Redwood Trail

The Redwood Trail is a 0.7 mile dirt trail that winds through a forest of second-growth redwoods. From the parking area, you can take either the Bear Gulch Trail and Madrone Trail to directly access the Redwood Trail. You can also take the Loop or !Alambique Trails to the Meadow Trail and meet the Redwood Trail at Salamander Flat. From Bear Gulch Trail, the trail takes off to the left and passes a bench that sits just off the right-hand side of the trail. The redwoods provide a lot of shade, which makes it a good trail to take even on a sunny day. The trail weaves through the trees, with vegetation thick in places. Deer may be seen early in the mornings or in the evenings as they work their way through the woods feeding. The double-wide dirt trail descends slightly for the first 0.3 miles before essentially leveling out under the canopy of redwoods. The trail rises slightly around the 0.4 mile mark as the redwood trees begin to thin and a wider variety of trees can be seen. The trail dips again as it approaches Salamander Flat. Through the trees, you can see the algae-covered reservoir that used to provide water for the Folger Estate. Today, it provides a home for the rough-skinned newts that call it home. After you pass the pond, the trail winds around a corner and emerges at a junction with the Meadow Trail, where a grove of eucalyptus trees rise above you instead of redwoods. From here, you can go to the right and climb higher into the park, or take a left and descend back to the parking area via the Loop or Alambique Trails.