Mendocino Woodlands State Park
Big Tree Trail–Marsh Creek Trail Loop, 6 sights
5.2 mi · ▲ 890 ft · 2 hr 11 min
Big Tree Trail–Marsh Creek Trail Loop, 6 sights is a 5.2-mile loop in Mendocino Woodlands State Park near Whiskey Springs, CA. It climbs 890 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 93/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Big Tree Trail–Marsh Creek Trail Loop, 6 sights
5.2 mi · ▲ 890 ft · 2 hr 11 min
Elevation 27–787 ft
Loop · Mendocino Woodlands State Park
Trailhead: Railroad Gulch Road · 39.31572, -123.70627
Weather Sep 4: Mostly clear, high 71°F / low 51° · precip 0% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:43 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 500 ftTurn right onto Big Tree Trail, heading SE.
- 0.9 miBear left onto Steam Donkey / Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 1.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Old Jeep Trail, heading NW.
- 0.6 miBear left onto Staircase, heading N.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Riparian Nature Trail, heading SW.
- 1.8 miBear right onto Big Tree Trail, heading SW.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 250 ftThe loop closes back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.3 mi in (~52 min). Leave by 6:30 PM for the 7:43 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:29 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Other ways to reach this destination
- 2 mi · out & back · via Marsh Creek Trail
- 2 mi · out & back · via Marsh Creek Trail
- 2.2 mi · out & back · via Marsh Creek Trail
- 2.5 mi · out & back · via Marsh Creek Trail
- 2.6 mi · out & back · via Marsh Creek Trail
- 3.1 mi · out & back · via Marsh Creek Trail
- 3.1 mi · out & back · via Marsh Creek Trail
- 3.9 mi · out & back · via Marsh Creek Trail
More from Railroad Gulch Road Trailhead
- Big Tree Trail 2.2 mi · ▲ 594 ft
- Big Dipper–Big Tree Trail, 3 sights 6.9 mi · ▲ 1,433 ft
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