Henry Cowell Redwoods: Reset in nature’s aromatherapy
The moment you step into the park, that cool and earthy scent of the redwoods as well as their awe-inspiring height immediately surround you. It triggers an endorphin release, and just like that, the city is gone.
Nestled in the Santa Cruz mountains, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park preserves a 40-acre grove of old-growth coast redwoods, some up to 277 feet tall and 1,500 years old. The land once fed San Francisco’s growth, logged and quarried by industrialist Henry Cowell in the 1800s. His descendants eventually donated it to the state in 1954, and the trees have been exhaling ever since.
The park has many trails to offer, but even the short 0.8-mile Redwood Grove Loop is enough to reset almost anything. Leave that worried mind aside, and let nature’s aroma heal you.
Tips
- Entrance is $10 for day-use parking, and free if you have a CA State Parks pass.
- Book a seat on the Redwood Forest Steam Train at the nearby Roaring Camp Railroads. It’s a good old-fashioned yet perfect ride to learn about the railroad’s logging history.
- Leave early or stay late as Highway 17 can crawl on weekends.
