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- More Excellent Coastal Redwoods Hikes
Redwood National Park is an expansive space that is home to ancient redwood trees, many of which are thousands of years old. Besides these stunning coastal trees, visitors will find a dense and lush forest with beaches, campgrounds, kayaking, and more awaiting them. Of course, the best way to explore this picturesque and untamed landscape is on a hike. From coastal strolls to semi-challenging hiking trails that lead deep into the forest, this place has it all. That said, for trailblazers looking for the most scenic routes, here are 14 unbelievably beautiful hikes you need to take in the Redwood National Park during your next visit.
UPDATE: 2023/02/12 10:20 EST BY AARON SPRAY
More Excellent Coastal Redwoods Hikes
There are plenty of excellent redwood hikes to choose from and people are daunted by the sheer size of these giants. This list was expanded with more hiking opportunities to explore the redwoods, including some roads suitable for hiking, driving, and cycling. There is also the newly opened Redwoods Sky Walk to explore.
14 Tall Trees Grove Trail
This famed footpath is home to one of the tallest trees in the world—Hyperion. Coming in at 379 feet tall, this tree alone makes Tall Trees Grove Trail worth exploring. As visitors make their way through lush old-growth forests, there are more than a few opportunities to marvel at all the towering redwoods that adorn this trail. Hikers can also enjoy some amazing views of the free-flowing Redwood River along this route. Note that Hyperion, the tallest tree in the world, is off-limits and no one is permitted to hike to the giant of the forest.
- Park: Redwood National Park
- Hike Difficulty Level: This is a moderate 3.9-mile footpath.
- Duration: Most hikers can complete this route in just under two hours.
13 Fern Canyon Loop Trail
Yet another incredibly scenic trail to check out during your Redwood National Park visit is Fern Canyon Loop Trail. A 50-foot canyon covered in lush ferns (that almost look prehistoric) is what hikers will find here. This wondrous and user-friendly footpath loops around a serene creek bed, take visitors right through the canyon, and ends at Gold Bluffs Beach—where you can enjoy even more spectacular views.
- Park: Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
- Hike Difficulty Level: This is an easy 1.1-mile hike.
- Duration: Hikers typically complete this route in 20 to 30 minutes.
12 Stout Memorial Grove Trail
Stout Memorial Grove Trail is a well-maintained footpath that runs along the Smith River. Truly beautiful all year round, this route is brimming with stunning trees, a quaint little river (perfect for an afternoon swim, boating, fishing, and much more), and ample spots for a lovely picnic. Overall, this short route is extraordinarily picturesque, relaxing, and wholesome.
- Park: Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
- Hike Difficulty Level: Stout Memorial Grove is a relatively easy 0.7-mile hike.
- Duration: This family-friendly hike is often completed within 15 minutes.
11 Big Tree Wayside Trail
Big Tree Wayside Trail is a super short footpath with fantastic views and is ideal for adventurers who prefer to take it easy or aren't overly active. Here visitors can marvel at one of the biggest trees in Prairie Creek and its surrounding forested land. This is another family-friendly route that is highly recommended for anyone looking to get in some bird watching or take some beautiful wildlife photos.
- Park: Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
- Hike Difficulty Level: This is a fairly easy 0.3-mile trail.
- Duration: Big Tree is roughly a six to 15-minute hike.
10 Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail
A rather popular footpath among newer hikers and general visitors in the Redwood National Park is Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail. Along this route, parkgoers can expect to see some of the oldest redwoods around and a plethora of thriving evergreens. Ranger-led hikes are also available for this trail, or you can appreciate this wild yet stunning natural landscape on your own.
- Park: Redwood National Park
- Hike Difficulty Level: Lady Bird is an easy and family-friendly 1.5-mile hike.
- Duration: Hikers and park guests usually complete this route in 30 minutes or so.
9 Cathedral Trees Trail
If you're looking for a scenic intro to the old-growth redwoods, Cathedral Trees Trail is a must. This relatively short hiking route seems to be in the center of it all, with access to more than a few other popular trails. Here, visitors can enjoy this majestic section of the park, catch a glimpse of everyone's favorite and biggest tree in Prairie Creek, plus see a few local land mammals roaming about.
- Park: Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
- Hike Difficulty Level: This is an easy 3.2-mile hike.
