Little Hike in the Big Woods

Hike a loop at Portola Redwoods State Park in the South Bay

Redwoods, river crossings, waterfalls, and wildflowers—the South Bay’s Portola Redwoods State Park packs a lot of nature’s best features. Enjoy them hiking this 2.5-mile loop.

Check in at the visitor center, then cross the bridge and park just beyond the picnic areas. From there, hike along the road as it passes tent campsites and the communal campfire center. (The park has 55 campsites, 4 group camp sites, and a trail camp; reserve online.) Turn right onto the Trail to Tiptoe Falls. High above, massive redwood trees stretch skyward, while at ground level, bright yellow banana slugs inch across the forest floor.

At the intersection with Pescadero Creek, hikers can remove their shoes (or bring water treads) and wade across the shallow river. On toasty weather days, the cool water feels luxurious! Follow the signs for Tiptoe Falls as they lead upriver to the waterfall, a great spot to kick back and relax.

Retrace your route back to the intersection, then turn left on Iverson Trail. Keep an eye out for the elegant iris flowers hidden among the enormous redwood trunks. As the trail descends toward the creek, slip off your shoes for the final river crossing, then continue another half mile back to the visitor center. Look closely for the bright blue clusters of California lilac on the short stretch back to the parking lot. Short hike, big beauty.

Portola Redwoods State Park is located at 9000 Portola State Park Rd. in La Honda. From Hwy. 35, turn west onto Alpine Rd., drive 3 miles, and turn onto Portola State Park Rd. The road dead-ends in the park. A $10 day-use fee will be collected at the visitor center. The park is open 6 a.m. to sunset, unless you’re camping overnight. No dogs on trails.

Story and photos by Heather Werner, @heath.wer.ner

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View
  3. Bucks Up!

    Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

    View
  4. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  2. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View
  3. A Rose in the Pines

    A crackling fire, a bottle of wine, a bubbling Jacuzzi tub with a waterfall … now the big question: Marvin Gaye tunes or not? In the morning (ahem) it's breakfast in bed and a leis

    View
  4. Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery

    Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

    Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...

    View