Rhododendron
and Cal Barrel

with the Cathedral Tree and Foothill Trails

Length 5.1 mi · Climbing 730 ft

California > Redwood National and State Parks > Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

The Rhododendron Trail

Background

This pretty hike climbs the southernmost portion of the Rhododendron Trail and then descends on Cal Barrel Road. Around mid-June, this section of the Rhododendron Trail is one of the best for viewing the strikingly large blossoms. Cal Barrel Road passes through such great forest that, despite the fact that it's a dirt road with occasional car traffic, it still makes a nice hike.

For a 8.9-mile-long variation of this hike with 860 feet of climbing, skip Cal Barrel Road and instead continue on the Rhododendron Trail all the way to the Brown Creek Trail, then return on the Brown Creek and Foothill Trails. The added segments of the Rhododendron and Foothill Trails are a little monotonous and don't really add any new scenery to the hike

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Hike description

Start at the Visitor Center. Follow the gravel trail next to the entrance road that leads to Drury Parkway. A tunnel crosses under the parkway, although it appears that most people skip the tunnel and just walk acros the parkway, picking up the path on the other side.

The trail next runs between high walls of dense streamside vegetation. This section sometimes gets overgrown and if that happens, it's easy to lose the trail and get lost.

Finally the trail enters the forest, climbing gently through magnificent redwoods. Notice the colors of the redwoods in front of you: a pale grey, or a striated black-and-grey. Now turn around; the redwoods behind you are all a uniform dark brown. The side of the trees facing down-valley is exposed to salt air that bleaches the trunks.

Cal Barrel Road

The trail passes a short spur to Cal Barrel Road, descends a little, then begins climbing somewhat more steeply then before, meandering through the forest. The trees gradually get smaller and less interesting as you climb. The forest is initially completely quiet but near the top of the trail, a hum of traffic from highway 101 becomes faintly audible. The noise is more intrusive if trucks are descending the grade.

Finally, the trail tops a ridge. Cal-Barrel Road is visibe below and the trail soon ends at the road. Turn left and begin descending on the road.

Surprisingly, the road is more scenic than the last stretch of trail. There seem to be more big trees here and the forest is more open and less clogged with shrubs and small trees. Especially at higher elevations, the road passes through classic Prairie Creek vistas of huge trees growing from unbroken seas of ferns. The forest becomes less open as you descend, but it's still pretty nice. One stretch of the road gets some traffic noise from highway 101. Toward the bottom is another run of huge trees. Pass the Cathedral Trees Trail and turn left at the Foothill Trail, just before Cal-Barrel Road ends at Drury Parkway. The wide, straight Foothill Trail is the former track of Drury Parkway and the pavement, through covered with redwood needles, is still visible. It's a very scenic stroll back to the Cathedral Tree Trail.