West Ridge and Rhododendron Loop in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, CA

Hike West Ridge and Rhododendron Loop Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, CA

Class 1 13.4 miles 2400 gain 5-7 hrs Loop Jun 17, 2017
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

West Ridge and Rhododendron Loop GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

Starting from the Prairie Creek Visitor Center, follow a series of well-traveled trails until signs point you to the West Ridge Trail. Follow this super pretty trail up onto a ridge, where you'll find a fairytale aesthetic of redwoods on steep dropoffs on either side. It's really nice. Continue until the junction with the Zigzag Trail, which leads down to the road. Cross the street and locate the Rhodedendron Trail. Follow the Rhodedendron Trail for a few miles, past a small dirt parking area, and to the most interesting part of the day, where the trail zigzags through naturally-occurring holes in redwoods, under fallen trees and grottos formed by tree debris, and down back to the visitor center. This is a great tour of some really amazing redwoods.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!

Image 0 from gallery
Image 1 from gallery
Along the West Ridge trail.
Along the West Ridge trail.
Image 3 from gallery
Image 4 from gallery
Image 5 from gallery
Image 6 from gallery
Image 7 from gallery
Image 8 from gallery
Image 9 from gallery
The trail truly does follow a ridge covered in redwoods. Really cool. This is the only photo that sort of shows the drops on either side.
The trail truly does follow a ridge covered in redwoods. Really cool. This is the only photo that sort of shows the drops on either side.
Image 11 from gallery
Image 12 from gallery
Image 13 from gallery
Image 14 from gallery
Image 15 from gallery
Image 16 from gallery
Image 17 from gallery
Zigzag Trail 2 junction.
Zigzag Trail 2 junction.
Steeply head down.
Steeply head down.
Image 20 from gallery
Image 21 from gallery
Image 22 from gallery
Cross the road and head to the Rhododendron Trail.
Cross the road and head to the Rhododendron Trail.
Image 24 from gallery
Image 25 from gallery
There are a few times the trail uses downed trees as natural bridges.
There are a few times the trail uses downed trees as natural bridges.
Image 27 from gallery
Image 28 from gallery
Image 29 from gallery
Image 30 from gallery
Image 31 from gallery
Image 32 from gallery
Image 33 from gallery
Image 34 from gallery
Image 35 from gallery
Image 36 from gallery
Image 37 from gallery
Image 38 from gallery
Image 39 from gallery
Image 40 from gallery
Soon, you pass another trailhead at the end of a dirt road. The Rhododendron Trail continues away from the road, but stays far enough away that you only see or hear any traffic for the first quarter mile.
Soon, you pass another trailhead at the end of a dirt road. The Rhododendron Trail continues away from the road, but stays far enough away that you only see or hear any traffic for the first quarter mile.
Naturally-formed tree hollow that the trail goes through. There are a few of these.
Naturally-formed tree hollow that the trail goes through. There are a few of these.
Image 43 from gallery
Really snug trail that weaves around downed trees and lush foliage.
Really snug trail that weaves around downed trees and lush foliage.
Image 45 from gallery
Image 46 from gallery
The trail levels out and takes you back to the Visitor Center.
The trail levels out and takes you back to the Visitor Center.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!