California · National and State Parks trail

Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #1

in California

A Timeless Place Countless people through the years have entered this grove of trees. They, too, gazed at the stupendous heights of the redwoods and vainly stretched their arms around the stalwart gray trunks. How long ago did our own ancestors first share our wonder at these forest giants?

How many generations before us have joined in a collective gasp of amazement at the forest before you now? An old-growth redwood forest is many things. First and foremost, it is home to very old and very large trees.

Under the dense canopy, redwood seedlings grow in the scattered sunlight beneath their towering forebears. Nearby, decaying trees, felled by a thousand years of winter winds, nurture the soil, and provide life for an amazing array of other trees, shrubs, and flowers. Varying shades of green and splashes of seasonal color are the canvas on which the mountain lion and black bear thrive alongside the marbled murrelet and winter wren.

States: California
Trail type: National and State Parks trail
Centroid nearest city: Eugene, OR · 196 mi · ~6 hr drive
Centroid coords: 41.3046°, -124.0187°

About Redwood National and State Parks

National and State Parks

This trail is inside Redwood National and State Parks, a national and state parks managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/lady-bird-johnson-nature-trail-stop-1.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/redw/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #1 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.