The Leiffer
and Ellsworth Loops

Length 2.0 mi · Climbing 330 ft

California > Redwood National and State Parks > Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

The Ellsworth Loop

Background

These two connected loops, located off a dirt road a few hundred yards from Highway 199, are a little less scenic and a lot less popular than the nearby Simpson-Reed trail. Both the Leiffer Loop and the shorter Ellsworth Loop climb a hillside where a few big redwoods grow, then descend to the flats where you'll find larger numbers of big redwoods. There's very little traffic noise here, although a bit of noise does drift in from Highway 197.

Click map to enlarge; click again to show all trails and roads
Map excerpted from the Trail Map of Redwood National and State Parks (Redwood Hikes Press, 2009)

Hike description

Park at the small pullout on Walker Road, adjacent to the southern trailhead. From the trailhead, an unspectacular access trail leads to the loop trails. Turning left at every intersection, you'll soon find the Ellsworth Loop. The little-used trail ascends the hillside, then descends with some nice views of redwoods on the flat below. At the end of the descent, the trail reaches a bench carved out of a redwood log sitting next to a particularly large tree.

The Leiffer Loop

The Leiffer Loop includes a long climb along an old roadbed which is now well-disguised with dense groundcover. The loop then descends to a marshy lowland with large redwoods among maples and a few tanoaks. The best part of the loop is the last few hundred yards, where the trail winds among impressive redwoods.

Take the access trail back to your parking spot.