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Palo Alto takes its name from a single redwood, El Palo Alto, which still stands beside the Caltrain tracks. To walk among redwoods as a forest you need to head into the Santa Cruz Mountains. The good news is that they start about 30 minutes from downtown. Most of what you will see is second growth, regrown in the century since loggers cut the original forest to build San Francisco. A few old giants survived in remote canyons.
This guide picks nine redwood hikes, from a flat walk anyone can do to a full-day trek to an old-growth grove. Distances come from the managing agency, our park pages or, where noted, Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST). For the wider regional picture, including Big Basin and Muir Woods, see our guide to redwood forests near Palo Alto.
The redwood hikes at a glance
| Hike | Distance | Climb | Forest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redwood Trail, Purisima | 0.25 mile | Flat | Second growth |
| Purisima Creek Trail and Borden Hatch Mill loop | Nearly 5-mile loop plus about 1 mile each way | Gentle first mile | Second growth, old stumps |
| Purisima old-growth hike | 6 miles round trip (POST) | 1,800 feet (POST) | One old-growth tree |
| Huddart Park | About 0.7 mile and up | Steep beyond the canyon | Second growth |
| Wunderlich Redwood loop | 3.2 miles | Not published | Second growth |
| El Corte de Madera loop | 8.8 miles (POST) | 2,100 feet (POST) | Second growth plus a giant |
| Old Tree and Sequoia trails, Portola | 1.2 and 0.75 miles | 245 and 67 feet | Old growth |
| Heritage Grove, Sam McDonald | 2.6 miles to the grove | Not published | Old growth |
| Redwood Grove Loop, Henry Cowell | 0.8-mile loop | Flat | Old growth |
Purisima Creek Redwoods
Midpen's 5,412-acre preserve above Half Moon Bay is the biggest redwood canyon close to Palo Alto. Midpen says most trees are about 100 years old and counts seven old mill sites along the creek. Dogs are not allowed anywhere in the preserve and there is no fee. See our Purisima Creek Redwoods guide for every entrance.
Redwood Trail
Just off Skyline Boulevard, this flat 0.25-mile trail winds through tall redwoods. Midpen says it suits visitors of all abilities, with wheelchair-accessible picnic tables and a restroom. It is the best redwood walk near town for small children or older relatives.
- Parking: Redwood roadside area on Skyline, 11 spaces plus 2 accessible, about 6 miles north of Highway 84.
- Best season: any time. Fog often drifts through the trees in summer.
Purisima Creek Trail and the Borden Hatch Mill loop
From the coast-side lot, the Purisima Creek Trail follows an old logging road beside the creek, climbing gently for the first mile. Look for huge stumps of trees Midpen says were probably close to 1,000 years old. About a mile up, Midpen describes a loop of nearly five miles on the Grabtown Gulch and Borden Hatch Mill trails, remote enough to hear the forest.
- Bikes: designated trails only, with seasonal closures on some.
- Parking: Purisima Creek Road lot, 7 spaces plus 1 accessible. Arrive early.
- Best season: winter for a full creek and bright ferns, summer for cool fog.
- Safety: no water on the trails and sporadic cell service.
The old-growth tree via Irish Ridge
POST describes a 6-mile out and back with 1,800 feet of gain from the Grabtown Gulch trailhead on Tunitas Creek Road, 1.3 miles west of Highway 35. The route climbs the Bald Knob Trail, follows Irish Ridge and ends at a lone old-growth redwood. Parking is along the road and limited, so have a backup plan. Go on a cool, dry day in fall or spring; the climb is steady and the ridge can be sunny.
Close to town in Woodside
Huddart Park
San Mateo County's park on Kings Mountain Road climbs from creek bottoms full of redwoods and sword fern toward Skyline. The Redwood Nature Trail, about 0.7 mile, is the gentle start and the Canyon Trail continues through redwood and madrone. The county warns that its online trail descriptions are being updated, so download the current map.
- Dogs and bikes: no pets. Bikes only on paved roads and parking areas.
- Parking and fees: $6 per vehicle as published, with waivers. Opens 8 a.m. and closes 5 p.m. from November 2, 2026.
- Best season: summer, when the canyon floor feels cooler than the valley.
- Safety: shared trails with horses; poison oak throughout.
Our Huddart Park guide covers the history.
Wunderlich Park Redwood loop
The county pairs the Madrone Trail with the Bear Gulch or Meadow trails for a 2.6-mile loop. Adding the Redwood Trail through redwood forest brings it to 3.2 miles. Wunderlich is quieter than Huddart and charges no vehicle fee.
- Dogs and bikes: no dogs. Bikes on paved areas only.
- Parking: 4040 Woodside Road. Closes 5 p.m. from November 2, 2026.
- Best season: summer and fall. Watch for horses near the stable.
See our Wunderlich Park guide.
Skyline giants
El Corte de Madera: Timberview Trail
Midpen sends hikers to the Timberview Trail near the Giant Salamander Trail junction for one of the few old-growth redwoods left in the preserve, about 50 feet around at its base. POST includes it on an 8.8-mile loop from Skeggs Point with 2,100 feet of gain, rated hard. The newer Oljon Trail nearby passes stumps with springboard notches cut by loggers.
