Mill Creek Trail

Mill Creek Trail is a 2.6-mile point-to-point route through old-growth redwoods, from the west trailhead on Howland Hill Road to the seasonal footbridge from Jedediah Smith Campground. The grades are uneven but not steep. Allow about 2½ hours one way with time to stop. If your car stays on Howland Hill Road, walking back makes it about 5.2 miles total, a half-day outing. Plan your return before you start.

The route moves in and out of Mill Creek’s forested corridor. The clearest break in the redwoods is Little Stout Grove: a flatter, fern- and sorrel-covered alluvial patch, with the taller trees of Stout Grove standing across the creek. From there, the trail climbs through upland redwoods, then dips back into flatter groves separated by brushier streamside stretches.

The elevated walkway takes you through the dark, ferny Grove of Titans among some of the area’s largest redwoods. It runs about 1,300 feet and keeps visitors above vulnerable roots. Stay on the boardwalk. For a photo, include a piece of the grating and railing beside a redwood trunk; it gives the trees a useful sense of scale.

Mill Creek supports coho and Chinook salmon, steelhead, and cutthroat trout. From October through December, vine and big-leaf maples add crimson and gold to the redwood shade. Berries are available to gather under the park’s one-gallon-per-person-per-day limit.

Parking at the Howland Hill Road trailhead is limited, and RVs or trailers aren’t advised on the road. There’s a restroom near the road junction. The eastern end is reached by a seasonal footbridge from the campground, so check that crossing before planning a one-way walk. Pets aren’t allowed on park trails; service animals are permitted.