Stroll the Simpson-Reed Trail

The Simpson-Reed Trail is what people imagine when they picture a redwood forest — cathedral canopy closing overhead, ferns carpeting the forest floor, creeks threading between the roots of trees that were old when the Magna Carta was signed. The path is nearly flat and well-maintained, looping through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park on a surface that stays navigable even in wet weather. Nurse logs the size of school buses sprout their own ecosystems; hemlock and sorrel fill in the understory. The scale of the trees does something funny to your sense of time — an hour here feels both very short and very long. This trail is built for people who want the full redwood experience without committing to a strenuous day: young children, those with mobility considerations, and anyone who just wants to stand inside something ancient.