In brief:
Redwoods, creeks, and waterfalls -- that's what this loop is all about.

Distance, category, and difficulty:
This 9.6 mile loop hike is strenuous, with considerable and constant elevation change, adding up to about 2740 feet overall.

Exposure:
Mostly shaded; a good summer hike.

Trail traffic:
Very heavy around park headquarters, otherwise moderate.

Trail surfaces:
Dirt trails, with one short, steep scramble downhill over rock steps at Silver Falls.

Hiking time:
6 hours (this is extremely variable -- many hike it in 4 hours or less, while others may take all day).

Season:
Good all year -- waterfalls at peak in late winter and spring.

Address:
21600 Big Basin Way, Boulder Creek, California 95006

Getting there:

From I-280 in Santa Clara County, exit onto CA 85 south. After about 4.5 miles, exit #14 onto Saratoga Avenue. Drive west about 2 miles into Saratoga and the junction with Saratoga-Sunnyvale, then continue straight on Big Basin Way/CA 9. Drive uphill on 9 for about 7 miles to the Saratoga Gap intersection (junction of 9 and CA 35), then continue straight on CA 9. Drive downhill on 9 for 6 miles to a stop sign, then continue straight onto CA 236. Proceed on this narrow winding road for 8.5 miles to the park headquarters (left) and parking lots (right).

GPS coordinates* for trailhead:
Latitude 37°10'19.17"N
Longitude 122°13'20.41"W
(* based on Google Earth data, shown as degrees, minutes, seconds)

Gas, food, and lodging:
There is some food available in the park, including a seasonal snack bar. More options in nearby Boulder Creek, where you can also gas up. Big Basin has several campgrounds, tent cabins, and a few backpack camps.

Trailhead details:
Pay the $10 day use fee at the entrance station or park headquarters. Toilets and drinking water are available at the trailhead. The park map is available (for $3) at park headquarters.

Rules:
Most trails are open to hikers and equestrians. Bikes are only permitted on fire roads. Some trails are designated hiking only. Dogs are allowed on paved roads. They must be on a leash and attended at all times. Dogs are not permitted on any of the trails or fire roads. Dogs are not allowed in any portion of the Rancho del Oso area, or on Waddell State Beach.

The Official Story:
CSP's Big Basin page.
Big Basin Info (recording) 831-338-8860

Map Choices/More Info:

This hike is described and mapped in 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: San Francisco, by Jane Huber (yup, that's me, the creator of this website). Order this book from Amazon.com.
• CSP's Big Basin brochure and map
• The official Big Basin map (available at the park) is most helpful, particularly for the detail of the park headquarters, which helps to find the trails.
• Dave Baselt's Big Basin Redwoods State Park map is an excellent guide to Big Basin (order from Redwood Hikes).
• Redwood Hikes has a great map and descriptions of this hike.
• Read Bay Nature's feature: A Redwood Century at Big Basin



• Big Basin Waterfall Loop in a nutshell -- a printable, text-only guide to the featured hike.




Go to Bay Area Hiker Home page