Difference between revisions of "Chetco Redwoods Loop Hike"
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
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=== Hike Description === | === Hike Description === | ||
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Alfred A. Loeb State Park was established in 1948 after land was donated by Mr. Loeb and others to create a myrtlewood preserve. There are some big sprawling myrtles here, and the hike up the state park’s Riverview Trail offers some colorful portals to the Chetco River, a designated Wild and Scenic River, to just above the state park. The Riverview Trail connects with the world’s northernmost pocket of redwoods, and a loop trail allows you to view some of these as you circle a lush bowl in a sliver of national forest. This is a healthy redwood forest, and the largest of these trees is 290 feet tall with a circumference of 34 feet and a diameter of 10 feet. The redwood grove expands beyond the trail area, and the world’s northernmost redwoods are actually more than two miles north of here. They are young redwoods, vigorously growing and spreading in range, in a clearcut that was logged many decades ago. | Alfred A. Loeb State Park was established in 1948 after land was donated by Mr. Loeb and others to create a myrtlewood preserve. There are some big sprawling myrtles here, and the hike up the state park’s Riverview Trail offers some colorful portals to the Chetco River, a designated Wild and Scenic River, to just above the state park. The Riverview Trail connects with the world’s northernmost pocket of redwoods, and a loop trail allows you to view some of these as you circle a lush bowl in a sliver of national forest. This is a healthy redwood forest, and the largest of these trees is 290 feet tall with a circumference of 34 feet and a diameter of 10 feet. The redwood grove expands beyond the trail area, and the world’s northernmost redwoods are actually more than two miles north of here. They are young redwoods, vigorously growing and spreading in range, in a clearcut that was logged many decades ago. | ||
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=== Guidebooks that cover this hike === | === Guidebooks that cover this hike === | ||
| − | * ''Hiking Southern Oregon'' by Art Bernstein & | + | * ''Hiking Southern Oregon'' by Art Bernstein & Victor Harris |
* ''Oregon's Ancient Forests: A Hiking Guide'' by Chandra LeGue | * ''Oregon's Ancient Forests: A Hiking Guide'' by Chandra LeGue | ||
| − | * ''100 Hikes | + | * ''100 Hikes: Oregon Coast'' by William L. Sullivan |
| + | * ''Oregon Hiking'' by Matt Wastradowski | ||
| + | * ''Pacific Northwest Hiking'' by Craig Hill & Matt Wastradowski | ||
* ''Best Hikes With Kids: Oregon'' by Bonnie Henderson & Zach Urness | * ''Best Hikes With Kids: Oregon'' by Bonnie Henderson & Zach Urness | ||
* ''120 Hikes on the Oregon Coast'' by Bonnie Henderson | * ''120 Hikes on the Oregon Coast'' by Bonnie Henderson | ||
* ''Day Hiking: Oregon Coast'' by Bonnie Henderson | * ''Day Hiking: Oregon Coast'' by Bonnie Henderson | ||
| + | * ''Best Hikes with Children: Western & Central Oregon'' by Bonnie Henderson | ||
* ''Hike America: Oregon'' by Lizann Dunegan | * ''Hike America: Oregon'' by Lizann Dunegan | ||
* ''75 Hikes in Oregon’s Coast Range and Siskiyous'' by Rhonda & George Ostertag | * ''75 Hikes in Oregon’s Coast Range and Siskiyous'' by Rhonda & George Ostertag | ||
Revision as of 00:24, 14 January 2023
- Start point: Riverview Trailhead
- End point: Chetco Giant
- Hike Type: Lollipop loop
- Distance: 2.6 miles
- Elevation gain: 520 feet
- High Point: 470 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Seasons: All year
- Family Friendly: Yes
- Backpackable: No
- Crowded: No
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Contents |
Hike Description
Alfred A. Loeb State Park was established in 1948 after land was donated by Mr. Loeb and others to create a myrtlewood preserve. There are some big sprawling myrtles here, and the hike up the state park’s Riverview Trail offers some colorful portals to the Chetco River, a designated Wild and Scenic River, to just above the state park. The Riverview Trail connects with the world’s northernmost pocket of redwoods, and a loop trail allows you to view some of these as you circle a lush bowl in a sliver of national forest. This is a healthy redwood forest, and the largest of these trees is 290 feet tall with a circumference of 34 feet and a diameter of 10 feet. The redwood grove expands beyond the trail area, and the world’s northernmost redwoods are actually more than two miles north of here. They are young redwoods, vigorously growing and spreading in range, in a clearcut that was logged many decades ago.
