Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park faces summer floods of tourists like the other most popular redwood parks in the bay area, Big Basin and Muir Woods. Cowell is bigger than Muir Woods but smaller than Big Basin, and all three feature short and easy redwood promenades. But Henry Cowell's day use staging area and campground have separate auto access points, and no road travels through the park, so although the park gets busy, visitors are somewhat dispersed. Also, Cowell, nestled in a canyon along the San Lorenzo River and CA 9, gets significant daily traffic from local equestrians, runners, and cyclists. These visitors move through the park with a sense of purpose quite different from tourists who have never seen a redwood before.
     Henry Cowell abuts Pogonip and University of California Santa Cruz property, and Wilder Ranch sprawls just on the other side of Empire Grade. You could make a long one-way shuttle hike through all four places on a series of connecting trails. Within the confines of Cowell, trails range from tiny footpaths to wide fire roads, and the trail network permits quite a few loops. Note that trails crossing the San Lorenzo River do so without the aid of footbridges -- you may be unable to ford the river during the wettest months, and even in summer you'll get your feet wet.
     The park's varied terrain and vegetation is a nice surprise, adding an extra dimension to hikes. Redwoods are what Cowell is known for, but you'll also find chaparral distinguished by knobcone and ponderosa pines. Although Cowell is busiest in summer, that's a pleasant time of year to visit, particularly when there's a breeze blowing uphill from the ocean.
     You can combine a hike at Cowell with a ride on Roaring Camp and Big Trees' narrow gauge railroad. Railroad headquarters is right next door to Cowell's parking lot, and trains make short loops through redwoods (outside of the park), as well as journeys back and forth to the beach at Santa Cruz. Train whistles punctuate hikes at Cowell, and some trains run through the park, to the delight of railroad enthusiasts and children of all ages.
      If you want redwoods but seek to avoid the crowds altogether, you may want to visit Fall Creek Unit, a separate, detached area of the park, north and west of Henry Cowell's main area. Hiking is more of a challenge there, with steep trails ranging up and down canyons.
      Start the featured hike with the masses, at the edge of the parking lot. A sign for the redwood grove points the way. Paved Redwood Grove Loop Trail, closed to equestrians, crosses Pipeline Road and passes a cross-section of redwood, then delves into a forest. The massive redwoods are stunning, and there's a nice mix of bigleaf maple, tanoak, California bay, and hazelnut along the broad path. At about 0.4 mile, you'll reach the far end of the loop. Bear right, then pass to the right of a gate marked with a small sign pointing right, "to River Trail."
     Although several paths ascend left, toward the railroad tracks, the trail bends right here, parallel to the tracks. Redwoods still loom overhead as the broad dirt path ends at an unsigned junction with Pipeline Road. Turn left.
     The wide paved multi-use trail descends gently. At about 0.5 mile, River Trail doubles back to the right, at a signed junction. Continue to the left on Pipeline Road. The railroad trestle crosses the San Lorenzo River here and if you hear a train whistle close-by, you may want to wait for a remarkable view of the train chugging over the trestle. Pipeline Trail crosses under the trestle and runs along the river, keeping a level pace. Bigleaf maples on the right are particularly pretty in autumn. At about 0.65 mile, River Trail breaks off to the right. Bear right on River Trail.
      The dirt path, open to hikers and equestrians only, runs between Pipeline Road and San Lorenzo River. Gradually River Trail bends right, following the river. At about 0.7 mile, a connector feeds in from the left -- continue to the right on River Trail. The path reaches a shaded and flat area, near Cable Car Beach. Check out the beach if you like, then head uphill to a signed junction at about 0.8 mile. Continue straight, now on Eagle Creek Trail. (When I visited in June 2002, I intended to remain on River Trail, but it was closed due to a bridge washout.)
     Open to hikers and equestrians only, Eagle Creek Trail climbs slightly through a dark canyon, following Eagle Creek upstream from its confluence with the river. Dozens of downed young redwoods lean against the sloping hillsides like pencils spilled from a cup. At about 0.9 mile, Eagle Creek Trail crosses Pipeline Road at a signed junction. Continue straight.
