Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Visit Del Norte County, all opinions are my own!
We are huge fans of a good hike and one of our favorite hiking spots are in Del Norte County!
Before you head out on any of these adventures be sure to wear layers as the weather changes, wear sunscreen, bring water, and good hiking shoes! There is no reception in a lot of these areas, so be sure to download an offline map of the area on your Google Maps before going so that you don’t get lost. I also suggest getting the Golden Poppy State Park ($125) pass which gives you free day access to California State Parks.
1. Stout’s Grove– Jebediah Smith State Park
This trail is an easy, flat half-mile trail that rambles through old-growth redwood giants. It’s well maintained, wide, and stroller-friendly! Keep an eye out for banana slugs, spider webs, and deer! It’s a great place to let the kids run around!
The trail is right along the Smith River and there are off-shoot trails that can lead you down to the river bank. The trail loops around back to the parking area, however, there are trails that stem off the main trail, be sure to follow the signs!
I suggest doing this hike in the mornings which it’s slightly foggy. The fog and the forest together are just magical!
2. Agate Beach– Patrick Point State Park
Ok so technically, this hike isn’t in Del Norte County, but it’s close! Just an hour south of Crescent City, Patrick’s Point State Park has some great campgrounds! When you enter the park, follow the signs for the campground. The trailhead is right off the parking lot. It’s a series of switchbacks that lead you down to the beach closed in by cliffs. It’s about a 15 minutes hike down, the trail is well maintained but it gets narrow in some areas so this is definitely not stroller friendly.
Once you’re at the beach, check out the tidepools to the far left of the beach. We found tons of starfish and hermit crabs!
There is a small waterfall that trickles down to the ocean, which the kids loved playing in. The highlight though is agate-hunting! If your kid is like mine and loves to save “gems” they will love this place! The beach is covered in tiny little bright-colored quartz!
3. Klamath Overlook Trail
This is a lovely calm trail with a spectacular ocean view! It’s a 1-mile trail with took us about 1 1/2 hours round trip. It’s a series of switchbacks that are lined with wild daisies, lupines, and blackberry bushes!
The rail is quite narrow, so either carry/hold your child or hold their hand in front of you if needed! The trail is quite steep on the way back, so please keep that in mind. The trail goes down the side of the cliff to a lookout point, where you can hear the sea lions barking in the distance, and if you’re lucky whales spouting water into the air!
4. Mill Creek Trail– Jebediah Smith State Park
This trail is a 5.6-mile trail, however, we usually just walk the trail for 1 mile or so and turn around since Elara isn’t typically up for super long hikes just yet. This trail is where the Grove of the Titans is located! Currently, the Grove of the Titans trail is being worked on, but you can check out the other parts of the trail. If it’s rained, be sure to wear rain boots as it gets pretty muddy on the path. Also if you’re there during the right time of year, you’ll find tons of blackberry bushes which you can forage (1 gallon per person)!
