Looking for more places to explore near Stout Grove?
Check out the gorgeous swimming hole at Myrtle Beach or take a short hike to Enderts Beach on the coast.
LOCATION
Stout Grove lies within Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park along Howland Hill Road. It’s located across the Smith River from Jedediah Smith Campground, and in the summer a footbridge connects the campground to Stout Grove. Jedediah Smith is one of the four parks that operate jointly as Redwood National and State Parks.
LENGTH
0.5 miles to do the Stout Grove Loop, plus a little longer to go the banks of the Smith River
DIFFICULTY
Easy — Stout Grove is a short, easy hike, although not ADA accessible. The loop trail through the grove is wide and level, and a short, rocky spur trail leads down to the Smith River. You can also continue east along the river on another trail, but this segment is much bumpier and less maintained, with rocks and roots in the path.
WE HIKED IT
August, 2020, about an hour including a few side trails along the river
CURRENT INFO
Refer to the National Park Service website for good information and updates about Stout Grove. Trail reviews are available on the AllTrails website. For a great hiking guide to the area, including Stout Grove, I recommend Hike the Parks: Redwood National & State Parks by John Soares.
GOOD TO KNOW
- There is an $8 parking fee for Stout Grove, but a valid America the Beautiful pass or California State Parks pass covers this cost.
- Vault toilets are available at the trailhead.
- Dogs are not allowed, except for service animals.
- You can hike Stout Grove year-round, but please check road conditions first.
- Stout Grove is located off Howland Hill Road, a dirt road that is considered one of the most scenic drives in the Redwoods. Because Howland Hill Road is narrow and winding, RVs, trucks, and trailers are not allowed. If your vehicle falls into one of these categories, but you really want to visit, try parking at Jedediah Smith Campground, located just off Highway 199 across from the Hiouchi Visitor Center. In summer, a small footbridge crosses the river, connecting the campground with Stout Grove.
- The easiest way to reach Stout Grove is to head east on Highway 199 for 7.1 miles past the junction with Highway 101. Turn right on South Fork Road, cross the Smith River, and continue a few miles to the trailhead. The drive on Howland Hill Road is brief, but beautiful.
- For a longer scenic drive, you can access Howland Hill Road from the opposite end, near Crescent City. Although the drive is short in terms of miles, be prepared for it to take about an hour to navigate its many curves. For more information about Howland Hill Road, visit the National Park Service website.
HIGHLIGHTS
Stout Grove seems almost too perfect to exist, the trees standing like proud sentinels keeping watch over a lush carpet of sword ferns, all complemented by diffuse golden sunbeams. Even if you aren’t lucky enough to arrive on a sunny day, you will be well rewarded with the chance to experience one of the stateliest redwood groves up close and personal.
THE KIDS’ TAKE
By now, the kids had seen big trees, so that was nothing new. But there’s something special about Stout Grove, and the wide path is an open invitation to explore. Soon, they were off and running, discovering fallen logs and secret hideaways. Had we had more time, the river here would be a delightful spot to spend a lazy afternoon. Fortunately, the boys had the chance to play earlier at nearby Myrtle Beach, so weren’t too disappointed. After all, we still had time to cross the footbridge. There’s something about a footbridge that just begs to be crossed!
WHILE YOU’RE HERE
There is plenty to see and do in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park! The Hiouchi Visitor Center isn’t far from Stout Grove, and is a good place to stop along Highway 199 to review your options. For hungry travelers, the Hiouchi Cafe is just down the road from the visitor center. In summer, Myrtle Beach on the Smith River is a fantastic place for a swim. Along the coast, Enderts Beach is another gorgeous destination.
To extend your visit, consider camping at Jedediah Smith Campground. The campground is located directly across the Smith River from Stout Grove, and in summer a footbridge over the river gives campers easy access to the grove. The river is wide and placid here, and is a beautiful place for families to relax and enjoy the water.
There are many other excellent campgrounds in the Redwoods. We stayed a little further south at Elk Prairie Campground in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.
Our Experience
We were in luck the day we visited Stout Grove. No grey, foggy skies today! The weather was warm enough for swimming at nearby Myrtle Beach, and when we reached Stout Grove in the late afternoon, golden sunlight streamed through the forest, backlighting the lacy redwood branches far above. I was awestruck by the solemn beauty of these centuries-old trees.
Stout Grove is a popular spot, so the small parking lot was already full. Luckily, there was room to pull over and park along the road. I was also pleased to see a reasonably clean and well-kept pair of vault toilets. A practical observation, certainly, but nonetheless important.
Out on the trail, the boys scampered ahead, searching for fallen tree trunks to explore. As with our hike along Prairie Creek, there was no shortage of old logs, some of them jumbled together to create what must be the world’s best jungle gym. J and T eagerly tried them all.
We headed clockwise, leaving the main trail briefly to follow a small gravel path down to the river. Alder trees lined the riverbank, where a wide ribbon of emerald green rippled gently along the shore. It was so lovely, I could have happily ended the hike right there, stuck my feet into the crystalline water, and enjoyed a final hour in the sun.
J’s attention was immediately drawn to the footbridge. Now there was something worth exploring! He bounded across, relishing how the planks bounced under his feet. Michael and T explored the shore, and I could tell T was eyeing the water with some anticipation. Unsurprisingly, I had to pull everyone’s attention away from the river and convince them it was time to get back to the hike.
We turned away from the riverbank and wandered back to the main trail. The soft dirt path was smooth and easy. Soon, we reached another crossroads.
“We’ll head left here,” I told the boys. “We can hike along the river, then come back and finish the loop through the grove.”
It was clear pretty quickly that the trail to the left was a little more rugged than the Stout Grove Loop. No longer flat, the trail moved up, then down, then up, then down. Rocks and roots were plentiful, and the further we traveled, the brushier it became. I looked for an easy place to access the river again, but low branches and steep banks made it difficult.
“How far are we supposed to go?” Michael asked, not exactly with enthusiasm.
“Wellll… it’s really up to us,” I explained, glancing at the description in the book Hike the Parks: Redwood National and State Parks. “The book just suggests extending the hike by walking along the river. Do you want to turn around?” I sensed that he did, and around we turned.
Back on the Stout Grove Loop Trail, we continued our clockwise walk through the forest. Sunlight slanted hazily through the branches, and all was well with the world. We ambled more slowly this time, and even the boys took time to take in the grandeur that surrounded us.
In what felt like no time, we were back at the car. We had an hour-long drive ahead of us to get back to our campsite at Elk Prairie Campground, but really, that isn’t such a bad thing when you’re surrounded by scenery like this. As we pulled back out onto Howland Hill Road, I felt especially blessed to have seen Stout Grove at its most glorious, graced with golden light. What a wonderful world, indeed.
