Montgomery Woods
State Reserve

The redwood Shangri-La
California > Mendocino/Sonoma region

Montgomery Grove

At the heart of this exceptional reserve is a small alluvial flat that's hidden away in a remote, steep-sided valley, and that has one of the most scenic redwood groves in existance.

Although there has been some unfortunate logging just past the southern end of the loop trail, overall, Montgomery Flat is remarkably intact. The amount of really exceptional forest here is limited more by natural factors — the size of the alluvial flat — than by logging activity. What's more, the park is a half-hour from the nearest freeway or town on steep and winding roads, and, unusually for a redwood park, the old growth is well away from roads and other development.

Although it wouldn't seem like people would drive all this way for only two miles of trails, the reserve is a fairly popular destination that gets a steady stream of visitors on summer weekends. This popularity may be partly due to the fact that, at one time, Montgomery Flat contained the tallest measured tree in the world. While the location of that redwood is a secret, and taller trees have since been found in Humboldt Redwoods, Montgomery Woods is still one of the most impressive redwood groves in existence today.

It's a little surprising to find such a lush, well-developed redwood forest so far from the ocean. Montgomery Woods has a certain resemblance to the Bull Creek Flats in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, although since its creek valley is not as wide it has more of a sheltered feeling rather than the feeling of space and expansiveness of Bull Creek.

Orr Springs Road

The reserve can be reached by taking Orr Springs Road from Ukiah. The road starts just north of the northernmost Ukiah exit off highway 101. It soon begins a steep and twisty climb, which is then followed by an even steeper and twistier descent through scenic oak chaparral. Redwoods line the creekbeds below. Once it reaches the valley floor, the road levels out and passes Orr's Hot Springs, then enters a redwood forest. The Montgomery Woods parking lot is unmarked in this direction, so look carefully for a small dirt parking lot on your left.

The reserve can also be reached by taking Comptche - Ukiah Road and Orr Springs Road from the coast. This route is less scenic and winds its way along a wooded ridge before dropping into the valley. After passing Comptche, simply follow the only paved road - there are no turns to make. The reserve is easy to spot in this direction: look for a Montgomery Woods sign where the road passes over a bridge.

The reserve is marshy, so without mosquito repellant you'll be surrounded by an impressive clound of mosquitos the moment you stop to take a picture or admire a view. Poison oak is also common although it seems that park staff clear most of it from the trail.

The reserve is not staffed and there's no entrance fee.

Click map to enlarge, click again to show all trails

Hike description

The trail starts off as a mundane dirt road that passes by an outhouse and a few picnic tables, which are the only facilities to be found in the reserve. After ascending for a third of a mile through a valley alongside a burbling creek, the road reaches a narrow spot in the valley, where it crests and then descends slightly to Montgomery Flat. At this point, the forest changes dramatically, from nice but rather ordinary redwood uplands into a classic, cathedral-like alluvial flat forest. The flat is in a little glen, almost a canyon, with sides that rise steeply and abruptly, giving it an isolated feeling. Coming over that rise is definitely a dramatic moment; you have the sense of entering a sheltered enclave.

The trail passes a large area where the ground cover has been worn away by foot traffic. Although it's hard to see, this is actually a trail intersection and is both the beginning and end of the loop trail. The loop trail winds around the perimeter of the alluvial flat, sometimes elevated above the flat, which is marshy in places.

The ground cover here is an especially plush carpet of sorrel with large ferns. In places the ferns dominate, indicating that the valley is well-watered. Montgomery Creek burbles quietly. During the rainy season, water flows in an overflow channel near this part of the trail. Unusually for an alluvial flat creek, this channel is fairly small and is not depressed below ground level. This makes it especially scenic, since it runs right next to the redwoods and the trail.

Montgomery Creek

Look for the Kellieowen Grove plaque to your right. From this point, an apparently official spur trail leads a short distance into a side valley. It's worth going about a hundred yards on this trail as there is a nice group of trees and a little creek. Further into the valley, the trees become smaller and the trail peters out.

Past the Kellieowen Grove, the trail becomes more scenic as it winds over a gentle rise and alongside the creek. A long footbridge built on a fallen tree marks the halfway point and crosses the marshy center of the flat. The spur trail to the right leads to a logged area and is not worth exploring. The main loop trail works its way back, now on the other side of the flat, past some impressive groups of trees. The ground rises steeply to the right, making a fern-encrusted wall.

After a short boardwalk, the trail crosses back over the creek and then ends at the Y intersection with the dirt road to the parking lot. A few short (unofficial?) spur trails to the right lead to the creek.

Spur trail, Montgomery Grove

More information

  • This interesting January 2000 AP article describes the boost in tourism (the actual word used is "stampede") when the tallest tree was discovered in Montgomery Woods.
  • For a great description of the park see Eric Goldman's review of Montgomery Woods at epinions.com.

 

 

© 2006 David Baselt