Pioneer Tree Trail
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Location: Samuel P. Taylor State Park is 15 miles/30 minutes west of San Rafael on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. The Samuel P. Taylor ranger station for paying a day fee is at Camp Taylor, 8889 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Lagunitas, CA 94938
Starting Point: Samuel P. Taylor State Park day pass parking area, Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Lagunitas
Info links:
For all web links, if a link doesn’t jump directly, copy and paste into browser.
Samuel P. Taylor State Park brochure with trail map PDF (CA State Parks):
https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/469/files/SamuelPTaylorFinalWebLayout072715.pdf
Samuel P. Taylor info link (CA State Parks):
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=469
Things to do, Samuel P. Taylor (CA State Parks):
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=28537
CA Park Camp Reservations link (for those interested in camping):
https://www.reservecalifornia.com/CaliforniaWebHome/Default.aspx
Distance:
The Pioneer Trail itself is noted as approximately 2 miles in length, but to make the return loop along the creek on the Cross Marin trail paralleling Sir Francis Drake Blvd, the total is about 2.7 miles.
Considerations:
• Parking in the Samuel P. Taylor State Park parking area requires a small day pass fee.
• Bathrooms are available as part of the Samuel P. Taylor State Park facilities.
• Pay attention to wildlife notices such as for mountain lions. We saw bobcat tracks by the creek during one visit.
• Be aware of poison oak in any hiking area. Technu or another poison oak scrub comes in handy tubes.
• Trail conditions are noted on the CA State Parks info link noted above.
• Camping at Samuel P. Taylor is nice, whether at tent campsites or cabins. See reservations link above for more information.
The trail:
Park in the day use area near the entrance gate. See the brochure/map link noted above to get the general layout of the park entrance parking area and the Pioneer Tree Trail on the other side of Lagunitas Creek. Walk the short distance to cross the bridge leading to the Redwood Grove Picnic Area. Just past the gate leads to the Pioneer Tree Trail. Live oak, madrone, Douglas fir and other trees add to the beauty of this quiet trail along with the old growth redwood trees it is known for.
There is some climbing and a couple of sharp hairpin turns on the Pioneer Trail, but nothing extremely challenging. Old fallen trees make up part of the trail, which adds to the feeling of adventure.
The more impressive old growth redwoods are have their own place separate from the Pioneer Tree itself. The Pioneer Tree appears later on the trail, after passing through some less densely wooded stretches of pathway, with a variety of trees and plant growth other than redwoods.
The Pioneer Tree makes for a good photo stop with its large base, and has an unusual clumped-branch look to it in the higher levels, perhaps because some redwood trees we see are too tall to see that kind of branch growth.
Hikers may find an occasional bench on the trail for enjoying a quiet moment in the forest.
Once down from the forest path, hikers can enjoy the paved creek side Cross Marin Trail that leads along Lagunitas Creek back to the starting point. Keep an eye out for salmon swimming in the creek during winter.
(Pioneer Tree Trail Hike Notes were originally paired with the “Not Alone On the Trail” Insights post.)
Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. See products with inspiring designs that support the efforts of HikingAutism under Support/Shop. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Location: Samuel P. Taylor State Park is 15 miles/30 minutes west of San Rafael on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. The Samuel P. Taylor ranger station for paying a day fee is at Camp Taylor, 8889 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Lagunitas, CA 94938
Starting Point: Samuel P. Taylor State Park day pass parking area, Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Lagunitas
Info links:
For all web links, if a link doesn’t jump directly, copy and paste into browser.
Samuel P. Taylor State Park brochure with trail map PDF (CA State Parks):
https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/469/files/SamuelPTaylorFinalWebLayout072715.pdf
Samuel P. Taylor info link (CA State Parks):
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=469
Things to do, Samuel P. Taylor (CA State Parks):
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=28537
CA Park Camp Reservations link (for those interested in camping):
https://www.reservecalifornia.com/CaliforniaWebHome/Default.aspx
Distance:
The Pioneer Trail itself is noted as approximately 2 miles in length, but to make the return loop along the creek on the Cross Marin trail paralleling Sir Francis Drake Blvd, the total is about 2.7 miles.
Considerations:
• Parking in the Samuel P. Taylor State Park parking area requires a small day pass fee.
• Bathrooms are available as part of the Samuel P. Taylor State Park facilities.
• Pay attention to wildlife notices such as for mountain lions. We saw bobcat tracks by the creek during one visit.
• Be aware of poison oak in any hiking area. Technu or another poison oak scrub comes in handy tubes.
• Trail conditions are noted on the CA State Parks info link noted above.
• Camping at Samuel P. Taylor is nice, whether at tent campsites or cabins. See reservations link above for more information.
The trail:
Park in the day use area near the entrance gate. See the brochure/map link noted above to get the general layout of the park entrance parking area and the Pioneer Tree Trail on the other side of Lagunitas Creek. Walk the short distance to cross the bridge leading to the Redwood Grove Picnic Area. Just past the gate leads to the Pioneer Tree Trail. Live oak, madrone, Douglas fir and other trees add to the beauty of this quiet trail along with the old growth redwood trees it is known for.
There is some climbing and a couple of sharp hairpin turns on the Pioneer Trail, but nothing extremely challenging. Old fallen trees make up part of the trail, which adds to the feeling of adventure.
The more impressive old growth redwoods are have their own place separate from the Pioneer Tree itself. The Pioneer Tree appears later on the trail, after passing through some less densely wooded stretches of pathway, with a variety of trees and plant growth other than redwoods.
The Pioneer Tree makes for a good photo stop with its large base, and has an unusual clumped-branch look to it in the higher levels, perhaps because some redwood trees we see are too tall to see that kind of branch growth.
Hikers may find an occasional bench on the trail for enjoying a quiet moment in the forest.
Once down from the forest path, hikers can enjoy the paved creek side Cross Marin Trail that leads along Lagunitas Creek back to the starting point. Keep an eye out for salmon swimming in the creek during winter.
(Pioneer Tree Trail Hike Notes were originally paired with the “Not Alone On the Trail” Insights post.)
Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. See products with inspiring designs that support the efforts of HikingAutism under Support/Shop. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777
