Contents
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park | Introduction
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is located near Santa Cruz, about a 1.5-hour drive from San Francisco. It's an easy day trip destination, especially for those living in the South Bay. As the name suggests, the main attraction of the park is its magnificent redwood forest. The park is actually divided into two sections: the southeast area is the main entrance, where you’ll find the visitor center, campgrounds, and the most popular trail—Redwood Grove Loop Trail—along with several other hiking trails. This area tends to be more crowded. The northwestern Fall Creek Unit has about 20 miles of trails, better suited for more serious hiking.
We chose to go camping this time, with all our activities centered in the southeast section. Directly across from the entrance is the famous Roaring Camp Railroads. A full day combining redwood hiking and a nostalgic train ride makes it a perfect weekend trip for families. If you're not planning to camp, there are plenty of lodging options near Santa Cruz, offering great flexibility.
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Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park | Camping Experiences
- Comfort: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Space: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Facility Cleanliness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Convenience: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Henry Cowell has a total of 107 campsites and is very popular due to its convenient location. We've stayed here twice and found it quite comfortable both times. While the campsites aren't particularly spacious compared to other California state parks, they're sufficient for most families. Trailheads are easily accessible from the campsites, making it ideal for casual hikes. The park is well-maintained, with fairly clean restrooms and sinks. Most campsites are shaded by trees, so even in summer, it's not overly hot.
- Hotel search: Agoda
- Activities & tickets: KKday / Klook / TripAdvisor
- Travel credit cards (US only): My card picks + beginner tips
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park | Hiking Trails
Henry Cowell’s most famous trail is the Redwood Grove Loop Trail at the park entrance. But if you're camping like we did, there are three commonly chosen trails from the campground: Eagle Creek Trail, Pine Trail, and Ridge Fire Rd, with the final destination being the Observation Deck.
Although these trails seem separate, they are actually connected, so you can plan a loop based on your stamina and available time.
Must See | Redwood Grove Loop Trail
This is the most popular and beginner-friendly trail in the park, only 0.8 miles long. The easiest way to start is to drive to the Visitor Center parking lot.
This trail features the park’s largest redwoods, with the most famous being the General Fremont Tree. It's said that in 1846, John Fremont once took shelter from the rain inside its hollow trunk—showing just how big it is.
In fact, even before becoming a state park, this redwood grove was a well-known private tourist attraction. In the 19th century, it was bought by a businessman named Welch, who both logged the surrounding area and operated it as a tourist destination. It attracted many notable visitors, including President Theodore Roosevelt, and was considered a hot travel spot of its time.
Eagle Creek Trail
Eagle Creek Trail starts right at the campground entrance. It’s a gentle trail that runs alongside a creek and winds through redwood forest. With fewer people here, it feels peaceful—more like walking alone into the woods—compared to the busy Redwood Grove.
If you have the energy, you can extend the hike to River Trail or Pipeline Road. However, Pipeline Road is slightly more difficult. We only walked the creekside portion this time, and that alone was very satisfying.
Pine Trail / Ridge Fire Rd to Observation Deck
From the campground, you can hike uphill to connect with Ridge Fire Rd, which leads to the Observation Deck, about one mile away. This section has a lot of sand and soft ground. While not difficult, it is quite sunny, so a hat is recommended.
The Observation Deck itself is a simple concrete platform, but once you’re up there, the panoramic view is impressive—you can see Monterey Bay and the Santa Cruz mountains. It’s definitely worth the climb.
Roaring Camp Railroads Historic Town and Train Rides
Roaring Camp Railroads isn’t technically part of the park, but it's right across the entrance, making it easy to visit together. This place preserves the style of an 1880s American Western town, with a blacksmith shop, print shop, and bounty poster recruitment station—very fun to explore.
If you're interested, you can ride their vintage trains—some run from Santa Cruz, while others loop through the forest area. It's especially exciting for kids and a great choice for family trips.
On weekends, there are often events and performances. When we visited, there was a car show, and the atmosphere was lively.
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Further reading
- More Central California posts
- More CA-1 posts
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