Begin from the main parking lot in Sam McDonald County Park, and take the Heritage Grove Trail to begin the loop. It leads through a dense grove of medium-sized redwoods, then through a long stretch of oak woodland before reaching the Heritage Grove. There are two parts to the grove, a lower grove near the creek and an upper grove on the hillside. The upper grove has the largest trees. Take some time to admire the stature of the half dozen or so old-growth giants.

From there, the trail continues uphill toward the Hiker’s Hut (which can be reserved for an overnight stay). Beyond the hut, Towne Fire Road completes the loop by traversing the ridgeline. On top, the forest has been cleared for pasture, and the fire road passes a horse ranch. From open meadows you’ll overlook foliated mountains and valleys to the south⁠—a panorama quite different from the rest of the scenery on this loop.

The fire road then re-enters the forest and heads downhill to join Big Tree Trail. Impressive specimens stand out here and there, but most of the trees are medium-sized. Look closely and you’ll notice the stumps indicative of past logging. Shortly after passing the signed “Big Tree,” you’ll arrive back at the parking lot.

Note: If you are only interested in the old-growth Heritage Grove, and not the whole hike, you can access the grove on a short trail from Alpine Road. There is a roadside trailhead with free parking, but only room for about 6 cars.

Sources: http://www.redwoodhikes.com/Portola/Heritage.html https://www.littlegrunts.com/heritage-grove-sam-mcdonald-county-park/ https://parks.smcgov.org/sam-mcdonald-park-trails