The Allens Trail

Length 2.3 mi · Climbing 790 ft

California > Southern Humboldt County > Humboldt Redwoods State Park

The Allens' Grove

Background

Unlike the other short trails that start from the Avenue of the Giants, the Allens Trail does not loop around an alluvial flat. Instead, it climbs one steep mile into a surprising upland redwood grove. Although the climb is long and can be a little dull, the sheltered glen with its magical redwood grove is worth the trip. This trail is also known as the Five Allens Trail and the Allens Grove Trail.

The trailhead is north of the Founders' Grove and just south of the road to High Rock Conservation Camp. The trailhead is easiest to spot when heading north; look for the Maria McKead Allen marker to your left in an uphill S-curve. There is a small pullout where you can park, and a tiny "Allens Trail" sign marks the trailhead.

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Hike description

The trail starts off steep and doesn't let up, climbing at an average 15% grade for nearly a mile. The trail crosses highway 101 in a pedestrian tunnel. The roar of traffic fills the forest for most of the way and can still barely be heard at the end of the trail. Especially near the beginning of the trail you'll pass some large redwoods, and there's also a little waterfall, but the forest is not particularly interesting for most of the way. Typically for redwood uplands, the woods are thick with huckleberry and tanoak.

After nearly a mile, the trail enters a surprising little valley where a pure stand of redwoods grows. In winter a burbling creek flows through the glen, covering up any residual freeway sounds. The central, level area is dusted with redwood sorrel, while on the margins a thick cover of ferns grows. The redwoods are not particularly large and the grove doesn't have the cathedral-like appearance of the lowland groves, but it's a lovely spot nonetheless, and all the more so for the way it contrasts with the previous mile of forest.

The Allens' Grove

The trail splits here. The first several yards of both forks can get overgrown with ferns and may be hard to find. Straight ahead is a short spur leading to the Five Allens sign, which is now missing. To the left is a longer and harder-to-find trail that leads out of the valley and around a hill to a redwood-covered hillside and a memorial plaque. The hillside is a rather attractive redwood upland, covered with a pure stand of redwoods as far as you can see.

This is a nice look at a different side of Humboldt Redwoods. To see more old-growth uplands, try the new Johnson Camp trail. This trail is not as steep and doesn't get any freeway noise, and it has some nice groves, but none that are as lush as the Allens Grove.

The Allens Trail on its way up to the grove