FOM FOK Hiking Group

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Portola Redwoods State Park

Description

For a description of Portola Redwoods State Park, including an overall map and links to other web sites about the park, click here.

Directions

• From parking let south of the visitors center, head south along the service road.
• At the first trail heading southwest, head towards Tiptoe Falls, less than a half mile from the parking lot.
• We were unable to reach the falls due to a portion of the trail being closed, so we treked back up to the service road and continued south.
• After crossing the Pescadero Creek, we found that the Iverson Trail was also closed.
• We explored the small waterfall at the Iverson Trail head, and then went to Old Haul Road, a little over a half mile from where the previous trail intersected with the service road.
• It didn't look like we were going to be able to reach Tiptoe Falls from that direction either, so we turned around and headed back north along the service road.
• At the junction with the Summit Trail, about one quarter mile from Old Haul Road, we turned east and began the climb.
• Climb steadily about 600 feet along about one and a quarter mile of Summit Trail to the intersection with Slate Creek Trail. Here there is a clearing which is ideal for a rest and a snack.
• Take a left, heading north along Slate Creek Trail and descend 600 feet along about one and three quarter miles to the Upper Escape Road, where there are rest facilities.
• Go back to the trail, heading south about one quarter mile.
• At the intersection with Old Tree Trail, head west towards the service road, less than a quarter mile.

Saturday, March 18, 2000

		After paying the $6.00 parking fee, we parked just south of the visitor center and headed south along the service road to the first trail which headed southwest, towards Tiptoe Falls. Suzanne, Kathy, Chatherine, Nancy, Dirk, Steve, and Mike found that access to the falls was actually blocked, unless we wanted to ford the rather cold stream. So we returned to the road and attempted to find another access to the falls further south. That access was closed, but we did find a small waterfall just across the bridge over the Pescadero Creek. We also found the Iverson's Cabin site, but the cabin did not survive the last season. Heading back up the service road, we stopped to do some work for the Society for the Prevention of Plate Tectonics. Then we took the Summit Trail. A little way up the trail, we came across two large water storage tanks [top left: Dirk, Steven, Catherine, Nancy]. Less than a mile later, we reached the summit [bottom left: Catherine, Steven, Nancy, Kathy, Dirk] and had a snack while we talked. During the descent, we stopped to notice the various plants. In particular, we noticed the difference in foliage between young and old Redwood branches. Upon reaching the Upper Escape Road, Nancy and Kathy entertained us with singing. Afterwards, we retired to the picnic area for a shared lunch before returning home.

Copyright © 2000-2002 by Michael Wimble, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED