Ultimate Dog Lover’s Guide to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

• Distance: Up to 6.4 miles
• Effort: Moderate
• Dog Regulations: On Leash. Allowed in picnic areas, campsites, paved roads, Pipeline Rd, Graham Hill Trail, Powder Mill Fire Rd, and Meadow Trail. Not allowed on Redwood Grove Loop Trail, the entire Fall Creek Unit, and San Lorenzo River.
• Parking:
  1. Graham Hill Pullout (Free)
  2. Day-Use Main Entrance ($10)
  3. Campground Entrance ($10)
• Hours: Sunrise – Sunset
• Cost: Free if you park at the Graham Hill Pullout; $10 day-use per vehicle at main entrance and campground lots
• Shade Level: High
• Pro Tip: There is plenty of free parking at the Graham Hill Pullout, so it’s not necessary to park inside the state park and pay the $10 fee. Be wary of the “dog friendly” hikes on AllTrails as they may not be reliable since some include Powder Mill Trail, which is not dog friendly – refer to the “Recommended Trails” section below for hikes that are entirely dog-friendly.
• Notable: There are lots of trail markers in the park clearly indicating whether dogs, bicycles or equestrians are allowed on each particular trail. Closely observe these markers as dog regulations are strictly enforced here by park rangers and volunteer patrollers – they are quick to write tickets. Also be mindful of bicyclists speeding downhill on Pipeline Rd. Restrooms are available at the main entrance, Redwood Grove Loop Trail, and campground.

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is a whopping 4,650-acres, and is one of the only California state parks where dogs are allowed to adventure beyond parking lots, picnic areas, and campgrounds. As a Bay Area native, my tree “bias” is definitely the Coast Redwood – they clean more carbon dioxide from the air than any other tree on earth! I worried the redwood forest experience would be a thing of the past for us after adopting Kona since most redwoods here are inside state parks, which generally limit access to dogs. Dogs are commonly not allowed on hiking trails or dirt roads in California state parks – yet Henry Cowell SP actually has a couple available to dogs!

It is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains off Hwy 9, and is a short 10-min drive from Santa Cruz or 30-min drive from San Jose via Hwy 17. This state park is best known for preserving a 40-acre grove of some of the last remaining old-growth redwoods in the world – the oldest one is 1,500 years old. Unfortunately, dogs are not permitted on the Redwood Grove Loop Trail for preservation purposes. To avoid FOMO, we highly recommend bringing along a hiking buddy so you can take turns watching your Kona and admiring the ancient redwoods along this 0.8-mile loop.

Pipeline Rd is the main trail that runs from the northwest to southeast corners of the park and is dog friendly. It is paved, as well as wide and roomy – a blessing for pawrents who have a rowdy and reactive dog like us. While there’s a portion of Pipeline Rd near the main entrance that is right next to the San Lorenzo River, dogs are not allowed onto the River Trail and cannot go into the river – this is to protect the endangered steelhead trout. There’s also an overlook bench in the middle of the park where you can catch your breath after a moderate uphill climb, only to lose your breath from the stunning views of the San Lorenzo Valley and the Pacific Ocean.

As you walk through Henry Cowell SP, you’ll hear the faint sound of a train – don’t worry, you’re not imagining it. Outside the main entrance is the Roaring Camp Railroad, where you and your dog can go back in time to the 1880’s and explore the grounds, general store, museum, restaurants and picnic areas, as well as ride a train through the redwood forests (and even all the way down to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk).

As you can see, there is no shortage of dog friendly recreational activities to do at Henry Cowell SP – camping included! Campground details are included below.

Recommended Trails

• Distance: 3.2 miles
• Effort: Moderate
• Parking: Graham Hill Pullout (Free)
• This is one of our favorite hikes to do before hitting the beach in Santa Cruz – especially on a hot day – it’s not only shaded, but it just feels so “cool” (literally!) when you’re surrounded by redwoods. The dirt trails aren’t as clearly marked compared to the paved roads, so you could easily find yourself on one where dogs are not permitted like Powder Mill Trail or Pine Trail. When we first went on this hike, we accidentally found ourselves on the Powder Mill Trail and got flagged down by volunteer trail patrollers who kindly directed us back to Pipeline Rd, and left us with a friendly warning that park rangers are quick to write tickets when dogs do not remain on dog friendly trails. So make sure to pay close attention to the trail markers! After parking at the pullout, turn right and head north on Graham Hill Trail towards the campground. Once you see the wooden Campground sign, turn left and continue down the paved road leading to the campground. The rest of the route is clearly marked with many trail markers, so just make sure to stay on Powder Mill Rd, followed by Pipeline Rd to make it back to the car.