- Duration: Cathedral Trail can be completed in roughly one hour.
8 Trillium Falls Trail
If you've been daydreaming of a hike through the lush Redwood Forest that offers ocean and river views plus a breathtaking waterfall, then Trillium Fall Trail is for you. Just a short jaunt through the forest and hikers will happen upon a 10-foot tall waterfall surrounded by flowers, ferns, redwoods, and fir trees—it really doesn't get any more unbelievably beautiful than that.
- Park: Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
- Hike Difficulty Level: This 2.6-mile route is moderate and fun for the whole family.
- Duration: Most hikers can make their way through this section of the forest in one hour.
7 James Irvine Trail
For visitors looking for a longer route that passes through old-growth redwood groves and provides easy access to Fern Canyon, then the James Irvine Trail is for you. Parkgoers can catch this majestic and scenic trail just outside the Prairie Creek Visitor Center. Along this semi-lengthy route, hikers can expect to see Roosevelt elk, ample redwoods, ferns gracefully swaying in the wind, and much more.
- Park: Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
- Hike Difficulty Level: This 12-mile loop is a moderate long-distance hike.
- Duration: Most hikers complete this route in four hours and 30 minutes.
6 Boy Scout Tree Trail
Touted as the most scenic route, Boy Scout Tree Trail definitely isn't for newbie hikers. But, if you have some experience hiking, then this lovely footpath is totally worth exploring. Trailblazers can expect to see groves of giant redwoods shimmering in the sunlight, lush ferns galore, some wildlife, and more. This trail is also ideal for hikers looking for a bit of peace and quiet away from the crowds.
- Park: Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
- Hike Difficulty Level: Scout Tree is a semi-challenging 5.5-mile hike.
- Duration: This route can be completed in three to five hours.
5 The Coastal Trail
The Coastal Trail is a 70-mile-long premier backpacking footpath that follows the coastline through three of the parks here. But the good news is you don't have to trek the entire trail just to take in all the surrounding beauty. Hikers can take the beginning section of The Coastal Trail to Redwood Creek Loop for a more reasonable route that's just as stunning.
- Park: Prairie Creek Redwoods, Del Norte Coast Redwoods, and Redwood National
- Hike Difficulty Level: The Coastal Trail is considered a moderate to challenging hike.
- Duration: The Coastal Trail to Redwood Creek Loop is an 8.4-mile hike that takes a little over four hours to complete.
4 The Simpson-Reed Trail
The Simpson-Reed Trail is one of the more leisurely walks through the forests of impressive Redwoods. It is an easy and ADA-accessible walk through some of the forest's stunning old-growth redwoods. Note that there is only limited parking, and it is not suitable for RVs or trailers.
- Park: Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
- Hike Difficulty Level: Easy
- Duration: 30-60 Minutes
3 Howland Hill Road
The Howland Hill Road is actually suggested by the NPS as a great option for a forest drive. It is a 10-mile dirt road where the trees nearly kiss one's car. It was once a stagecoach road and is a great option for driving, hiking, or biking. It is also too narrow for trucks or recreational vehicles.
- Park: Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
- Hike Difficulty Level: Easy
- Duration: 45-90 Minutes (Scenic Driving or Cycling)
2 Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway
Another road to cycle, drive or walk is the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. It extends for 10 miles through the heartlands of the redwoods - one needs to exit HYW 101 to see the big redwoods. Unlike Howland Hill Road, vehicles of any size can fit down this road. It promises to be one of the most stunning drives or rides one can find in Northern California.
- Park: Prairie Creek State Park
- Hike Difficulty Level: Easy
- Duration: 30-60 Minutes (Scenic Driving or Cycling) - 20 minutes drive without stopping
1 The Redwoods Skywalk
The newly opened Redwoods Skywalk offers a chance to get up close to the canopy of the mighty redwoods that are normally far above the hikers on the ground. The skywalk extends for around a quarter mile out and back and is elevated around 100 feet off the ground. It is located in Sequoia Park in the coastal town of Eureka inside the Sequoia Park Zoo. It's open during zoo hours (which is open year-round, Tuesday to Sunday).
- Park: Sequoia Park
- Hike Difficulty Level: Easy
- Duration: 20 Minutes