General Information

User Groups:

Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes are allowed.

Subjective Trail Rating for Beauty and Difficulty:

The Sequoia Trail starts at the park headquarters and is a moderate 4.0 mile round trip hike that parallels the campground most of the way to Sempervirens Falls. There are plenty of ups and downs but the only serious ascent is after the falls. This starts from the base of Slippery Rock and ends at the junction with Highway 236. This part of the trail is only about a 0.1 of a mile. The trail continues on the other side of the highway and descends to the paved Escape road by Opal Creek. A choice now must be made to either use the road or the Skyline to the Sea trail for the return to park headquarters. This CyberHike will use the road. The hike travels through some of the most impressive redwoods in the park apart from the Redwood loop trail. At about the half-way point Sempervirens Falls is reached and the grotto into which it plunges is a truly enchanting experience. At the base of Slippery rock, a plaque has been placed to commemorate the founding of the Sempervirens Club. The climb to the Highway is brief but invigorating, while the descent down to Opal creek is peaceful and rewarding. If the hike is made on a weekday, then many empty picnic areas on Escape road become the sole domain of the hiker. Pack a lunch in your day pack and enjoy a unique picnic in your own private park. With the exception of the Redwood loop, this is one of the easier trails in Big Basin. It has got big trees, an enchanting falls, and your own private picnic grounds. How can you lose?

Permits:

No permits are required. A state park entrance fee is charged for each vehicle.

Directions:

From San Jose, take Highway 17 south toward Santa Cruz and take the Mount Hermon exit in Scotts Valley. Take Mount Hermon road through Scotts Valley to the town of Felton. Turn right on Highway 9 and drive north to the town of Boulder Creek. Turn left at the stop sign in town and drive about 9 miles on Highway 236 to the Big Basin Park headquarters. From Santa Cruz, take Highway 1 to Highway 9. Drive north approximately 12 miles to Boulder creek and then use the same directions as for San Jose.

Maps:

Contact Big Basin Redwoods State Park for trail maps. When obtaining a USGS topographic map, ask for Franklin Point.

Who to contact:

Big Basin Redwoods State Park, 21600 Big Basin Way, Boulder Creek, CA 95006. Tel # (408) 338-6132.