Big Trees Trail–Chaparral Trail, 5 sights is a 3.2-mile out-and-back in Joaquin Miller Park near Redwood Heights, CA. It climbs 833 ft, with sections as steep as 31% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 1/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi955 – 1,447 ft · steepest grade: 31%3.7 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: West Trail 37.81766, -122.18930
Nearest town Redwood Heights, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Big Trees Trail–Chaparral Trail, 5 sights
3.2 mi · ▲ 833 ft · 1 hr 29 min
Elevation 953–1,446 ft
Out & Back · Joaquin Miller Park
Trailhead: West Trail · 37.81766, -122.18930
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 6:15 AM · sunset 8:16 PM
- Start on West Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Castle Park Trail, heading SW.
- 400 ftContinue straight onto Cinderella Trail, heading SW.
- 100 ftBear left onto Sunset Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Sinawik Cabin, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Sunset Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Chaparral Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Sunset Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Palos Colorados Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Sunset Trail, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Sunset Loop, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Sunset Trail, heading SE.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Sunset Loop, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Sunset Trail, heading SE.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Upper Palos Colorados Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Sequoia-Bayview Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftReach Chaparral Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Big Trees Trail, heading SW.
- 1.2 miTurn left onto Castle Park Trail, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Sequoia-Bayview Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right onto Cinderella Trail, heading NE.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Sinawik Cabin, heading W.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Sunset Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right onto Cinderella Trail, heading W.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Castle Park Trail, heading W.
- 400 ftBear left onto West Trail, heading W.
- 0.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
89% dirt6% paved5% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:15 AMSunset 8:16 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:56 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 8:16 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 8:45 PM.
Other ways to reach this destination
More from West Trail Trailhead
- Chaparral Trail–Cinderella Trail, 4 sights 3.2 mi · ▲ 859 ft
- The Grand View–Big Trees Trail, 6 sights 5.3 mi · ▲ 1,195 ft
- Cinderella Trail–Golden Spike Trail, 5 sights 10.5 mi · ▲ 2,254 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Redwood Heights, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Redwood Heights, California