Located in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California
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Berry Creek Falls (above)
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Trails
Click here for information about guided hikes
Own Your Own
Easy hiking:
Redwood Loop Trail
Maddock Cabin Site
Sequoia Trail
Moderate hiking:
Sequoia Trail
Strenuous hiking:
Berry Creek Falls
Other trails
Mountain biking
Equestrian trails
Fire roads
Trail camps
Horse camps
The editors of BigBasin.org are currently creating new, informative, detailed trail descriptions with maps and photographs for trails in Big Basin Redwood State Park. Use the links in the upper left column of this page to see these enhanced trail descriptions.
Basic information for trails is provided below on this page.
Important! There are over 80 miles of trails in Big Basin. Be sure and to pick up a trail map at park headquarters before your hike. Proceeds of map sales directly support local Big Basin programs. There is also a multimedia kiosk in the Sempervirens Room (next to park headquarters) with information, photos, and video of some of the most popular trails. Click here to see an online trail map.
Trail Map by mail
Trail maps may be purchased through the mail by contacting the Mountain Parks Foundation at +1 831 335-3174. Trail maps may also be purchased at park headquarters when you arrive. Printed trail maps are not available for sale via the Internet.
Note: Waddell Beach/Rancho Del Oso has limited transit service. Big Basin has even less and Castle Rock has no transit service at all. Please make sure that you have transportation worked out before embarking on long one-way hikes to the coast.
GPS
Using a GPS device in the dense redwood forests of Big Basin can be challenging. The thick canopy often disrupts GPS signal reception. We recommend that you take a compass and map on any hike deep into the park.
The GPS coordinates at Big Basin Redwoods State Park headquarters are
North 37° 10.341' West 122° 13.325
Backpackers click here for important backpacking information.
Click here to download Skyline to the Sea trail camp information (Adobe PDF)
Click on the following links for basic trail information.
Click on the links in the upper left column of this page for enhanced trail descriptions.
Easy hiking * Moderate hiking * Strenuous hiking
Mountain biking * Equestrian trails * Fire roads * Trail camps * Horse camps
Redwood Trail - easy
Sequoia Trail- easy
Shadowbrook Trail
There and back: Forms loop with either Skyline to the Sea (via Slippery Rock trail connector) or Sequoia Trails (see above).
What to see: Sempervirens Falls, Founders Monument, Slippery Rock.
Location: Union Creek Area, Big Basin core area.
Trail head: Parking area south of Park Headquarters.
Length: ~4.7 miles~7.5 kms
Time: ~3 hours
Elevation: ~+/- 200'
Creeping Forest Trail to Dool Trail
There and back: Forms loop with Dool Trail.
What to see: Forest tilted by landslips.
Location: Opal Creek, Big Basin core area
Trail head: Skyline to the Sea at Gazos Picnic Area
Length: ~2 miles~3.5 kms
Time: ~1 1/2 hours
Elevation: ~+/- 400
Skyline to the Sea Trail to Meteor Trail to Middle Ridge Fire Road
There and back: Forms loop with Dool Trail or Gazos Creek Road.
What to see: Opal Creek, many Old Growth Trees and Rogers Creek.
Location: Opal Creek and large undeveloped Mid Park areas.
Trail head: Across the street from Park Headquarters, at the large Redwood Trail Marker, across Opal Creek from the Opal Creek Comfort Station then right.
Length: ~6 miles~10 kms
Time: ~3 hours
Elevation: ~+/- 600
Sunset Trail to Timms Creek to Skyline to the Sea Trail
Loop Trail.
What to see: Opal Creek, many of the largest Old Growth trees (Santa Clara Tree), and Timms Creek.
Location: Opal and Timms Creeks and large undeveloped
Mid Park areas.
Trail head: Across the street from Park Headquarters, at the large Redwood Trail Marker, across Opal Creek from the Opal Creek Comfort Station then right.
Length: ~7.3 miles~12 kms
Time: ~4 1/2 hours
Elevation: ~+200 - 400'
Trail to Berry Creek Falls
Sunset Trail to Berry Creek Falls Trail to Skyline to the Sea Trail
Loop Trail.
What to see: Opal Creek, many of the largest Old Growth trees (Santa Clara Tree), and Berry Creek (four water falls).
Location: Opal to Berry Creeks and large undeveloped Mid Park areas.
Trail head: Across the street from Park Headquarters, at the large Redwood Trail Marker, across
Opal Creek from the Opal Creek Comfort Station then right.
Length: ~10.5 miles~17 kms
Time: ~6 hours
Elevation: ~+200 - 400'
Pine Mountain Trail to Buzzards Roost
There and Back.
What to see: Blooms Creek and Waddell Creeks, Pine Mountain, Buzzards Roost (highest point in the Park: 2200') and a view to forever (weather permitting).
Location: Big Basin core area and Mid Park areas
Trail head: Across the street from Park Headquarters, at the large Redwood Trail Marker
Redwood Trail to Blooms Creek Campground
One Way.
Length: ~5 miles~8 kms
Time: ~4 1/2 hours
Elevation: ~+/-1200'
Howard King Trail to Mount McAbee
There and Back. Forms loop with Skyline to the Sea Trail
What to see: Spectacular views!
Location: Mid Park areas.
Trail head: Skyline to the Sea and Middle Ridge Fire Road.
Length:: ~7 miles~11 kms
Time: ~4 hours
Elevation: ~+/-730'
Skyline to the Sea Trail to Waddell Beach
One Way.
What to see: Spectacular views!
Location: The Whole Park, Mid Park areas, Pacific Ocean.
Trail head: Across the street from Park Headquarters, at the large Redwood Trail Marker, cross bridge at Opal Creek Comfort Station,
turn left.
Length: ~12.5 miles~20 kms
Time: ~6 hours
Elevation: ~+/-1000'
Skyline to the Sea Trail to Hollow Tree Trail
There and Back. Forms loop with Basin Trail and Road.
What to see: Creeks, dense Old Growth Forest, Maddocks Cabin Site and chaparral plant community.
Location: Upper Opal Creek and the Northern part of the Park. Trail head: Across the street from Park Headquarters, at the large Redwood Trail Marker, cross bridge at Opal Creek Comfort Station, turn right.
Length: ~8 miles~13 kms
Time: ~4 hours
Elevation: ~+/-600'
Fire Roads are open to Mountain Biking
No Mountain Bikes allowed on Single Track Trails
North Escape Road (Picnic Area Road) is level and paved and makes a good easy route. It is closed to private autos passed the locked gate.
Horses are allowed on Equestrian Trails and all double track trails in the Park. There are no horse rentals available at or near Big Basin. For information about horse camps, click here.
Fire Roads in Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Gazos Creek Road: Goes to Highway #1 North of Swanton. 16 miles.
Middle Ridge Fire Road.
Hihn Hammond Road.
Johansen Road.
Chalks Road.
Trail Camps: $10.00 per site. Six people per site. Reserve via Big Basin Headquarters (call 831-338-8860).
Six sites, $15.00 per site. Six people per site. Minimum of one horse per site. One tow vehicle and one horse trailer per site, extra vehicles $5 if space is available. Reserve via Rancho Del Oso (call 831-338-8860).
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