- Dogs and bikes: no dogs. Heavy mountain bike traffic.
- Parking: Skeggs Point Caltrans lot, 26 spaces, or the 65-space main lot. Free.
- Best season: summer for shade; trails get muddy after winter storms.
Our El Corte de Madera guide has the details.
Nearby, the short Cielo Trail in upper La Honda Creek Preserve runs about a mile to the Big Tree, another old-growth survivor, but you need a free Midpen permit to park there.
Old growth in the Pescadero Creek canyon
Portola Redwoods State Park
State Parks lists the Old Tree Trail at 1.2 miles round trip with 245 feet of elevation change, ending at a redwood it dates at about 1,200 years. The park's summary gives 0.6 mile, so plan on the longer figure. The Sequoia Nature Trail loops 0.75 mile with 67 feet of change past Shell Tree, the remains of a giant burned in 1989. For a full day, the Peters Creek Loop runs 11.9 miles round trip with 1,030 feet of elevation change to a remote old-growth grove.
- Dogs and bikes: hikers only on trails. Dogs only in campsites, picnic areas, paved roads and the Escape Roads loop.
- Parking and fees: $10 per vehicle, $9 for seniors. 6 a.m. to sunset.
- Best season: summer, when a seasonal bridge crosses Pescadero Creek. Ask at the visitor center whether it is in.
- Safety: no cell service, gas or store. In winter the seasonal bridge on Pescadero Creek may be out; do not cross water above your knees.
Our Portola Redwoods guide covers the drive.
Heritage Grove, Sam McDonald County Park
Just down the canyon, San Mateo County lists the Heritage Grove Trail at 2.6 miles from the main lot to Heritage Grove, for pedestrians only. For a shorter visit the county points to the Big Tree Trail, a short loop past old-growth redwoods. The county warns some online trail descriptions may be out of date.
- Dogs and bikes: no pets. Bikes on paved roads and parking areas only.
- Parking and fees: $6 vehicle fee. Opens 8 a.m.; closes 5 p.m. from November 2, 2026.
- Best season: winter and spring, when ferns and trillium appear. Do not pick or eat wild mushrooms.
See our Sam McDonald guide.
Henry Cowell Redwoods
Redwood Grove Loop
In Felton, just inland from Santa Cruz, State Parks describes a 0.8-mile flat loop through an old-growth grove that includes the hollow Fremont Tree. Its accessibility listing says the interpretive loop is accessible for 0.75 mile, starting beside the visitor center. It is the easiest old-growth walk within about an hour of Palo Alto.
- Dogs: not permitted on the Redwood Grove Loop.
- Parking and fees: $10 vehicle day use, with special rates on peak days. Open sunrise to sunset; visitor center 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Best season: weekday mornings any time of year, before the lot fills.
Details are on the State Parks Henry Cowell page.
Redwood safety and etiquette
Good to know
- Stay on the trail. Redwood roots are shallow and compacted soil harms them.
- Pack out every crumb. State Parks' Crumb Clean campaign protects the endangered marbled murrelet, whose nests are raided by jays drawn to food.
- Expect mud, slugs and fallen limbs for days after storms. Turn back if a creek is running high.
- Cell service is weak or absent in most canyons. Download maps first.
- Do not pick mushrooms or plants.
Redwood canyons stay cool all summer, which makes them the best escape from a heat wave. Our shaded hikes guide adds oak and fir trails. Most trailheads need a car; you can compare rental cars for the day.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the closest redwoods to Palo Alto?
Huddart Park and Wunderlich Park in Woodside are about 30 minutes away and both have second-growth redwood canyons. Purisima Creek Redwoods, on Skyline Boulevard above Half Moon Bay, is a little farther and has a flat, accessible quarter-mile Redwood Trail.
Can I see old-growth redwoods near Palo Alto?
Yes. Portola Redwoods State Park's Old Tree Trail leads to a redwood State Parks dates at about 1,200 years. El Corte de Madera Creek has an old-growth tree about 50 feet around on the Timberview Trail. Henry Cowell Redwoods near Santa Cruz has a flat 0.8-mile loop through an old-growth grove.
Are dogs allowed on redwood trails near Palo Alto?
Not on any trail on this page. Midpen bans dogs at Purisima Creek and El Corte de Madera. San Mateo County bans pets at Huddart, Wunderlich and Sam McDonald. State Parks bans dogs on the trails at Portola Redwoods and on Henry Cowell's Redwood Grove Loop.
Is Big Basin open?
Big Basin Redwoods State Park is open for day use and State Parks recommends parking reservations. Its campgrounds remain closed and the trail to Berry Creek Falls is not on the park's list of reopened routes, so treat it as closed.
What is the best season for a redwood hike?
Any season works, since redwood canyons stay cool and shady. Summer is the best time to escape heat. Winter brings rushing creeks, bright green ferns and mushrooms, along with mud and fallen branches after storms.