Kilns in the Limelight Along Fall Creek Trail

The forks of Fall Creek, a forest of second-generation redwoods and Douglas firs, are some of the attractions of a walk through this isolated area of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. Located on the slopes of Ben Lomond Mountain in a wild canyon northwest of Santa Cruz, this part of the park also boasts a lush creek-side habitat of ferns, big-leaf maple and alder.

Hikers with an interest in history will enjoy traveling to old limekilns and a mill site. In the 1870s, IXL Co. built three limekilns, producing nearly a third of the state’s lime supply. Park namesake Henry Cowell took over the business at the turn of the century, and under his guidance much of the lime in the cement used to rebuild San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake was produced at the Fall Creek works. Fall Creek redwoods were logged in order to construct barrels for storing lime and for logs to fire the limekilns.

Today, a second-generation redwood forest is thriving along Fall Creek, and the long-abandoned, moss-covered kilns are a photographer’s delight.

Old wagon roads, now park paths, travel along lovely Fall Creek and lead to the old kilns and the barrel mill site.

Directions to trail head: From California 1 in Santa Cruz, turn north on California 9 and drive five miles to Felton. Turn left (west) on Felton Empire Road and proceed half a mile to the small Fall Creek parking area.

The hike: Join switchbacking Bennett Creek Trail for one-quarter mile to its junction with Fall Creek Trail, staying left and heading up-creek. At almost a mile out, you’ll cross the South Fork Bridge, pass an intersection with South Fork Trail (your return route) and continue along the north fork of Fall Creek through a mixed woodland of redwood, fir, oak and maple.

Another half-mile walk brings you to Cape Horn Trail junction. (Those inclined toward a shorter Fall Creek exploration--3.2 miles round trip--should go left here.)

North Fork hikers cross the creek on twin logs and enter the redwood forest. Regard the ruins of Barrel Mill and continue through the redwoods to trail’s end at a tiny dam 3.6 miles from the trail head.

Retrace your steps to Cape Horn Trail, a dirt road that soon leaves the creek, climbs a bit, then descends to the South Fork of Fall Creek and the limekiln area. Next you’ll join South Fork Trail and follow it for 0.4 mile back to North Fork Trail, turning right and walking 0.8 mile back to the trail head.

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Fall Creek Trails

WHERE: Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park; Bennett Creek, North Fork, South Fork Trails

DISTANCE: To limekilns is 3.2 miles round trip with 200-foot elevation gain: to Trail’s End is 7.2 miles round trip with 900-foot gain.

TERRAIN: Forks of Fall Creek, redwood and Douglas fir forests.

HIGHLIGHTS: Lush creek environment, historic limekilns.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Moderate.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park; tel: (408) 335-4598