Redwood Grove Loop
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Immerse yourself in a living exhibit of ancient redwoods.
Length
0.9 miles
Rated
Easy*
Trail Type
Loop
Elevation Gain
42 feet
Looking for an easy–and majestic–adventure in nature? Explore some of the biggest redwoods in the Santa Cruz mountains on one of the most accessible trails in the region: the Redwood Grove Loop at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.
Rated “easy” by California State Parks, this 0.9-mile loop features wide and mostly flat trails, with compact ground. It is ideal for most every visitor, including those seeking mobility that matches their pace and style. Meander through ancient redwoods and enjoy interpretive signs, an audio tour, and plenty of benches for rest and contemplation.
And if you are looking for more adventure, the loop connects to more rugged trails that lead to swimming, creeks, meadows, and even extremely rare sandhill dunes.
*Trail ratings vary and in this guide you will find information to make the best choice for your health and wellness goals.
Enjoy the health benefits of time in nature on the Redwood Grove Loop at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in the Santa Cruz mountains.
Why is this a healthful experience?
Trails Rx Benefits
Unleash the Healing Power of Nature
Trails Rx was established to help you improve your physical and mental health while enjoying time in nature. With guidance from Sempervirens Fund's Wellness Advisor, Dr. Suzanne Bartlett Hackenmiller, we took inspiration from her work with Iowa's Hartman Reserve Nature Center.
The program promotes regular use of these trails, or parks near you, to integrate nature's healing benefits into daily life.
"Research increasingly finds that human health is improved by spending time in nature. Whether exercising, birdwatching, or spending quiet, mindful time outdoors, a host of physical and mental health benefits have been confirmed."
Dr. Suzanne Bartlett Hackenmiller
MD, FACOG FABOIM Sempervirens Fund Wellness Advisor
What Does the Data Say?
Here are ways you can measure the benefits of enjoying the Redwood Grove Loop trail:
Light Pace
2.5 miles per hour
Trail Length
0.9 miles
Metabolic Equivalent of Task
The amount of energy used while active compared to energy used sitting still.
3.2 METs
Time
22 minutes
Calories
Estimates vary by weight.
130 lbs
71 calories
165 lbs
91 calories
200 lbs
110 calories
235 lbs
129 calories
Moderate Pace
3.5 miles per hour
Trail Length
0.9 miles
Metabolic Equivalent of Task
The amount of energy used while active compared to energy used sitting still.
4.1 METs
Time
15 minutes
Calories
Estimates vary by weight.
130 lbs
65 calories
165 lbs
83 calories
200 lbs
100 calories
235 lbs
118 calories
Trail Benefits
Health Benefits of Unique Features along the Redwood Grove Loop Trail
Reduce stress.
A study found that just twenty to thirty minutes in nature lowered study participants’ stress hormones cortisol and alpha-amylase in their saliva by 21% and 28%, respectively. How do you feel after a walk around Redwood Grove Loop?
Memory and attention.
Research is finding that time in nature is good for our memory, attention and creativity. For example, one study found that memory and attention span were improved by 20% after just one hour in nature. Another one compared novice versus experienced hikers and found that those who were more experienced demonstrated better memory on a performance test than the novice hikers. These findings suggest that it’s good for our brain health to regularly hit the trails!
Immune boost.
Time in nature boosts the immune system in ways that are still being explored. For example, we know that simply inhaling “phytoncides,” a component in the essential oils from trees, has been found to boost our level and activity of Natural Killer immune cells that circulate in our bloodstream to attack viruses, bacteria, and even tumor cells. Research has found that this benefit lasts for as long as thirty days out from a nature experience, so make it at least a monthly goal to visit the trails!
References: https://doi.org/10.1080/08923970600809439 and https://doi.org/10.1007/s12199-008-0068-3.
See more below in our Invitations section for suggestions to maximize this experience.
Invitations
Body and Mind Contemplation
We believe each place has the potential to reward our senses and bring us peace and mindfulness. In the practice of Shinrin-yoku, or Forest Bathing, invitations are prompts we can give ourselves to invite an inward response to the nature we are experiencing. In this section we offer invitations you might respond to in your experience visiting the Redwood Grove Loop Trail.
Pleasures of Presence
For these invitations sit, stand, or rest comfortably against something solid and close your eyes or lower them to the ground.
Notice the Air
Rest comfortably and slowly breathe, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Notice the air: the fragrance, the temperature, and the moisture.
Connect to the Earth
Listen Closely, and Far Away
See this Place
Invitations for the Redwood Grove Loop Trail
Gazing Up a Tree
Stop moving for a moment and gaze in all directions until a particular Redwood catches your attention. Move toward the tree and when you find a location where you can see it well, find a place to sit or perhaps lean against or near another tree. Take five minutes or so to very slowly gaze up the tree that caught your attention, starting with the roots as far away as they extend, up the trunk of the tree, exploring the branches with your eyes, and taking the full five minutes to gaze ever so slowly to the very top of the tree. What do you notice?
How is This Like That?
Connect our Worlds
Follow Roots
You might spend some time jotting down or journaling what you noticed during this experience.
Learn more about Forest Bathing and check out a longer list of invitations to consider.
About the Park
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, located in the Santa Cruz mountains, draws visitors from all around the world. The park’s 4,650 acres offer impressive 360-degree views of surrounding mountains and Monterey Bay, and a diversity of habitats but it is best known for its 40-acre grove of old-growth redwood trees which launched a movement. A visit to this ancient redwood grove, by photographer Andrew P. Hill, more than a century ago helped launch the Sempervirens Club (now, Sempervirens Fund) and the redwood preservation movement.
What The Park Offers
Getting There
Know before you go: Visit the trail page for the latest updates.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
The park is located five miles from Highway 17 in Felton, California.
Admission
$10 vehicle day-use fee