Big Basin Redwoods State Park Travel Guide

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It's a great idea to simply find a turn out in Big Basin and walk into the forest. Mature redwood forests have very little undergrowth and are easy to hike through. The charburned bark and clothespin break in a tree shown in these images shows how the forest survives even the most severe forest fire. While all other vegetation will be consumed by fire, the coastal redwood tree will not die in a forest fire. The redwood is also remarkable for being able to stand and grow on even the steepest terrain. Redwoods only rarely fall in the forest, usually from having roots undermined by erosion, and when they do fall, the trunk will not rot for centuries. Redwoods do die by being cut down for lumber by humans though, as this rot resistant wood is both beautiful and excellent for outdoor deck construction. Some old homes have no concrete foundation, but have redwood timbers laid directly on the soil, and water tanks and hand split fence posts over a century old are commonplace in Northern California agricultural areas.

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The San Francisco Bay has a Summit Ridge Trail, the best part of which runs through the edge of Big Basin State Park. See the image for a rough sketch of the trail route, but bear in mind that this trail must be, in places at least, intersected by freeways and urban traffic. Big Basin and Castle Rock State Parks are connected by this ridge trail. Please NO SMOKING or campfires along this trail, as California forests are very dry and suseptible to forest fires.

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Big Basin Redwoods State Park is California's oldest State Park, established in 1902. Home to the largest continuous stand of ancient coast redwoods south of San Francisco, the park consists of over 18,000 acres of old growth and recovering redwood forest, with mixed conifer, and oaks.

The park features family and group camping, tent cabins, backpacking camps, hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails. The park is open year round and reservations are encouraged during the summer.

The second picture was taken c 1965. Feeding the deer is no longer done.

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The Redwood Loop Trail has the Redwood ring, the Mother of the Forest (second photo), the Father of the Forest, the Animal (third photo) and Chimney trees, curly wood, and Opal Creek
Length 1/2 mile

Time 20 to 45 minutes

Elevation Level

Accessibility Easy, Wheelchair and stroller accessible.

Printed trail guides for a self-guided tour are available at park headquarters and the trailhead for $0.25. Guides are available in several languages at park headquarters. Guided Walk

From the website: "On this easy, level, half-mile walk you will learn astonishing facts about the ancient redwood environment and see the tallest, most rare, and most fascinating trees in the park. Park naturalists engage young and old alike with colorful park history, redwood reproduction, and animal stories as you explore the mysteries of the forest. Meet the Mother of the Forest, the Father of the Forest, the Animal and Chimney Trees, and more. Check at park headquarters for schedule. Don't miss these informative walks!"

"The Redwood Loop Trail is easily the most explored, and perhaps most celebrated, trail in Big Basin. While the trail lacks the physical challenge of a hike up the Pine Mountain Trail to Buzzard's Roost or the seclusion of the East Ridge and Hollow Tree trails, the Redwood Loop Trail boasts an exceptional beauty as well as a few unexpected surprises."

"The Redwood Loop Trail showcases the tallest measured tree in the park and the two trees with the widest circumferences. Known as the Mother, Father, and Santa Clara Trees, these famous redwoods are among the most photographed trees in Big Basin. The easy accessibility of this half-mile, level trail allows park visitors an unobstructed view of the Mother and Father Tree, a wonderful view of the Santa Clara Tree (measuring in at 17 feet in diameter!), as well as many other interesting sites featured along the way."

These trees are not the same as the redwoods at the national parks like Yosemite or Kings Canyon sequoias. The trees are taller, but not as big around.

The website says:
"The park has over 80 miles of trails. Be sure and pick up a map at park headquarters before your hike and take a look at the multimedia kiosk in the Sempervirens Room (next to park headquarters). There you will find great information, photos, and video of some of the most popular trails. "

We didn't go to Big Basin for the bird watching, but I did take this picture which I think is one of the ever-present Stellar's jays, which we don't have in the east.

The trailmonkey site lists the other birds that one might see as:
".. the vibrant and noisy acorn woodpecker and the dark-eyed junco. Less obvious are the-brown creeper, the California quail, the flickers, and the water ouzel. Big Basin was the location of the first sighting of a nest of the marbled murrelet, a web-footed shorebird which nests 200 feet high in the redwood forest.

"In the more open mixed evergreen and chapparal areas, red-tailed and sharp-shinned hawks are often visible. Turkey vultures may be seen circling the same areas. There are also a number of varieties of humming-birds as well as owls, swallows, great blue heron, doves and warblers, which are all residents of, or visitors to, the park. Many are more often heard than seen"

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When we visited the park in the mid 60s, there were warning signs, but you could still buy paper bags with deer food to feed them. You can still spot deer in the park. The Opal Creek area is a great place to look for Mule deer.

The park website says: "In fact, the park once had deer feeding stations where park visitors could hand feed the deer. The practice was discontinued in the 1970s when the park decided it was unsafe for both the deer and the visitors. Mule, or black tailed deer are still plentiful in the park. However, we recommend that you maintain a respectful distance. Though deer are beautiful and graceful animals, they are also very powerful"