California · National and State Parks trail

Trillium Falls Trail

in California

A Highly Recommended Walk This is a family-friendly, short hike passing old-growth redwoods, maples, trillium flowers, ferns, and huge fir trees... with a small waterfall too! There are some switchbacks and an elevation gain of 200-feet to reach the falls.

Trailhead parking is located at the Elk Meadow Day Use Area - just off Davison Road, three miles north of Orick. There is drinking water, information kiosks, flush toilets, picnic tables and it has plenty of parking for vehicles of any size (busses, RV's, and trailers included). Because of the trail's beauty, and the good parking and picnic options, many rangers recommend this as the best little hike in Redwood National and State Parks.

At the parking area, there is a good chance of seeing one of the Roosevelt elk herds that live in the park. Trillium Falls is 1/2 mile from the trailhead and is a great photo stop and turn-around point. To protect the vegetation at the waterfall please stay on the hikers' bridge.

States: California
Trail type: National and State Parks trail
Centroid nearest city: Eugene, OR · 195 mi · ~6 hr drive
Centroid coords: 41.3230°, -124.0451°

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/trilliumfallstrail.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 Trillium Falls Trail and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.

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California