9,000–10,000 years ago and isn't a cinder cone, though it does look like one. The rock that makes Black Butte was extruded instead of spewed, then broke apart as it cooled. The jumbled re...

Note: February thru early March are great times to climb it for a winter ascent without snowshoes. If there is no snow seen from the south (e.g. on I-5 heading north to Mount Shasta City), don't be too worried. As long as there is snow on the surrounding peaks (e.g. Trinity Alps) around the same ...

Marked with adequate signage, parking for the Stout Grove Trailhead is off Highland Hill Road, a road through the south end of the park. It's a narrow, dirt road so be cautious traveling through the state park. Pit toilets are available in the parking area. The trail is a .6-mile loop. It is wide...

This loop begins at the Tall Trees Trailhead.  To access this parking area, you must have a permit that you can obtain from the Kuchel ranger station.  The gate is locked.  When you get the permit, the ranger will also give you the combination to the gate.  Once you drive through, close the gate ...

NOTE: You need a permit, albeit free, to do this hike.First, you'll need to go to the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center just off Highway 101 south of Orick, CA. Once there, write down your license plate number and go up to the counter and ask one of the rangers for a permit for Tall Trees Access Ro...

Day 1: Check with the Rangers station before heading up for best camping opportunities. Assuming you've checked with the rangers for approval...if there are openings, off of the main road, there are side streets with access to the beaches. Pull into one of these areas and drive down as far as you...

With a profusion of titanic trees and an ever expanding landscape, the extraordinary Boy Scout Tree Trail is not so much a hike as it is a showcase of the world's most scenic old growth redwoods. Located within Redwood National and State Parks, this pristine trail feels wonderfully remote. Hardly...