HIKING: NORTHERN CALIFORNIA : Into the Forest Primeval of Redwoods

Redwood National Park visitors usually choose one of two options in order to visit Tall Trees Grove, a grand stand of redwoods that includes some of the world’s tallest living things. A few visitors trek eight miles up Redwood Creek to pay homage to the giants; most others drive to the grove.

Happily, there’s a third way to go to the Tall Trees--the captivating, near-secret Dolason Prairie Trail, which descends from the Bald Hills to the redwoods.

While the goal of reaching the tallest trees in the world is reason enough to take this path, Dolason Trail offers a journey that’s nearly as engaging as its destination. The trail tours ancient redwoods and towering Douglas firs as well as wildflower-splashed meadows, oak woodland and a cascading creek. All this and an ocean view too.

Dolason Prairie, a spread of waist-high perennial grasses, was once a sheep pasture. As the story goes, 19th century rancher James Donaldson was the first to settle here; subsequent sheepmen slaughtered the spelling of his name. The still-standing Dolason Barn was a sheep shed.

Both Dolason Prairie and Tall Trees Grove are off Bald Hills Road; thus, with a car shuttle or the cooperation of friends or family, the hiker can make this a one-way downhill jaunt. Heroic hikers can make this a round trip; the tall trees have been known to give trekkers a psychic boost back up that six miles of steep trail.

Directions to trail head: Check in at the Redwood Information Center, off U.S. 101 two miles south of Orick, and get a free permit to visit Tall Trees Grove and the gate combination for the access road.

From U.S. 101 in Orick, turn east on Bald Hills Road and drive 11 miles to the signed turnoff for Dolason Prairie Trail.

The hike: The path immediately begins its descent, passing over a Douglas fir-cloaked slope. At 0.5 mile, the path joins an old gravel logging road for 0.25 mile, then resumes as a footpath and continues through a mixed woodland to Dolason Prairie and the picturesque Dolason Barn.

If the weather is clear down at the coast, the prairie is the place for vistas of the canyon cut by Redwood Creek and the Pacific. Much less inspiring is the view of clear-cut ridge tops shorn of redwoods before the creation of the park.

As the path departs the prairie, note the stand of Oregon white oaks, which look a bit like smaller cousins of the valley oak.

For a mile or so, the path alternates between Douglas fir forest and grassland. The trail then descends into dense forest, where tan oak and madron~o keep company with ancient redwoods and tall firs.

At about 4.75 miles from the trail head, the path crosses Emerald Creek on a wood footbridge. Dolason Prairie Trail climbs briefly to meet Tall Trees Trail. The last mile is a grand excursion through the redwood forest primeval to the Tall Trees Grove trail head.

To reach the Tall Trees Grove trail head: From U.S. 101 in Orick, turn east on Bald Hills Road and drive seven miles to the Tall Trees access road (C-Line Road on some maps). Turn right, open the gate to the access road and drive six miles to the parking lot.

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Dolason Prairie, Tall Trees Trails

WHERE: Dolason Praire/Tall Trees Grove areas.

DISTANCE: To Dolason Barn is 2.5 miles round trip; to Tall Trees Grove is 6 miles one way with a 2,100-foot elevation loss.

TERRAIN: Grassy meadow, towering redwoods and Douglas fir.

HIGHLIGHTS: Breathtaking, backdoor route to Tall Trees Grove.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Moderate (one-way), strenuous (round trip).

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Redwood National and State Parks, 1111 2nd St., Crescent City, CA 95531; tel. (707) 464-6101.