Basin Easement Trail–Basin Trail, 5 sights
15 mi · ▲ 2,512 ft · 6 hr 15 min
Basin Easement Trail–Basin Trail, 5 sights is a 15-mile out-and-back in Big Basin Redwoods State Park near San Lorenzo Park, CA. It climbs 2,512 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade. It scores 88/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Basin Easement Trail–Basin Trail, 5 sights
15 mi · ▲ 2,512 ft · 6 hr 15 min
Elevation 1,583–2,314 ft
Out & Back · Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Trailhead: Butano Fire Road · 37.21570, -122.23200
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 87°F / low 61° · precip 0% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:16 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Johansen Road, heading SW.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Middle Ridge Road, heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Connector Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Hollow Tree Trail, heading N.
- 1.7 miTurn right onto Lane Camp Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Basin Trail, heading E.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Basin Easement Trail, heading E.
- 1 miSharp left, heading N.
- 200 ftSharp right onto Butano Fire Road, heading N.
- 1.5 miContinue straight onto Butano Ridge Fire Road, heading NW.
- 1.9 miReach Middle Ridge Road, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.9 miContinue straight onto Butano Fire Road, heading E.
- 1.5 miSharp left, heading SE.
- 200 ftSharp right onto Basin Easement Trail, heading S.
- 1 miTurn right onto Basin Trail, heading SW.
- 100 ftBear right onto Lane Camp Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Hollow Tree Trail, heading S.
- 1.7 miContinue straight onto Connector Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Middle Ridge Road, heading SE.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Johansen Road, heading NW.
- 0.8 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~24 min). Leave by 7:31 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:03 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Butano Fire Road Trailhead
- Cutter Scout Camp Pond–Butano Fire Road, 3 sights 2.2 mi · ▲ 386 ft
- Connector Trail & Middle Ridge Road 2.7 mi · ▲ 423 ft
- The Statue Of Responsibility & Middle Ridge Road 8.2 mi · ▲ 1,509 ft
- Leonard Redwood Grove–Father-of-the-Forest, 4 sights 8.7 mi · ▲ 1,509 ft
- Middle Ridge Road & Sunset Trail 9 mi · ▲ 1,714 ft
- Johansen Road–Sandy Point Lookout Trail, 3 sights 9.6 mi · ▲ 1,504 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near San Lorenzo Park, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near San Lorenzo Park, California