Trail Leads to World’s Tallest Tree

Redwood Creek Trail travels through the heart of Redwood National Park, site of the world’s tallest tree. After one of the 1960s’ classic conservation battles, a narrow corridor of land along Redwood Creek was acquired to protect the tree, a coast redwood measuring 367.8 feet. This giant was discovered in 1963 by a National Geographic expedition.

The nine-mile stretch along Redwood Creek, known as “the worm,” was down slope from private timberlands, where there was extensive and insensitive logging. Resulting slope erosion and stream sediments threatened the big trees, so to protect the watershed, the National Park Service purchased an additional 50,000 acres, mostly in the Redwood Creek basin. For more than a decade, the National Park Service has been rehabilitating scarred slopes and planting Douglas fir and redwood.

Redwood Creek Trail follows an abandoned logging road on a gentle ascent from the outskirts of the town of Orick to Tall Trees Grove. The trail stays just above and just out of sight of Redwood Creek.

Summer visitors can take advantage of a shuttle bus service that runs from the Redwood Information Center and the Redwood Creek Trail head to Tall Trees Grove. From there, hikers may follow Redwood Creek Trail back to their vehicle, parked at the trail head. Or trek to the tall trees and catch the bus back to the trail head.

Check in at the Redwood Information Center for the latest bus schedules and trail updates.

One word of caution: The three footbridges that cross Redwood Creek are in place only during the summer. Use your best judgment in deciding whether or not to attempt this hike during the wetter seasons.

Directions to trail head: From U.S. 101, about two miles north of the Redwood Information Center and Orick, turn east on Bald Hills Road. Take the first right to the Redwood Creek trail head.

The hike: The first 1 1/2 miles of trail, from the trail head to the first bridge crossing of Redwood Creek, pass through regenerating forest, as well as old-growth Sitak spruce and redwood. The path also passes a meadowland that flanks the river.

Occasional clearings and the bridge crossings allow a walker to get the “big picture” of Redwood Creek.

Three distinct communities of flora can be discerned. Extensive grass prairie, emerald green during the wet season and golden brown during drier months, dominates the eastern slope above Redwood Creek. Down slope of the grassland are vast clear cuts--ugly and slow to heal. Near the creek are groves of old-growth redwood and a lush under-story of salmonberry, oxalis and sword fern.

During summer months, hikers may descend to Redwood Creek and travel the creek’s gravel bars for quite some distance, nearly to Tall Trees Grove in fact. The river bars are fine pathways and also serve as campsites for backpackers.

Continue through the forest primeval. The redwoods congregate in especially large families on the alluvial flats along the creek.

Enjoy the loop trail through the Tall Trees Grove before taking Tall Trees Trail up to C-Line Road, where the shuttle bus stops.

Hiking / Tall Trees Grove Redwood Creek Trail * Where: Redwood National Park. * Distance: 8 1/4 miles one way, with 500-foot elevation gain. * Terrain: Redwood Creek watershed. * Highlights: World’s tallest tree. * Degree of difficulty: Moderate (with help from shuttle bus). * Precautions: Park Service removes Redwood Creek bridges during wet seasons; could mean dangerous crossings in times of high water. * For more inoformation: Call Redwood National Park at (707) 464-6101; for shuttle bus and trail information, call (707) 488-3461.