• Distance: 6.2 miles
• Effort: Moderate
• Parking: Graham Hill Pullout (Free) or Day-Use Main Entrance ($10)
• This is a great hike if you’re looking for one that is straightforward, fully shaded, and paved – you won’t get lost on this one. Park at the main entrance to start exploring from the northeast corner of the park, or at the Graham Hill Pullout to start from the southeast corner. Expect to bump into many dogs, especially on the weekends. On this one trail, there are birds to watch along the San Lorenzo River, tall and majestic redwoods to admire, the Old Train Trestle Bridge to observe, a visitor center to visit, and the hooting sound from trains at the neighboring Roaring Camp Railroads to hear. Don’t forget about the beautiful views from the overlook bench. While it may be tempting to visit the Redwood Grove Loop Trail, San Lorenzo River and bridges near the main entrance of the park, those are unfortunately off-limits to dogs.

• Distance: 6.4 miles
• Effort: Moderate
• Parking: Campground Entrance ($10)
• This is our go-to hike whenever we camp at Henry Cowell State Park Campground – there’s no need to worry about parking since we can just leave the car at our campsite and walk over to the trailhead. The trailhead to Powder Mill Fire Rd is near the entrance of the campground, between the camp host site and the campfire center. While there’s a small segment near the start of Powder Mill Fire Rd that is not shaded, the rest of the hike is fully covered by canopies of redwoods. You’ll eventually hit a big open intersection that is made up of Powder Mill Fire Rd, Powder Mill Trail (no dogs), Buckeye Trail (no dogs), and Pipeline Rd – this is also a great rest area with a picnic bench under a small grove of trees. Once on Pipeline Rd, you’ll pass by the overlook bench, the 40-acre grove of old-growth redwoods and the San Lorenzo River before you reach the visitor center at the main entrance – either turn back from there, or check out the dog friendly Roaring Camp Railroads.

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Campground

• Address: 2591 Graham Hill Rd, Scotts Valley, CA 95060
• Dog Regulations: On leash no longer than 6 feet. May not be left unattended. Allowed in picnic areas, campsites, paved roads, Pipeline Rd, Graham Hill Trail, Powder Mill Fire Rd, and Meadow Trail.
• Cost: $35 + $8 reservation fee
• Weekend Availability: Medium. Fri – can sometimes find last minute; Sat – booked up months in advance; Sun – usually available, but booked up months in advance on long weekends.
• # of Campsites: 113; Bike-in and group sites available
• Campground Amenities: Coin-operated showers with hot water, flush toilets, potable water, campfire center, $10 firewood available at camp host site, ADA accessible campsites
• Campsite Amenities: Picnic table, food locker, fire pit, grill
• RVs & Trailers: No water fill or dump station (closest is New Brighton State Beach); Generators allowed 10am-8pm; Max vehicle size: Trailer (31’) / RV (35’)
• Online Reservations: www.reservecalifornia.com
• Check-In / Check-Out Time: 2pm / Noon
• Best Sites: They are all clean and spacious with lots of tree coverage. Good level of privacy between sites. 
• Pro Tip: Your camping permit includes parking at both the main entrance and campground lots – no extra fees for parking. It also allows you to get into any state park or beach for free until sunset of the day you check out. Nearby state parks include Big Basin Redwoods SP in Boulder Creek and Wilder Ranch SP in Santa Cruz.

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park not only has miles of dog friendly trails, but it also has a well-maintained, dog friendly campground of 113 sites that is set among a shady pine and oak forest. Nearby is the Observation Deck, which is the highest point in the park at 805 feet elevation and surrounded by the rare Santa Cruz sandhills habitat – unfortunately dogs are not allowed here. While this campground is consistently fully booked on the weekends, it actually doesn’t feel crowded since the campsites themselves are not very close to each other. Each site is spacious and filled with lots of trees – perfect for hammocking or wrapping a leash around. Plus, the restrooms are clean and always stocked with toilet paper. Just remember to set your navigation to the campground entrance on Graham Hill Rd rather than the main entrance.