Creeping Forest Trail–Johansen Road, 5 sights is a 14.6-mile out-and-back in Big Basin Redwoods State Park near Riverside Grove, CA. It climbs 2,753 ft, with sections as steep as 25% grade. It scores 91/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Creeping Forest Trail–Johansen Road, 5 sights
14.6 mi · ▲ 2,753 ft · 6 hr 15 min
Elevation 998–2,065 ft
Out & Back · Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Trailhead: Creeping Forest Trail · 37.17668, -122.22171
Weather Aug 3: Partly cloudy, high 84°F / low 53° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:16 PM
Transit-accessible: Big Basin Redwoods State Park stop 505 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Creeping Forest Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 100 ftBear right onto Gazos Creek Road, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Dool Trail, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear right onto Middle Ridge Road, heading S.
- 2.7 miBear left onto Johansen Road, heading W.
- 2.6 miSharp left onto Gazos Creek Road, heading W.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Sandy Point Lookout Trail, heading W.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Whitehouse Canyon Road, heading S.
- 0.7 miReach Creeping Forest Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Sandy Point Lookout Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Gazos Creek Road, heading NE.
- 350 ftSharp right onto Johansen Road, heading NE.
- 2.6 miBear right onto Middle Ridge Road, heading NE.
- 2.7 miBear left onto Dool Trail, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Gazos Creek Road, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Creeping Forest Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 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 1.2 mi in (~45 min). Leave by 7:10 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:01 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Big Basin Redwoods State Park stop 505 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Creeping Forest Trail Trailhead
- Creeping Forest Trail & Gazos Creek Road 2.1 mi · ▲ 412 ft
- The Statue Of Responsibility & Creeping Forest Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 614 ft
- Leonard Redwood Grove–Creeping Forest Trail, 3 sights 3.7 mi · ▲ 642 ft
- Sempervirens Falls–Leonard Redwood Grove, 4 sights 6.1 mi · ▲ 804 ft
- Cutter Scout Camp Pond–Butano Fire Road, 5 sights 10.5 mi · ▲ 2,003 ft
- Basin Easement Trail–Basin Trail, 5 sights 12.1 mi · ▲ 2,420 ft
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