     Eagle Creek Trail persists uphill at a moderate to easy grade, through redwood, California bay, tanoak, madrone, and hazelnut. Azalea shrubs are common, as is poison oak in sections where sunlight filters down to the trail. A footbridge permits an easy crossing of Eagle Creek, then its namesake trail turns right (a fairly recent reroute) and climbs on some steps into a mixed woodland. Redwood and madrone still line the trail, but you might also notice thicker stands of California bay, and some towering coast live oaks. In June, sharp-eyed hikers might see tiny white blossoms on yerba buena plants growing close to the ground. Eagle Creek Trail crests and steps out into a whole new world, of sunlight and chaparral. Redwood duff gives way to white sand, and California coffeeberry, chamise, lizardtail, yerba santa, buckbrush, monkeyflower, manzanita, and knobcone and ponderosa pine crowd the trail. You might see bush poppy in bloom during late spring. Eagle Creek Trail returns to a shaded woodland dominated by oaks, then reaches a signed multiple junction at about 1.7 miles. Take the first right onto Pine Trail.
     After a few steps, Pine Trail, closed to cyclists, returns to chaparral. Knobcone pine, with closed pinecones, seem positively puny compared to the willowy ponderosa pines, distinguished by open cones and bark some people describe as a "jigsaw-puzzle" pattern. Sticky monkeyflower makes a strong showing along the trail in June, when masses of orange-yellow blossoms are conscious amongst a sea of olive colored manzanita, chinquapin, huckleberry, tanoak, and ceanothus. The sand can be pretty deep in places, but thankfully the trail is nearly level. At about 2.1 miles, Pine Trail bends right at a signed junction not far from the campground. Follow the trail to the right.
      A few shrubs of purple bush lupine mix through chamise, manzanita, monkeyflower, pines, and huckleberry. Pine Trail reaches the observation deck and multiple junctions at about 2.3 miles. This is the logical stop for lunch. There's a picnic table on the left, but since it was occupied on my visit, I took the flight of stairs to the observation deck, where a tall ponderosa pine shaded a corner of the deck (there's also a picnic table, but it was in full sun). From this, the park's highest elevation, there are some views, but at only 800 feet the vistas are slightly underwhelming. I've read that Monterey Bay is visible but either I missed that, or the thin layer of coastal fog blocked the view. I was most impressed by the Santa Cruz Mountains near Loma Prieta -- the ridge looks massive from this spot. When you're ready to continue, descend from the deck and turn right.
     You should pass a drinking fountain on the right and to the left, a small sign reading "Ridge Fire Road to Pipeline Road." A few steps later a proper sign reaffirms the route. Although this is a multi-use "fire road," the path is quite narrow. Ridge Fire Road descends slightly, passing through some familiar plants: look for yerba santa, manzanita, chamise, chinquapin, monkeyflower, chaparral pea, pines, scrubby oaks, and young Douglas fir. A forested ridge comes into view in the distance, straight ahead. The quantity of sand on the trail makes things interesting. One section of the trail is carved out of the hillside, like a mini sandstone canyon. A few tall and long steps drop Ridge Fire Road back into the woods, then at about 2.8 miles, Ridge Fire Road meets Pipeline Road at a signed junction. Continue straight on Ridge Fire Road (Pipeline Road, to the right, is an optional route).
     The trail widens, living up its fire road designation. As Ridge Fire Road climbs easily through redwoods, you might hear traffic noise from Highway 9, common in this part of the park. At about 3.0 miles, Ridge Fire Road ends at a signed junction with Rincon Fire Road. Turn right.
     Broad multi-use Rincon Fire Road descends, remaining in the redwood forest. At about 3.2 miles, River Trail begins on the left -- an optional route if open. Continue straight on Rincon Fire Road. The grade is steady and moderate, mostly downhill. Look for wild ginger, starflower, iris, and redwood sorrel along the trail in spring. Ignore a signed connector to River Trail at about 3.3 miles, and continue on Rincon Fire Road to a signed T junction at about 3.6 miles. Turn left onto Pipeline Road.
     Paved multi-use Pipeline Road climbs gently, then levels out. At about 3.7 miles, you'll reach a previously encountered junction with Eagle Creek Trail. This time, continue straight on Pipeline Road.
     Pipeline Road descends at a moderate grade, dropping to the edge of a redwood forest. River Trail feeds in from the left. As you retrace your steps on Pipeline Road, you'll have one last opportunity for a glimpse of the train at the trestle crossing. At about 4.4 miles, just past the trestle, you'll have an option to walk on River Trail, or continue on paved Pipeline Road. Both lead back to the trailhead. You can also take Pipeline Road back to the connecting path leading to the Redwood Grove Loop Trail. I took Pipeline Road, which remains level as it wanders through bigleaf maple, California bay, and some huge sycamores. There are lots of squirrels along the trail, and at one point it seemed like 4 of them were playing tag. At about 4.7 miles, Pipeline Road passes the Nature Center, on the right, and reaches the paved trail to Redwood Grove Loop Trail. Turn left and return to the trailhead.

Total distance: about 4.7 miles
Last hiked: Tuesday, June 11, 2002

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