The Ten Taypo Trail

Loop hike with the Hope Creek Trail

Length 3.5 mi · Climbing 710 ft

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

The Hope Creek Trail at the intersection with the Ten Taypo Trail

Background

This loop begins in a dramatic redwood-lined canyon just off Drury Parkway and climbs to a ridge. Along the way, the forest progresses from impressive redwood lowlands to more ordinary uplands. The different environments make this an interesting hike.

The loop is described here in the counter-clockwise direction. Hiking the loop clockwise instead would mean a steeper, more difficult climb but would also result in the scenery getting better and better as the hike progressed.

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Hike description

Starting from Drury Parkway, the Hope Creek Trail immediately begins a steep ascent through a very scenic fern-carpeted canyon. The trail eventually reaches an intersection. The Hope Creek Trail continues to your left. Turn right onto the Ten Taypo Trail and cross a long, winding footbridge. The trail, which is cut into the side of a hill, ascends gently through an attractive lowland redwood environment.

Soon the trail turns left, leaving the west-facing hillside for a south-facing hillside. At this point the forest begins to change and after a few turns of the trail it's not as lush or open as before, and has smaller, more uniformly-colored trees and more shrubs. However, the forest is still scenic and there are some nice redwood vistas as you approach the ridge.

The Ten Taypo Trail

At the ridge, the trail joins an old dirt road. There may be some traffic noise from highway 101 as you first climb, then descend on the dirt road through the redwoods. Turn left onto the Hope Creek Trail. The left turn is unmarked but there's no chance of missing it since the dirt road disappears at this point.

This part of the Hope Creek Trail, which is less scenic than the Ten Taypo Trail, ascends through a dark and gloomy grove before beginning a steep, switchbacking descent back to the intersection.

The Ten Taypo Trail