Grove of Titans

Deep in the heart of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park lies a grove of ancient redwood trees named for their remarkable size – the Grove of Titans. Known by indigenous people for centuries, the group of trees was re-discovered by researchers in the 1990’s. The grove is a magnificent stand of ancient redwoods containing some of the world’s tallest trees.

With no direct access, this sacred grove was kept relatively hidden for many years until the location was posted online in 1998. Visitors in search of these elusive old-growth trees created informal “social trails”, which damaged the forest floor (e.g., trampled vegetation, stripped bark at the bases of trees, compacted soil and exposed redwood roots), threatening the long-term survival of the grove itself.

Additionally, these unplanned trails caused soil erosion and corresponding runoff affecting streams where Coho salmon and steelhead trout live, feed and spawn.

By joining forces, Redwood Parks Conservancy, Save the Redwoods League, California State Parks and the National Park Service have been working to protect this sensitive habitat while creating a memorable experience for visitors.

The renewed Mill Creek Trail and the elevated walkway in the Grove of Titans is now OPEN to the public and visitors from all over the world will be able to gaze up into the canopy of the grove, reclaiming its sacredness.

The Grove of Titans project included:

• Conducting a visitor usage study that will inform enhancement of the visitor experience
• Installing a 1,300-foot long elevated walkway that connects to the existing Mill Creek Trail
• Removing unofficial social trails and restoring impacted areas in and around the grove
• Installing visitor services and amenities, including ADA accessible parking and restrooms on Howland Hill Road
• Developing interpretive programming and materials that provide information about the grove’s history and redwood ecosystem while encouraging visitors to stay on designated trails

Donors to Redwood Parks Conservancy and Save the Redwoods League have successfully raised the funds necessary for the project, however, the work is not over. Redwood Parks Conservancy has committed to providing on-going funding to maintain the trails and, most importantly, education for visitors to tread respectfully on all trails and leave no trace. We are working on having a uniformed presence of volunteers who will help visitors understand why their photographs taken off trail or while standing on the trees are not as important as the forest itself. This volunteer group, the “Titaneers” will serve this need by regularly engaging with the public and being the eyes and ears of the grove.

The Grove of Titans still needs us. You can help by making a tax-deductible donation to the Grove of Titans Fund (scroll to the bottom of page)–either as a one-time gift, an ongoing donation or as a lasting legacy. Thank you so much for your support!