Highway access → arrival
Arrival: Marked Nickerson Ranch trailhead at the western end of Howland Hill Road.
Approach: From US-101 one mile south of Crescent City take Elk Valley Road east about one mile, then turn right onto Howland Hill Road. Use the marked trailhead parking along the western road section.
Howland Hill is narrow/unpaved: motorhomes, RVs and trailers do not fit. Follow current trail notices; seasonal river bridges are not a driving approach.
Official directions & access ↗A one-mile Jedediah Smith trail from the western end of Howland Hill Road, showing the transition from primeval redwood forest toward Mill Creek. The map point identifies the trail, not parking.
Access details
- Parking
- Use the marked trailhead at the west end of Howland Hill Road; NPS says parking is limited.
- Viewpoint
- The route gives forest and Mill Creek habitat views.
- Trail
- NPS lists a one-mile moderate trail with some non-level grades.
- Public water access
- No public water entrance is represented from this trail.
- Water conditions
- RVs and trailers are not advised on Howland Hill Road.
Plan from the official source
Redwood National and State Parks is the manager or primary source for this entry. Check its current page for changing hours, fees, reservations, road restrictions, and closures.
Open NPS trails north of the Klamath River ↗