As one of the many state parks in Northern California for redwood trees, Richardson Grove is an excellent place to get out and stretch your legs on a long road trip up Highway 101. The state park is much less busy than its brethren, but it has a fantastic grove of Redwoods that easily rivals many of the other parks, here is all the information.
Details
- $8 to enter
- 1 mile hike
- Picnic benches to eat at and lots of trails to explore
- Information from my visit in 2016
After driving into the park and paying your fee, you can check out the visitor center, which will tell you the history of the area as well as provide maps so that you can find the different trails in the park. I opted for the interpretive nature trail as it was a short introduction to the park on my long drive.
After driving 5 minutes into the park, we were at the information center, which is also the start of the nature trail. There is a whole lot for parking here, and there were no other cars when I went.
As soon as I got out of the car, I realized how shaded the area was from the massive trees that were towering above. I was excited to start the hike as it just looked so beautiful.
There was also fall in the air, even though it was the beginning of December. I really enjoyed seeing the orange and the yellow hues as they perfectly complimented the browns and greens from the massive redwoods above.
The trail walks on an even path close to Highway 101; you can even hear the cars go by. It was a go at your own pace kind of trail so you can spend as much or as little time as you like on it.
I loved just walking slowly and stretching my legs from the car ride while taking in the moss-covered walkways that lined the path.
All in all, this is an excellent short stop on a long road trip. I loved being able to see a new park, and the groves here made me want to come back. If you are looking for a quick introduction to the redwoods, give it a chance and let me know what trails you do in the comments.
