By Wil Guilfoyle

In the far Northern California Redwoods, north of Trinidad, and south of Crescent City and the Oregon border, resides my personal favorite place on Earth: Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

And nestled within that park is my all-time favorite hike: the James Irvine Trail. Today I’m going to share with you the details on this most sacred trail, and how to make it into the best loop trail around (in my opinion, of course).

I’ve hiked this trail at least 5 time in my life, over a period of 11 years. It is difficult to explain the peace and joyful perfection that comes over me when I think of Prairie Creek and the James Irvine Trail. It was originally recommended to me by a friend while I was studying screenwriting in Santa Cruz in 2013. My first time hiking it came in 2014 on a solo trip up the coast to tour the film school at Cal Poly Humboldt, where I’d be attending the following semester.

As you drive toward the trailhead, found next to the Visitor Center, you’ll enter into Elk Prairie, where dozens of Roosevelt elk are continuously grazing, unafraid of people, majestic and at home.

The best way to hike this glorious trail is to turn it into a loop hike by connecting the James Irvine and Miner’s Ridge hikes, for a total of 11.7 miles. This will allow you to enjoy the James Irvine down through Fern Canyon and come out at the Pacific ocean for a snack and a rest, before heading back via Miner’s Ridge.

Let me be clear: this is the most majestic hike through a forest that exists on planet Earth, and you must make it a goal to visit and hike this trail. If anyone reading this has another glorious forest trail hike that you feel compares or exceeds the badassery of the James Irvine, let me know so I can put it on my list.

A good idea is to book a camping site at the Elk Prairie Campground, not too far from the Prairie Creek Visitor Center. You’ll appreciate being able to spend a night or two there, and have a close campsite to enjoy once you’ve finished the hike.

The Skinny:

Preparation: Trail can get slightly muddy in spots, but for the most part it’s very manageable. Bring snacks, plenty of water, and picnic supplies for the beach. Also good to bring sunscreen for the beach portion.

Location: Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Parking: free/no fee to enjoy this park (however, be sure to follow the 3rd rule of Hike Club: Always get there early.)

Length: 11.7 miles out and back via a loop (James Irvine Trail to the coast/Miner’s Ridge Trail to return)

Elevation Gain: 1505 ft

Estimated Time: about 6 hours

The AllTrails link for this hike is here