My friend Sara and I have been anxiously awaiting the trillium season and an opportunity to re-hike the Hope Creek Trail inside Redwood National and State Parks, just north of Orick, CA. Last year I thought I saw remnants of Giant Trillium along the trail so we purposely timed our seasonal visit to try and see them in bloom.

We were both disappointed by our miscalculation of the trillium at this site. Yes, there are numerous, beautiful trillium along this trail; Western Trillium, not the Giant reds we thought we saw evidence of. Even though our quest was not realized, this hike was still worth the trip. It’s one of my favorite trails in the park. Round trip the park signage estimates the looped trail to be 3.7 miles. My Apple Watch reported it as a 4.5 mile hike with just enough elevation gain to get your heart pumping (800 ft) but not so much that it turns your leg muscles into rubber. We had the trail to ourselves and when the birds were silent, you could almost hear a pin drop. The site is loaded with the white Western Trillium and we did see signs of Columbia or Tiger Lilly emerging from the forest floor. The native Rhododendron look to be getting ready to bloom soon.

If you’ve never hiked this trail, be sure to add it to your list. It’s a beautiful hike; worth the effort. Enjoy my pics! #iluvtowalk #hopecreek #nps #redwoodnationalandstateparks #leavenotrace #perspectivesfrommytrail #northerncalifornia