Prepare for the rigorous and long hikes you will be taking in Redwood National Park. Condition yourself with a workout program in preparation for the strenuous walks over sometimes steep, mountainous terrain. Ride a bicycle to condition your legs for walking uphill. Get maps of the park hiking trails or topographical maps of the area. Study them to familiarize yourself with the lay of the land.
Start off with an easy, one-hour stroll through the old growth redwood forest by taking the 1-mile long Lady Bird Johnson Nature Loop. Take Bald Hills Road 2 miles from the highway 101 turnoff to the marked trail head. Stop at the Lady Bird Johnson grove at the top of the ridge to see some of the oldest trees in Redwood National Park. Look for rhododendrons and azaleas in the spring.
Hike the moderate 2.5-mile Trillium Falls Trail in the spring to see patches of white trillium flowers growing amongst the old growth redwoods, Douglas-fir, hemlock and Sitka spruce trees. Start at the trailhead in Elk Meadow Day Use Area. Poke around the damp forest floor to observe Pacific giant salamanders and the famous California banana slug. Hike to Trillium Falls to see the 10-foot waterfall cascading over moss-covered rocks in the shade of big-leaf maple trees.
Take the Redwood Creek Trail and follow it to the Tall Trees Grove Trail. Look for the trailhead off Bald Hills Road. Be prepared for a challenging trek with a 500-foot elevation gain. Walk 8 miles through the Redwood Creek alluvial valley to reach the 3.5-mile Tall Trees Trail. Get a free permit at the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center for the Tall Trees Trail.
Hike the horse trails if you're in top shape and up for backcountry camping. Locate the trail heads at the Orick Rodeo Grounds. Carry only essential items for the endurance hikes. Take the 14-mile McArthur Creek Loop, 20-mile Elam Loop or the 32-mile long 44 Loop for a moderately difficult hike. Walk the steep grades and switchback curves of the trail through the forest of old-growth and second-growth trees. Enjoy the ocean views and the wild ginger, salal, and evergreen huckleberries of the undergrowth.
