Redwood Grove Trail in Big Basin State Park

The Redwood Grove Trail in Big Basin Redwoods State Park is only six-tenths of a mile, and it passes some of the largest redwoods in the entire park. The trail is flat and is easy to access from the parking lot near the visitor center. If you are looking for a quick taste of the park, then this is a great way to get an understanding of the beauty that it holds. Here is all the information on the Redwood Grove Trail.

Details

• $10 to enter the park
• .6 miles
• No elevation gain
• Maps of the grove available for $.25
• Time Needed: 30 minutes
• Approximate location: 21600 Big Basin Way, Boulder Creek, CA 95006
• This information is from my visit in 2016

Getting There

The trailhead for the Redwoods Grove Trail is located directly across from the visitor center, near the parking lot where you will park to access this trail and the Berry Creek Falls Trail.

The Trail

After getting to the trailhead, I would recommend paying a quarter and picking up a map of the grove, so you know what you are looking at. There are a lot of trees, and most don’t have signs, so you may walk by something awesome without it.

I walked through the area at a leisurely pace and took a decent amount of pictures since the light was coming in really nice.

I hiked the trail in reverse, so one of the first things I saw was the Mother of the Forest Tree.

This tree was once the tallest in Big Basin at 329 feet, but the top broke in a storm, and now it is 293 feet. It is a sight to behold in the park.

The next tree I saw was the Father of the Forest Tree.

This tree is estimated to be over 2,000 years old, and it was one of the main trees that people used to start the movement to save the park. I love this tree’s history and that people stood up and saved these beautiful places for future generations. The tree is pretty impressive to see in real life as well.

Chimney Tree

This tree appears to be dead and hollow, but it is actually still living. It has survived fires and lightning to be still thriving to this day. You can look up from inside of it.

Zoo Tree

This was one of my favorites, as this tree had a massive burl at the bottom of it. It was one of the biggest burls I have seen, and it protrudes directly from the base. It is called the Zoo Tree because people think different parts of the burl look like animals.

These are just a few of the spots you will see on this hike; I don’t want to spoil it all for you. It is an excellent way to get a taste of the park and is short enough for the whole family to enjoy. Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments.