Oh, Henry!

Hiking in Fall Creek Unit Santa Cruz

12.08.2016

Hike through a verdant redwood forest less traveled and get a glimpse into Santa Cruz of old, when oxen, wagons, and miners populated the hills. The Fall Creek Unit in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is just a short drive from the small town of Felton. The 4.6-mile (round-trip) hike to Barrel Mill follows the park’s creek, which, after a few days of rain, is an especially impressive sight. Start on Bennett Creek Trail, passing briefly through a forest of second-growth redwood, Douglas fir, and tan oak before ambling alongside flowing Fall Creek on its namesake trail. You’ll cross a bridge that comes to a fork, unsigned but marked instead by a large tree at the bridge’s end.

To stay on the Fall Creek Trail, take a right at the fork and continue following the trail along the rising and falling landscape all the way to the Barrel Mill site. You get a hint of a bygone era here where redwoods were once used to create barrels to transport limestone. Return the way you came (completing the 4.6 miles), or continue along the trail and make an 8-mile (round-trip) loop to see other attractions, including Big Ben Tree, a beautiful redwood with a cavernous trunk (take a breather inside the redwood’s huge, hollowed trunk).

BONUS BEER: The Cremer House restaurant and alehouse in Felton is just short drive from Fall Creek, and, as the oldest building in the town of Felton, keeps with the historic vibe of the Fall Creek Barrel Mill trail. But really, it's just about a "mug" of beer here! Try the Margaret Cremer, a red steam ale brewed exclusively for The Cremer House, or the Slug Life IPA, dry-hopped. The choices alone make it worth the stop.

For the hike, we strongly recommend picking up a detailed map of the Fall Creek Unit, which can be purchased for $1 at the main Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Ranger Office and Entrance Station, 101 North Big Trees Park Rd.) To reach the trailhead from Felton, drive 0.5 mile up Felton-Empire Rd. The Fall Creek entrance and parking lot is on your right. Free parking. Map. No dogs.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View

  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

    View
  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

    View
  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View