Rhododendron Trail

Rhododendron Trail is a 6.3-mile point-to-point walk through the redwood slopes of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. It begins at the marked access on the east side of Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway at mile marker 130.54 and runs south through rolling forest into a network of connecting trails. The grades are moderate and uneven rather than steep. Allow about three and a half hours for the one-way walk. The published mileage does not label its direction; the mapped corridor is a through route, so plan on 6.3 miles each way if you retrace it.

The walk alternates between shaded creek valleys and sunnier upland forest. Streamside maples and ferns give way to redwoods mixed with tanoak and huckleberry. One upper stretch climbs through a shallow glen and switchbacks toward a large hollow redwood nicknamed the chimney. The mix of creek bottoms and higher forest makes this a longer, more varied walk than a short grove loop.

Pink and red rhododendron blooms stand out against the surrounding greens and give the route its name. Timing varies from year to year; mid-May into early June is usually the best window. For a spring walk, it is a good way to pair flowers with an extended redwood hike.

The Rhododendron corridor connects with Brown Creek, South Fork, Cal Barrel Road, CREA and Cathedral Trees trails. Those links make longer circuits possible, but each combination is a different route with additional mileage. From the marked parkway access, plan a shuttle or another verified connection; walking back the way you came turns this into a 12.6-mile day. Parking at the marked access is limited. Pets are not allowed on park trails; trained service animals are permitted.