The Lady Bird Johnson Grove offers the closest thing to a guaranteed redwood encounter without the crowds that pack the roadside groves. This 1.5-mile loop sits 300 feet higher than the valley floor, which means fog, cooler air, and old-growth trees that feel genuinely wild rather than touristed.
Trail Details
- 🏃Activities
- Hiking
- 📊Difficulty
- Easy
- 🔁Trail Type
- loop
- 📏Distance
- 1.5 miles
- 🪨Surface
- aggregate / wood
- 🌤️Best Seasons
- january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, october, november, december
- 📍Location
- CA
- 🐕Dogs Allowed
- No
- 💵Fee
- Free
Overview
The grove sits three miles up Bald Hills Road from Orick, far enough to shed most casual visitors but accessible enough for families willing to navigate a narrow, winding dirt road. At 366 meters above sea level, the trail runs cooler and foggier than the coastal flats — pack a layer even on warm days. The 300-acre grove preserves trees that predate European contact, and the slightly elevated setting creates different growing conditions than you'll find in the more famous Prairie Creek groves.
The dedication plaque appears about halfway through the loop, marking the 1969 ceremony where the grove was named for the former first lady. It's a small detail, but it anchors the walk in recent conservation history rather than just natural spectacle.
What to Expect
The aggregate and wood surface stays firm underfoot, with trail width ranging from four to ten feet. A hikers' bridge crosses a small drainage about partway through — the slope exceeds wheelchair requirements, so this isn't an accessible trail despite the easy rating. The 1.4 miles include 101 feet of elevation gain, barely noticeable as you wind through the grove.
The fog layer makes a real difference here. Even on clear days down in Orick, the grove often sits socked in, creating the cathedral lighting that makes redwood photography work. The moisture also means mushrooms, ferns, and the kind of forest floor detail that disappears in drier conditions. Plan 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how much time you spend looking up.
The Berry Glen Trail junction appears somewhere along the route, offering a much more ambitious 3-mile extension with 1,000 feet of elevation gain for anyone wanting to push deeper into the Bald Hills. Most visitors stick to the grove loop.
Tips & Logistics
The drive up Bald Hills Road eliminates RVs, trailers, and buses — the parking area can't handle them, and the narrow road makes passing difficult when logging trucks come down. Don't park along the road itself; it creates collision hazards. The road conditions mean a slow, careful drive, but any standard passenger car can make it.
Summer brings ranger-led walks that start from the parking lot, though the self-guided loop works fine year-round. Dogs aren't allowed, and the standard park rules apply: stay on trail, don't pick anything, pack out trash.
The higher elevation means this grove often stays shrouded when the coastal areas clear, so don't assume weather conditions will match what you see from US-101. The fog can be the best part of the experience, but bring something warm. Cell service is spotty to nonexistent, so download maps beforehand or carry a paper backup — GPS reliability drops under the canopy.
The grove works as a quick add-on to Prairie Creek or Fern Canyon visits, or as a standalone destination if you want old-growth trees without the parking hassles of the more popular spots. The dirt road approach filters out casual traffic, but the easy walking makes it manageable for anyone who can handle the drive up.