Skunk Cabbage Trail

Route Description for Skunk Cabbage Trail

Stretch your legs, get your steps in, and let the fresh coastal air fill your lungs along the Skunk Cabbage Hike. This scenic adventure offers wonderful scenes of the lush vegetation that adorns the terrain and coastal views from the trail’s end. Get a taste of what the California Coastal Trail entails as you wander this shared route through Northern California. Note this trail lacks the quintessential redwood stands but makes up for it in skunk cabbage and Douglas firs. As this path travels through the woodlands before opening to the coast, we suggest dressing in layers as insurance against the changing conditions.

Setting out from the trailhead, this hike follows the Coastal Trail- Skunk Cabbage Section. This path will guide you into the woodlands abundant with lush vegetation—bear in mind if you step on a Skunk Cabbage, the smell will linger! Though there are not many redwoods along this route, countless stumps remain from the logging operations that took place before the area was an established National Park. Wander through the canyon parallel to Skunk Cabbage Creek, and you will eventually be diverted away from the creek and up a ridge before dramatically dropping back down to sea level.

Explore the coast and enjoy the sounds of the crashing waves. After snapping a few Instagram photos, retrace your footing along the route all the way back to the trailhead.