California · National and State Parks trail

Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #2

in California

.Forest Everlasting “Sempervirens”, the scientific species name for the coast redwoods, means everlasting. Coast redwoods live longer than almost any plants on our planet. The largest trees found their first rays of sunlight when Aztecs and Mayans ruled Central America and Marco Polo traversed the Asian continent.

While most redwoods here are between 600 and 800 years old, some redwoods may survive for two millennia. Though its tiny one-inch cones produce thousands of seeds, redwood seedlings rarely survive to maturity. Throughout the forest, tight clusters of trees, like those before you, illustrate a more successful method of redwood genesis.

Massive clusters of bud material in swollen bumpy knobs called root collar burls lie dormant beneath the soft red-gray bark. Burls may remain inactive for generations, but when a tree is stressed by low rainfall or intense fire, the sleeping sprouts wake. The redwoods’ longevity through the ages is assured.

States: California
Trail type: National and State Parks trail
Centroid nearest city: Eugene, OR · 196 mi · ~6 hr drive
Centroid coords: 41.3049°, -124.0197°

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-2.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 #2 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.