Take a minute to look at the old mossy myrtle trees at the trailhead. The oldest trees here are 200 years old, and the largest are six feet in diameter. Then cross the road to the kiosk, and pick up the Riverview Trail. Hike past picnic tables with a large Douglas-fir and old myrtle trees up the slope to your left. Reach a lettered post from the old nature trail, and see the Chetco River flowing serenely below. Cross a footbridge in a gully; the North Bank Road is just above you. Sprawling mossy maples reach out over the Chetco, and there may be drift boats floating downstream during winter steelhead and chinook fishing season. The trail braids briefly as it descends to another footbridge. After crossing a third footbridge, you’ll find yourself right above the river. Reach the North Bank Road, and cross it to the Redwood Nature Trailhead.
The trail here loops around a small disjunct section of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. If there is a brochure at the kiosk, take one to guide you around this interpretive trail. The redwoods here are of all ages and sizes and are at the northernmost fringe of their range. Hike up a creek and come to the loop junction. Your first redwood is straight ahead of you. Go left to do the loop clockwise. Pass through a stand of redwood saplings, and note a stump with a logging cable attached to it. You can see the North Bank Road and the Chetco River below. There are also some large Douglas-firs and sprawling myrtles in here. A spur leads back down to the road. Continuing the loop, head up the slope through a thicket of evergreen huckleberry. Loop up past a big hemlock, and switchback twice to reach your first really large redwood. Then the trail drops through rhododendron, myrtle, tanoak, and evergreen huckleberry to cross a slope of redwoods of varying sizes towering over a fairly open understory. Look upslope to see some larger trees. Descend to a footbridge over a creek, then switchback up through more redwoods. Follow the creek up to switchback past the biggest redwood on the trail, perhaps 10 feet in diameter and 800-900 years old. Hike up a slope, and then drop to switchback twice above the main creek in this lush bowl. Cross a footbridge to switchback twice in an almost pure stand of younger redwoods. After two more switchbacks, you’ll reach a massive hollow redwood that has been scorched by fire. Cross a footbridge over the creek, and reach the loop junction. Go left to return to the trailhead, and then cross the road to hike the Riverview Trail back to your car.
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
- The Redwood Nature Trail (Redwood Hikes)
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Powers and Gold Beach Ranger Districts
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Siskiyou National Forest
Fees, Regulations, etc.
- Picnic tables, restrooms, campground at Loeb State Park
- Picnic tables, restrooms at Redwood Nature Trailhead
- Dogs on leash
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Chetco Redwoods Loop Hike
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Chetco Redwoods Loop Hike
Guidebooks that cover this hike
- Hiking Southern Oregon by Art Bernstein & Victor Harris
- Oregon's Ancient Forests: A Hiking Guide by Chandra LeGue
- 100 Hikes: Oregon Coast by William L. Sullivan
- Oregon Hiking by Matt Wastradowski
- Pacific Northwest Hiking by Craig Hill & Matt Wastradowski
- Best Hikes With Kids: Oregon by Bonnie Henderson & Zach Urness
- 120 Hikes on the Oregon Coast by Bonnie Henderson
- Day Hiking: Oregon Coast by Bonnie Henderson
- Best Hikes with Children: Western & Central Oregon by Bonnie Henderson
- Hike America: Oregon by Lizann Dunegan
- 75 Hikes in Oregon’s Coast Range and Siskiyous by Rhonda & George Ostertag
- Oregon Campgrounds Hiking Guide by Rhonda & George Ostertag
- Hiking Oregon by Donna Lynn Ikenberry
- Oregon Hiking by Sean Patrick Hill
- A Walking Guide to Oregon’s Ancient Forests by Wendell Wood
- Oregon State Parks: A Complete Recreation Guide by Jan Bannan
- The Dog Lover’s Companion to Oregon by Val Mallinson
- Canine Oregon by Lizann Dunegan
More Links
- Alfred A. Loeb State Park (Oregon State Parks)
- River View Trail (Outdoor Project)
- Riverview Nature Trail (Roadtrippers)
- Redwood Nature Trail #1111 (USFS)
- The Redwood Nature Trail (Redwood Hikes)
- Redwood Nature Trail (Outdoor Project)
- On the trail of Oregon Redwoods (Zach’s Adventures)
- “Two ways to explore Oregon’s redwoods” (Statesman Journal)
- Alfred A. Loeb State Park Nature Trails (All Trails)
- Chetco River (USFS)
Contributors
- bobcat (creator)