Stout Memorial Grove

Stout Memorial Grove is a 44-acre stand of old-growth coast redwoods on an alluvial flat beside the Smith River, inside Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Some trees rise about 300 feet. The short route puts you among the trunks, close enough to see their bark and the fern-covered floor instead of viewing the grove from a road. Come for a close-up walk under enormous trees; it’s one of the strongest stops in the park if you can spare the drive. Allow about two hours for getting there and walking, even though the trail itself is short.

The direct approach is along the eastern section of Howland Hill Road, which is winding, narrow and mostly unpaved. Cars and vans can reach the grove parking area; there is no parking there for RVs or trailers. A second approach starts at Jedediah Smith Campground’s day-use area and follows a path upstream to a seasonal footbridge. Those bridges are usually installed from late June through late September, but river flow sets the dates, so check current conditions before you count on that crossing. Howland Hill Road can also have short storm-repair closures.

The trail is about half a mile long. Its wood-and-aggregate path is 4 to 6 feet wide, and most of the grove walk is an easy, level stroll around the flat. The trail is not ADA accessible. A separate spur drops about 20 feet on switchbacks to the river, so the cobbled beach is a steeper add-on rather than part of the level walk.

Look for the Stout Tree, whose rippled bark sets it apart even among its neighbors. A viewing platform was added around it in 2018 to keep foot traffic from wearing down the soil and roots at its base. The platform gives you a close look without needing to circle the trunk.

The memorial name marks a specific act of conservation. In 1929 Clara W. Stout gave the 44-acre grove to Save the Redwoods League in memory of her husband, Frank D. Stout. It became the first dedicated grove in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.

The grove sits on the alluvial flat at the meeting of Mill Creek and the Smith River. Redwoods grow densely here, while ferns and redwood sorrel fill much of the forest floor and there are few small trees underneath. The river spur reaches a cobbled beach at the confluence; in summer, visitors also come down to picnic, paddle and swim.

Stand on the established path and tilt up between the trunks to keep their height and the canopy in the same frame. A strip of fern-covered ground or the path itself helps show scale; if another visitor is already on the trail, they can give the trees a human reference. Late-afternoon summer light sometimes filters through near Mill Creek, but it depends on season and conditions.