5 Best Redwood Hiking Trails in Humboldt County, From a Fallen 370-Foot Giant to a Canyon from Jurassic Park
The redwood hiking trails in Humboldt span three major park systems along one stretch of Highway 101: Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Redwood National Park, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. All are part of the broader Redwood National and State Parks network. This guide covers the old-growth trails; for the county’s coastline specifically, see our Humboldt coastal trails guide, part of our full Humboldt County hiking guide.
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Key takeaways:
- Easiest, most iconic stop: Founders Grove, a short loop past the Founders Tree and the fallen Dyerville Giant.
- Biggest scale superlative: Bull Creek Flats (Rockefeller Forest), widely cited as the largest contiguous old-growth redwood forest on Earth.
- Most restricted access: Tall Trees Grove, which is genuinely worth the planning but requires a free permit booked in advance.
- Best full-day option: James Irvine Trail, an old-growth corridor connecting directly to Fern Canyon.
- Most cinematic: Fern Canyon, featuring 50-foot fern-covered walls made famous by Jurassic Park: The Lost World.
- Two of these trails (Tall Trees Grove, Fern Canyon) have real access requirements worth planning around before you drive out; read each section’s access details before you go.
How these five Humboldt redwood trails compare
| Trail | Distance | Difficulty | Access requirement | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founders Grove | ~0.5-0.6 mi loop | Very easy | Free, no permit | Quick, iconic stop |
| Bull Creek Flats (Rockefeller Forest) | ~0.7 mi (short loop) to several miles | Easy-moderate | Free, no permit | Largest old-growth stand |
| Tall Trees Grove | ~1-mile grove loop (plus drive-in) | Moderate | Free permit, 24 hrs advance | Restricted-access old growth |
| James Irvine Trail | ~10 mi round trip to Fern Canyon | Strenuous (distance) | Free, no permit | Full-day old-growth-to-canyon hike |
| Fern Canyon | ~1.2 mi loop (from Gold Bluffs Beach) | Easy | Seasonal reservation (if driving in) | Iconic fern-walled canyon |
Founders Grove Nature Trail (Humboldt Redwoods State Park)
Trailhead access and parking along Avenue of the Giants
A free roadside pullout sits directly on the historic Avenue of the Giants scenic drive near Dyerville, with ample parking and restrooms, making it the most accessible trailhead in this entire guide.
What you’ll see: the Founders Tree and the fallen Dyerville Giant
The Founders Tree was measured at 364 feet in 1931 and held the title of world’s tallest known tree until 1957 (later, more precise measurements put it closer to 346 feet, as tree height surveying has improved a lot since the 1930s). Nearby lies the Dyerville Giant, a redwood that toppled in a dramatic storm in March 1991; researchers didn’t realize it had likely been the tallest tree in the world until they measured the fallen trunk afterward.
Best time to hike Founders Grove: a quick, accessible any-season stop
The half-mile loop stays comfortable and easy to visit in any season, making it genuinely one of the few redwood stops in this guide you can do in twenty minutes without any real planning.
Bull Creek Flats Trail (Rockefeller Forest, Humboldt Redwoods State Park)
Trailhead access and parking at Rockefeller Forest, Humboldt Redwoods State Park
Free parking is available off Mattole Road, a short drive from the Avenue of the Giants. It is located in the same park as Founders Grove, but reaches into its most significant old-growth stand. The short Rockefeller Loop covers about 0.7 miles; following Bull Creek Trail further into the flats extends that to several miles for hikers wanting more.
What you’ll see: the largest contiguous old-growth redwood forest on Earth
Rockefeller Forest is widely cited as the largest remaining contiguous old-growth coast redwood forest anywhere, preserved through early-20th-century donations organized by the Save the Redwoods League. Trees here soar to immense heights over an open, cathedral-like understory near the confluence of Bull Creek and the South Fork Eel River.
Best time to hike Bull Creek Flats: spring for creek flow through the grove
Bull Creek runs strongest in spring, adding real sound and movement to an otherwise still, quiet grove; by late summer, flow drops noticeably.
Tall Trees Grove Trail (Redwood National Park)
Trailhead access and parking (permit and access code required)
This is the most access-restricted trail in this guide: a free permit is required year-round and can be booked up to 24 hours in advance through the National Park Service’s website.
Once approved, you’ll receive a gate code by email for the locked access road off Bald Hills Road. There’s no fee, but walk-up access isn’t available, so plan accordingly; this isn’t a same-day decision.
