Hiking the James Irvine Trail

On December 27, 2007 we set out to hike the James Irvine Trail in Prairie Creek State Park, part of the Redwoods National Forest. We walked from our campsite in Elk Prairie Campground to where the trailhead was. After some initial confusion we finally figured out which way to go. Turns out that the beginning of the trail was closed for maintenance, no worries though, there is a bypass from Miners ridge trail to the James Irvine trail. So we started up Miners Ridge trail. As expected it was raining, and had been raining for some time, the beginning of the trail was very wet and muddy. At times it was difficult to navigate the trail due to the mud. Once we gained some elevation, and got out of the mud, we were able to begin to appreciate how beautiful the trail is. The forest floor was covered in Ferns and old trees that had fallen. The redwood’s are as magnificent as people say. They are so tall that it is easy to get a kink in the neck trying to see the tops of them. While there base is not as big as the base of a Sequoia, they are still very large. In some areas large trees had fallen across the trail, the section crossing the trail was cut away to allow passage. This also allowed for better appreciation of how large the trees are. After about ½ mile on Miners Ridge trail we came to a junction for the James Irvine Trail. This trail was no less breathe taking than the last. There are a few bridges along the trail to help you cross the creeks that are flowing down the hills. Shortly after getting on the James Irvine trail we realized that there was no way we were going to be able to get to the end of the trail and back before dark. So we decided to continue on for another couple miles and then turn back. After just under 3 miles from the start we decided to turnaround. Then plan was to finish the trail from the other side on the next day.Things didn’t work out as planned the next day (See Camping in the Redwood Forest) and we didn’t get to finish the trail. So on our third day I got up early and drove to Fern Canyon to finish the trail. I parked the truck and headed to the canyon to get to the trail. At the mouth of the canyon on the left (North) side there is a trailhead for the James Irvine trail. I got on the trail and walked up the many stairs. Maybe it was the rain, or maybe it was because I was alone, but I felt that this part of the trail was even more beautiful than the first. Once up the side of the canyon the trail levels out and is relatively flat. The entire trail is so awesome that it is difficult to pick out just a few things to mention. After two miles I reached the point where we had turned around just a few days ago. With that, I turned around and headed back to the truck. Due to time constraints, I was in a hurry to finish the trail and get back to camp so I didn’t get a chance to really enjoy any of the many dedicated groves along the trail, nor did I have a chance to look at any of the connecting trails.

Trail Details
Length: ~5 miles (one way)
Elevation Change: Start at 200ft climb to 575ft and end at sea level (0 ft)

Maps
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Google Maps

Photos

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