Redwood National and State Parks guide · 1 min read
Stout Grove and the Ancient Old-Growth Redwoods
The Stout Memorial Grove Trail is a short loop of about half a mile in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, one of the four parks that make up Redwood National and State Parks.
The path winds through ancient old-growth coast redwoods. It begins with a brief descent from the parking lot, and the rest of the trail is easy and flat, which makes it one of the simplest ways to walk among the tallest trees in the world.
Stout Grove is often considered the heart of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. In 1929, Clara Stout donated the 44-acre grove to the Save-the-Redwoods League to keep it from being logged. The gift also honored her husband, the lumber baron Frank D. Stout.
The Smith River has flooded this area periodically, leaving rich soil that the redwoods grow in. Floodwaters keep smaller trees and plants from crowding the forest floor, so the redwoods, some near 300 feet tall, stand in open view above waist-high sword ferns. Their bases, which usually flare outward, end in river soil.
A short spur trail leads down to the Smith River, where the water winds past the grove. In summer, many visitors spend a long while resting on the riverbanks, and the trail offers plenty of chances for photography. Reaching the grove takes some planning. The paved access road starts at the east end of Howland Hill Road, and in summer a seasonal bridge provides access from Jedediah Smith Campground.