What you’ll see: the former site of the world’s tallest known tree
Tall Trees Grove once held the world’s tallest known tree, a title long since surpassed. Despite the name, the grove doesn’t currently hold the record; that title belongs to Hyperion, a 381-foot coast redwood discovered elsewhere in Redwood National and State Parks in 2006. Note that the area surrounding Hyperion is now strictly closed to the public; visiting it is illegal and carries fines up to $5,000 and possible jail time to protect the fragile environment. Tall Trees Grove is still home to genuinely record-scale trees, just not the current title-holder.
Best time to hike Tall Trees Grove: reserve your access permit well in advance
Because permits are capped and only released a day ahead, treat this as the trail in this guide that requires the most upfront planning; decide before your trip, not once you’ve already arrived in the area.
James Irvine Trail (Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park)
Trailhead access and parking at the Prairie Creek Visitor Center
Free parking is available at the staffed Prairie Creek Redwoods Visitor Center, which is genuinely useful for current trail and weather conditions before you set out.
What you’ll see: an old-growth corridor connecting to Fern Canyon
This trail runs through genuine old-growth redwood forest for roughly 10 miles round trip, connecting directly to Fern Canyon at its far end. This provides a real practical advantage worth knowing: hiking in this way to Fern Canyon does not require the seasonal day-use reservation that driving directly to Gold Bluffs Beach does (more on that in the next section).
If you want a local expert to lead the way, you can check out a guided full-day tour of the James Irvine to Fern Canyon which covers this route.
Best time to hike James Irvine Trail: a full-day option combined with Fern Canyon
Budget 4 to 8 hours for the full round trip with Fern Canyon included; this is a genuine full-day commitment, not a casual afternoon stop, so start early and pack accordingly.
Fern Canyon Trail (Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park)
Trailhead access and parking at Fern Canyon (seasonal reservation, not a shuttle)
Driving directly to the Fern Canyon trailhead at Gold Bluffs Beach requires a seasonal day-use reservation, not a shuttle. Reservations are required from May 15 through September 15 each year and can be booked up to 24 hours ahead; outside that window, no reservation is needed.
The workaround, as noted above: hiking in via the James Irvine Trail from the Prairie Creek Visitor Center, which skips this reservation requirement entirely.
What you’ll see: 50-foot fern-covered canyon walls made famous by Jurassic Park
Sheer canyon walls (cited at roughly 30 to 50 feet depending on the section) are completely draped in ferns above a shallow creek, creating a setting genuinely dramatic enough that Jurassic Park: The Lost World filmed scenes here in the 1990s. The core loop from Gold Bluffs Beach runs about 1.2 miles.
Best time to hike Fern Canyon: summer and early fall for the lowest creek crossings
The canyon floor has frequent stream crossings that get genuinely difficult in high water; summer and early fall bring the lowest, easiest crossings, while winter and spring runoff can make parts of the canyon impassable. Our water hazards on California trails guide covers creek-crossing safety basics worth knowing before a wetter-season visit.
Frequently asked questions about redwood hiking trails in Humboldt County
Is there a fee to hike at Humboldt Redwoods State Park?
No. Founders Grove and Bull Creek Flats/Rockefeller Forest are both free to hike, though a small donation is often suggested for trail guide pamphlets at Founders Grove.
Do you need a permit for Tall Trees Grove?
Yes, year-round. A free permit is required and must be booked online at least 24 hours in advance, after which you’ll receive a locked-gate access code by email.
Is Fern Canyon from Jurassic Park?
Yes. It was used as a filming location for Jurassic Park: The Lost World in the 1990s, and the dramatic fern-draped walls still look essentially the same today.
Can you combine James Irvine Trail and Fern Canyon in one hike?
Yes, and it’s the standard way experienced hikers do both: the James Irvine Trail connects directly to Fern Canyon, and hiking in this way also skips the seasonal reservation required for driving straight to the Fern Canyon trailhead.
Is the Founders Tree still standing?
Yes, the Founders Tree itself is still standing at Founders Grove. The nearby Dyerville Giant, a different tree, fell in a 1991 storm and now lies along the same trail.
Which Humboldt County redwood grove is best for a quick stop?
Founders Grove, without much competition: free roadside parking directly on the Avenue of the Giants and a half-mile loop make it the fastest, easiest stop in this entire guide.
