Name: Old Growth Giant Redwoods at Sam McDonald CP: 6.9 Mi Moderate Hike
Start: 2025-12-06T12:00:00-08:00
End: 2025-12-06T16:00:00-08:00
Location: Sam McDonald County Park

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CARPOOL REQUEST COMMENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED DUE TO THE LARGE SIZE OF THE GROUP. Please read below how to carpool.
Distance 6.9 miles, Loop.

Hiking Time 4 hours

Elevation Gain: 1509 feet

Difficulty Moderate

Official Trail Use No Dogs

Facilities: Toilets at trail head

Parking: $6 per vehicle

Dogs are not allowed in this park

Please read our tutorial for hiking in the sun:
https://www.sleeplateandhike.com/tutorials/how-to-hike-in-the-sun/

RECOMMENDED PARK MAP:
https://www.smcgov.org/media/149705/download?inline=

ALLTRAILS MAP:
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/sam-mcdonald-6-9mi-5ef99d1?p=-1&sh=pyl4xm&utm_medium=map_share&utm_source=alltrails_virality

MEETING PLACE: Parking lot at trail head.

Please use the Google Maps link above to familiarize yourself with the trip and explore various route options from your home. Zoom in all the way.

The GPS locations below and the map link above are accurate enough to find us by looking around with your eyes when you get there.

(Most Cars) GPS Degrees Minutes Seconds Format:

37°17'47.2"N 122°15'56.3"W

(Google Maps) GPS Degrees Decimal Format:

37.296434, -122.265640

Most street addresses provided are approximate, and may be up to a couple of miles from the hike location. Use GPS coordinates when driving, if possible.

Parking:

Parking lot at trail head.

Plan to arrive 30 minutes early to find parking, and walk to the trail head.

Carpooling: We will use this link for carpooling:

https://groupcarpool.com/t/twgs6i

Please sign up here.

CARPOOLING MANNERS:

Please refrain from trying to negotiate your carpool in the comments, as it is equivalent to sending multiple "Reply All" emails to everyone.

Please start your carpool quest, by first adding yourself to the carpool link above.

Then, use the contact info provided by the driver or rider in the link above to contact them directly and privately.

Please be considerate of others and resist the urge to "Reply All".

Thank you for understanding.

SUMMARY:

Witness the majesty of the Heritage Grove old growth redwoods, and visit Hiker's Hut.

To see these redwoods we will take this hike at Sam McDonald County Park.

HIKING DIRECTIONS:

From the main parking lot, take the Big Tree Trail across from the ranger station. The path leads through tall redwoods and across Pescadero Road (use caution in crossing). After merging with and then departing from Towne Fire Road, Big Tree Trail begins a gentle uphill with many switchbacks and wooden stair steps, passing the well-named Big Tree. It then curves around to the west to join Heritage Grove Trail. (Don’t miss this turnoff, or you loop right back to Pescadero Road).

Take Heritage Grove Trail east for 1.2 miles to the Heritage Grove turnoff. Take the turnoff to the left and head down Heritage Grove 0.13 miles. Turn left along Alpine Road, and walk through the old growth Redwoods.

These 37 acres of virgin redwoods were scheduled to be logged in the early 1970s but were saved by a group of citizen activists who raised funds to purchase the grove .

After admiring the giant trees, backtrack uphill and take the opposite fork of Heritage Grove Trail. The path leads through a forest of mostly Douglas firs with a few redwoods among them. On clear days, sunlight filters through the trees and cascades down the hillside. On rainy days, you have the pleasure of staying nearly dry underneath the dense forest canopy.

The trail tops out at a big open meadow and Towne Fire Road. Look for the single-track spur trail on your left signed for Hiker’s Hut, only 150 yards away. Amid huge Douglas firs and ridge-top chaparral and grasslands, you find the Hiker’s Hut. Run by the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club, this inviting A-frame building is open to the public and available for rent. It holds up to 14 people. The Hiker’s Hut has a view of the Pescadero Creek canyon and the coast from its backyard on Towne Ridge.

Retrace your steps on the spur trail to Towne Fire Road and then head west (right). In less than a mile, you pass an equestrian camp. Deer are commonly seen in this area. Turn right just beyond it and follow Towne Fire Road downhill. It leads all the way back to Pescadero Road and the parking lot.

Some content from: Brown, Ann Marie (2014-09-16). Moon 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area (Moon Outdoors) (Kindle Locations 774-778). Avalon Travel. Kindle Edition.

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Old Growth Giant Redwoods at Sam McDonald CP: 6.9 Mi Moderate Hike

Sam McDonald County Park

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Old Growth Giant Redwoods at Sam McDonald CP: 6.9 Mi Moderate Hike

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