The Truck Trail
and Fall Creek

Loop hike with the Big Ben and North Fork Trails

Length 7.0 mi · Climbing 1480 ft

California > San Francisco Bay Area > Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

The Bennett Creek Trail

Background

This is Fall Creek's best hike, a moderately difficult hill climb through attractive woods followed by an easy return along a rushing creek. Although the differences are subtle, I always find this route to be more enjoyable than the Big Ben route. The forest has fewer signs of logging, maybe because there are fewer redwoods in this area. As a result, it's brighter, healthier-looking, and generally more attractive. It's also more varied, especially along the Ridge Trail, with different colors and textures of trees in any one spot and different types of trees appearing as you climb.

The entire route (in fact, the entire park) is wooded and, despite the fact that the trail climbs a ridge high above the San Lorenzo Valley, there are no scenic views.

This is a good hike for any time of year, although in winter Fall Creek turns into a raging torrent and four of the bridges across it (marked as seasonal bridges on the map) often get washed out. If this happens, just detour along the Cape Horn Trail. The hike is especially enjoyable in winter, since the woods are more lush and the creek more lively.

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Hike description

Start from the Fall Creek parking lot off Felton-Empire Road. Descend on the Bennett Creek Trail and turn right at the Fall Creek Trail, immediately crossing a wide bridge across the creek. The trail descends gently through dense, green second-growth redwoods. The forest is surprisingly lush and doesn't have the gloomy look that second-growth redwoods often have.

Turn left at the first trail that you see. There's no sign to mark the trail but, after climbing for just a few yards, you'll encounter a second intersection that does have a sign (although, when I last saw it, the sign had been torn out of the ground). Turn left at this second intersection onto the Ridge Trail.

The Ridge Trail immediately begins a climb that's incessant if not especially difficult. The redwood-dominated forest soon gives way to a mixture of conifers as the trail meanders up the hillside. The hoots of the Roaring Camp steam trains echo through the valley, and there's also a little traffic noise from Highway 9 that eventually fades into a low hum and then disappears completely.

The Truck Trail

The trail reaches the ridge, then crests and descends slightly before reaching the intersection with the S-Cape Trail. After this point the climb becomes more strenuous until you reach the Truck Trail.

The first half of the Truck Trail, although shown as a dirt road, is beginning to look more and more like a trail. You may see a "Private Property" sign; it's okay to walk on the Truck Trail but don't leave the trail.

After a few steep section, the trail levels somewhat. The rest of the climb is an easy stroll through attractive second-growth redwoods with a dense understory of low tanoaks. Look carefully for the Big Ben Trail to your left; although marked with a post, the trail is easy to miss. If the trail starts going downhill for more than a few steps, you've gone too far.

The Big Ben Trail descends through small redwoods with a dense tanoak understory to reach Fall Creek. The trail is not as interesting as the previous trails, but at least you're going downhill. The rushing of the creek can be heard through the woods as you approach the bottom of the trail.

The Truck Trail. Dogs are not allowed on the trail. These dogs had wandered into the park from a nearby house.

Turn left on the Fall Creek Trail, which at first descends steeply through a narrow canyon. The canyon soon opens up and the grade becomes more level.

After the Barrel Mill Area, the woods gradually becomes more lush and scenic. The trail crosses Fall Creek on a low footbridge (if this bridge gets washed out during heavy rains, you'd be stranded, but I've yet to see that happen).

At the intersection with the Cape Horn Trail, bear left. The trail crosses the creek four times and passes through a little gorge before joining the South Fork Trail. Continue until you reach the Bennett Creek Trail, then turn left and return to the parking lot.