Confused about California Redwoods - please help!
 

My family will be in California in early July. We'll spend a few days in San Francisco, then head south, spend one night each in Monterey and Cambria, and then end with 2 nights in LA.

We're not outdoors or hiking types, but we would like to see some Redwoods. At first we were planning to go to Muir Woods, but our SF time is pretty booked so we'd be doing it on our way out of town and it's in the wrong direction. Next we considered Big Basin, but several posters have said that it is rather a long, winding drive from the coast and it sounds like it would take more time getting there and back then we'd actually spend there. I'm now considering Henry Cowell Redwoods SP. Is this park easier to get to and does it make sense logistically, given that we plan to stop at the boardwalk in Santa Cruz for a few hours?

If you are determined to see redwoods, Muir Woods is definitely your best bet--it is very near San Francisco and the trail is designed for those who are not into hiking. Since tour operators do this is 3 1/2 hours, if you get up early one day, you can see Muir Woods in the morning and be back in San Francisco in time for lunch.

If you like ocean views, consider driving to Santa Cruz via Half Moon Bay.

Another vote for Muir Woods. The walk is flat and spectacular. Get there early as you can.

I too, cast my vote for Muir Woods. Are you going to be at Golden Gate Park by any chance? You mentioned you are not the outdoors hiking types, but if you still like to visit parks, there is a wonderful arboretum in Golden Gate Park. It is free, has gardens from around the world, and has a micro-grove of coastal redwoods if it's just your curiousity that you're trying to fill.

Otherwise Muir Woods for some larger trees. Keep in mind coastal redwoods are quite beautiful and impressively large, but are not the Sequoia variety that you can only see by visiting Yosemite's Mariposa Grove or Kings Canyon National Park. To me, they are both breath-taking however, and you will be glad you planned to see them.

I have to disagree with happytrails' post. Henry Cowell is probably your best bet if you don't want to go to Big Basin. Muir Woods is closer to San Francisco, but it's not convenient if you're heading in the other direction from the city. The roads to Muir Woods are just as winding as those to Big Basin, but it's not as far on the winding roads from the freeway. Even so, you'd have to allow at least 3 hours to go there and get back to San Francisco.

Henry Cowell is just outside the city limits of Santa Cruz, though the entrance, the day use entrance, is at the north end of the park along highway 9 maybe five miles north of the city of SC. There's separate entrance for the campground, on another road, so be sure you're on Hwy 9 going to the park.

Big Basin is another 20 miles north along the winding Hwys 9 and 236 though not really all that difficult from that direction. Hwy 236 north of the park is a much narrower road winding with barely enough room for two cars to pass each other, also there are logging trucks on weekdays and bicyclists on weekends.

Trees at Big Basin and Henry Cowell are taller than those at Muir Woods, and both parks are bigger than MW, as well, so you're really not missing anything. HC has a short self-guided nature trail loop, with the option of hiking farther into the park at the far end of the loop from the parking lot.

Thanks to all for your replies! We liked the idea of Muir Woods, but it just doesn't fit into our schedule, since the only day we could go is the day we are leaving SF to head south. The 2 days we are actually in SF we are already getting an early start to do other things. It sounds like Henry Cowell will work well for us.

I don't get excited about redwoods, because they grow most everywhere here in the Bay Area. I have three huge ones in my back yard, and if I stand on my roof, I can probably see 50 in the neighborhood.

I mention this because I believe you will see lots of them in Big Sur - at least I think they are redwoods and not pine trees, because I've never really paid attention to which type they are. Both are quite prolific in the Bay Area.

Stu Dudley

I agree w/ sequoia. If you can't take the time to go to Big Basin then Henry Cowell will work.It's less out of your way than Muir Woods also. The park has a flat 1 mile loop with some pretty impressive trees. I have a few redwood trees on my property and believe me it doesn't compare to seeing them in a forest at all. You'll see some in Big Sur too, but they are not as tall due to the different climate.

Another vote for Henry Cowell or Big Basin.

Next to Henry Cowell is a place called Roaring Camp which has a tour through the redwoods on a steam train. It is fun and you get to see a lot without having to hike a lot :) I think the tour lasts an hour or something like that.

If you take Highway 1 between Monterey and Cambria you will see lots of Redwoods.A great way to experience them is to stop and take a walk at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.It is situated on the Big Sur river, which makes for a beautiful setting to enjoy them.Take a short stroll up Pfeiffer Falls Trail to see 1,000 year old Redwoods.

Here are a couple of links for info.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=570

http://www.pelicannetwork.net/bigsur.pfeiffer.htm

http://www.pelicannetwork.net/big.sur.lodge.trails.htm

I thoroughly agree about not going to Muir Woods.

It all depends on how you plan to get from SF to Monterey, and Monterey to Cambria.

If you're going to be taking Highway 1 south from San Francisco, you might consider Butano State Park. It's a short detour from the coast (much shorter than Big Basin), and is wonderfully off most folks' radar.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=536

Jim

Now you've spilled the beans, Jim. I thought it was an unspoken rule not to mention Butano so we could keep it all to ourselves ;)

Butano is great - and definitely a park less visited although it is only a few miles off Hwy 1. There is a really nice, relatively easy trail called the 6 Bridges Trail or something to that effect, which is a nice one to take. As the name implies, it crosses several bridges over small creeks and is a really pretty hike through the woods.