Forget Sequoia National Park, This California Park Is An Underrated Gem Full Of Redwoods

From the weird, arid beauty of Joshua Tree National Park's bizarre rock formations and otherworldly trees to the dramatic granite monoliths like Yosemite National Park's Half Dome, California is one of America's best spots for outdoor adventure. But if there is one thing that makes the Golden State stand out, it's the staggeringly beautiful redwood and sequoia forests that can be found up and down the coast. Some of the most famous groves include Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Redwood National and State Parks, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. But there are plenty of underrated gems where the trees are just as tall, but the crowds of tourists are smaller. One of the best is Pescadero Creek Park.

Pescadero Creek Park covers 8,020 acres of San Mateo County, just an hour's drive west of San Jose or an hour south of San Francisco. Visitors coming from further afield can fly into San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) or San Francisco International Airport (SFO), which are both around an hour's drive from Pescadero Creek Park.

The Pescadero Creek Park Complex is made up of the Sam McDonald, Memorial, and Pescadero Creek County Parks. Together, they boast some of the most exquisite redwood forests in the Santa Cruz Mountains, as well as Douglas fir, Santa Cruz cypress, canyon live oak, and knobcone pine. One of the best spots for admiring the magnificence of the redwoods is Heritage Grove in Sam McDonald County Park, a wonderful 37-acre area of old-growth redwood forest.

Pescadero Creek Park is also a haven for wildlife, with deer, raccoons, coyotes, and mountain lions regularly seen by visitors. It is also home to the endangered marbled murrelet, a small, reclusive seabird which builds its nests in the safety and seclusion of the park. Two of the rivers that run through the park, Pescadero Creek and Alpine Creek, are home to endangered steelhead trout and coho salmon and are considered major spawning streams for these at-risk species. As a result, fishing is not permitted within the confines of the park.

One unusual oddity about Pescadero Creek Park is that it sits on top of significant reserves of gas and oil. Attempts have been made in the past to reach the oil, but they were unsuccessful. However, natural gas and crude oil sometimes bubble up near Hoffman Creek, Tarwater Creek, and Jones Gulch Creek, painting the rocks black and causing strong, surprising smells.

The awesome wilderness of Pescadero Creek Park is a fantastic place for hiking, with more than 26 miles of trails offering walkers and horseback riders plenty of opportunities for exploration under the shade of the vast redwood trees. The trail network in Pescadero connects with Northern California's hidden gem state park, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, as well as Portola Redwoods State Park, so keen redwood seekers can extend their hikes further into other parks.

The park offers a range of routes for all levels of experience. Short hikes of around an hour offer the chance to climb Mount Ellen or explore the Heritage Grove trails, while anyone after more of a challenge will want to take on the Ridge Loop or the Towne Trail. For the most adventurous hikers, the Butano Ridge Loop and the Pomponio Trail take six to eight hours to complete, making them ideal for a full day of trekking.

The park is also a great spot for camping, with two trail camps on offer at Shaw Flat and on the Tarwater Trail. These are designed as stop-offs for through-hikers, so the amenities are relatively rustic, with vault toilets but no water source. Keen campers will need to get a $10 permit from the ranger station to pitch a tent and should be aware that open fires are not permitted.