Hiking Jedediah Smith Redwoods Stout Grove
Jedediah Smith State Park and Stout Grove are in northwestern California and part of Redwood National Park. The park is absolutely stunning and a bucket list destination for every outdoor enthusiast. While there are many things to do in the park, including camping, scenic drives, and much more. A trip to Jedidiah Smith State Park would only be complete by hiking the Stout Grove Memorial Trail. The trail is one of the most beautiful trails not only in the park but in California. Yes, I realize that is a bold statement, but I stand by it.
Hiking Stout Grove
The hike through Stout Grove is short in length but offers nothing short of spectacular scenery—the half-mile trail loops through towering redwoods. Many of the trees are up to 2,000 years old, soar more than 300 feet tall, and are up to 22 feet in diameter. The trail is on the Smith River Flood plain and is blanketed by waist-high ferns. The occasional floodwater prevents much undergrowth from getting very tall along the route, so this allows visitors to get an excellent understanding of just how massive the trees are.
The best time to hike is in the early morning when there is often a thin layer of fog carpeting the ground or around sunset when beams of light cascade through the trees. Following my advice, I got there early in the morning. It was a cool morning, with plenty of water in the air. My glasses fogged up immediately upon exiting my rig. As I made my way around the loop, I moved slowly, enjoying the crisp, clean-smelling air filled with the sounds of songbirds singing high above. I was thrilled only to see one other couple as I took my time meandering down the trail.
Sometimes, words cannot paint an adequate picture of indescribable beauty. This is one of those moments.
Camping in Jedediah Smith State Park
Stout Grove is located across the Smith River from the Jedediah Smith Campground. If you have the time to camp there, we highly recommend it. It accepts advance reservations and is one of my all-time favorite campgrounds. Sleeping surrounded by giant redwoods is truly special. If you plan to book one of the park’s 89 sites, plan ahead; it is very competitive.
A little background about the grove: in 1929, Clara W. Stout, widow of lumberman Frank D. Stout, donated the tract of old-growth redwood forest to Save the Redwoods League to prevent it from being logged. She did this in memory of her late husband. Stout Grove as it would become known, then became the first dedicated grove in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.
