Rockefeller Forest -

Humboldt Redwoods State Park

The Rockefeller Loop Trail/Bull Creek Flat trail is at the foot of the majestic 10,000 acre Rockefeller Forest. The Rockefeller Forest is the largest remaining contiguous old-growth coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest in the world. Trees soaring to immense heights combined with a relatively open under story combine to create a fairy-book forest! The grove has the classic ground cover of redwood needles dusted with a sparse layer of redwood sorrel and dotted with an occasional fern. Walking through these forests is like taking a step back in time. Some of the tallest trees in the world are in this forest, and they may be thousands of years old. When you walk through the forest however, measurements don't seem very important. In 1917, several prominent men traveled to Humboldt County to see these trees. When they found that these trees were not protected, they founded the Save-the-Redwoods League to preserve examples of these forests. In 1921, the first grove was purchased in what was to become Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The Rockefeller Forest was purchased from the Pacific Lumber Company in 1931. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. had taken a tour of the area with Save-the-Redwoods League officials and was impressed. The Save-the-Redwoods League purchased the land with a pair of million-dollar donations from Rockefeller and matching funds from the state. Save-the Redwoods is still actively saving forests with the help of generous philanthropists.