The Hollow Tree and Meteor Trails

Including Opal Creek and Middle Ridge

Length 8 miles • Climbing 1060 feet

California > San Francisco Bay Area > Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Fire-blackened trees on the Meteor Trail

This loop extends north of the visitor's center to nearly the northern extent of Big Basin's old growth redwoods. This hike is not as scenic as the Berry Creek loop, mostly because of the drier climate here. Dead leaves rather than sorrel and ferns cover the ground, and the trees tend to be smaller. Overall, this hike is recommended only for visitors who've already seen the more popular parts of the park.

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Hike description

The best direction to take the loop is counter-clockwise, since the Hollow Tree Trail is an easier climb than the Meteor Trail, and the Meteor Trail is more scenic in the downhill direction.

The loop begins on North Escape Road, which heads north from the park headquarters along Opal Creek. The narrow road, in places covered with redwood needles, is actually more serene and pleasant than the parallel Skyline-to-the-Sea trail and offers better views of the redwoods.

The trail and the road remain close together until they reach a hexagonal kiosk (with interpretive displays) next to an automobile bridge. Immediately after the bridge, turn left onto the Skyline-to-the-Sea trail, which closely follows Opal Creek for another mile before reaching the intersection with the Hollow Tree Trail. (after the Hollow Tree Trail, the Skyline-to-the-Sea trail continues through old-growth redwood forest for another quarter-mile before rising into a hardwood forest).

The Hollow Tree Trail climbs first gently, then more steeply, through rather uninteresting redwood forest. The trail follows Rogers Creek, which in wintertime can be quite lively. At the top of the hill, turn left at the T intersection. After this point the trail becomes a barely-visible track through an unexciting deciduous forest.

Middle Ridge Fire Road descends steeply, offering some views over the Opal Creek watershed. The Meteor Trail continues this steep descent, passing through a narrow ravine with some good-sized redwood trees. Blackened trunks indicate that the upper half of this trail has recently been burned by a forest fire. The fire has cleared away the understory of huckleberry and tanoak, leaving the ravine fairly open and attractive, with redwood sorrel and ferns lining the creek channel. This is the most scenic part of the hike. As the trail descends, though, the forest becomes more ordinary-looking, with dense underbrush clogging the views.

For variety, take the Skyline-to-the-Sea trail instead of North Escape Road on the way back to park headquarters. The passes the now-empty site of a 19th-century homestead. There are few big trees in this area, but it's unclear if that's a result of logging since no stumps are visible.

North Escape Road and the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail