Portola State Park
Portola State Park is a place of peace. Its 2,800 acres and the road that leads there descend from a ridge top into a densely shaded redwood forest, providing a quiet refuge from the adjacent residential activity of Silicon Valley and the South Bay. There are 18 miles of trails that go through a forest of ferns, huckleberries, and coast redwoods, all thriving in damp conditions. Hiking, picnics, and other daytime activities are permitted throughout the year. The campsite is available for use.
Most Bay Area locations are a 1.5- to 2-hour journey from the park. The park has no petrol station or grocery store, so visitors should come prepared. Those in La Honda can find the park at 9000 Portola State Park Road. You may reach Highway 35 from San Jose and Santa Cruz by taking Highway 9. Take Highway 35 North and exit at Alpine Road.
History of Portola Regional Park
The Olpen, an Ohlone people group, have been the guardians of the land where Portola Redwoods State Park stands from the beginning of time. The Olpen people were uprooted and relocated due to colonial atrocities that spanned multiple centuries.
Their offspring carry on the family tradition of caretaking and presence in the area today in collaboration with State Parks. Gaspar de Portolá, a Spanish explorer, inspired the park’s namesake. The Portolá expedition never reached this location in 1769 from the San Mateo coast overland to San Francisco Bay.
Hiking At Portola State Park
Over 18 miles of paths of varied lengths and degrees of difficulty may be found in Portola Redwoods State Park. Although this redwood park is smaller than others in the region, there are still enough trails over its 2800 acres of wilderness to keep you busy for at least a few days. The following are some of our favourite hikes from Portola Redwoods State Park:
Old Tree Trail
The Old Tree Trail at Portola Redwoods State Park is a great option for those looking for a short, level, and straightforward hike. The Old Tree Trail is a road through the woods leading to a humongous redwood tree over 280 feet tall and over 1200 years old. Many interpretive signs along the path provide background information about these prehistoric giants.
These unusual trees have found their ideal habitat on the misty central coast of California. Redwood trees can only obtain enough moisture from the fog to survive in a small area along the West Coast. Especially in dry years, this is crucial for the continued development of their leaves and roots.
Iverson Trail To Tiptoe Falls
Tiptoe Falls, a small waterfall concealed in the forest along the Pescadero Creek, can be reached through a detour via the Iverson Trail from the Sequoia Nature Trail. Along its 1.25-mile length, this trail passes multiple stands of impressively tall redwoods. The air cools and eerily still when you enter this redwood grove. Tiptoe Falls, located along Pescadero Creek, is the highlight of this trek. Despite its small size, Tiptoe Falls is a great place to cool off in the afternoon. Redwood forests around the waterfall have salamanders and vivid yellow Banana Slugs.
Dog Trail
Portola Redwoods State Park is dog-friendly; however, canines are restricted to the park’s paved roads, campgrounds, and the Dog Trail. The asphalt road that runs beside the Portola Redwoods State Park campsites is where the Dog Trail begins. The next 1.5 miles of the loop are spent winding through the woods on Lower Escape Road before it meets up with Upper Escape Road.
Address: 9000 Portola State Park Rd, La Honda, CA 94020, United States
Opens-Closed: 9 am- 5 pm
Phone Number: +1 650-948-9098
Management: California State Parks
Established: 1945
