Berry Glen Trail

Overview

Berry Glen is a newer, quieter way to reach the ever-popular Lady Bird Johnson Grove. It’s a steady, wooded climb through classic North Coast forest that pays off with increasingly impressive redwoods as you gain elevation. Expect about 5.7 miles total, out-and-back, with roughly 1,300 feet of elevation gain and around 3 hours of hiking time. If you add more of the Lady Bird Johnson Grove loop at the top, your mileage will nudge higher.

Trail Experience

From the Elk Meadow area, you’ll cross Prairie Creek, carefully cross Highway 101, and then start climbing. The lower section is green, damp, and dark—redwoods mixed with tanoak—and you’ll likely hear traffic for a bit. As you ascend, the road noise fades, the forest opens up, and the trees get bigger. Groundcover shifts to huckleberry and tall ferns, and you’ll pass through a corridor that transitions from previously logged stands into old-growth. Near the top, you connect with the Lady Bird Johnson Grove, a brighter, relatively level grove with a historic dedication plaque.

Trail tread feels wider and smoother than many older routes in the area—the path opened in 2010—so the footing is friendly even as the grade works your lungs. It’s uphill almost the whole way to the grove; the return is all downhill.

Logistics and Tips

Park at the Elk Meadow Day Use Area on Davison Road (restrooms there), then follow signs toward the meadow and the footbridge over Prairie Creek. After crossing the highway, look for the Berry Glen Trail sign and the singletrack that climbs via switchbacks. Winter note: Davison Road can have shallow flooding; plan accordingly. Berry Glen itself sees lighter traffic, but Lady Bird Johnson Grove can be busy—another reason to start early.

Bring layers for cool, foggy mornings; the coastal moisture keeps temperatures mild but the tread can be slick after rain. In bug season, repellent helps. Roosevelt elk often linger in Elk Meadow—give them space and never approach.

Is It Worth It?

Yes—especially if you want a more peaceful approach to Lady Bird Johnson Grove. The climb is sustained and the first stretch isn’t glamorous (traffic noise, highway crossing), but the upper half delivers classic old-growth ambiance without the parking circus you’ll find at the grove’s main trailhead. If you’re short on time or not up for a steady climb, the grove’s own loop is easier; otherwise, Berry Glen is an underrated way to earn your redwoods.

Best Time to Hike

Year-round. Mornings often bring moody fog that photographs beautifully among the big trees; by late morning to midday, light filters nicely through the canopy. Weekdays see fewer people at the grove. In winter, check conditions for Davison Road and expect damp, slick tread.