The Old Growth
Loop Trail begins and ends along
Aptos Rancho Trail. From the north end of the southern parking area, start off on
Split Stuff Trail (described in detail in the
Aptos Rancho Trail description). Almost immediately there is a fork in
Split Stuff Trail where you'll want to go right. Upon reaching
Aptos Rancho Trail, go left. After about 0.1 mile on
Aptos Rancho Trail, the Old Growth
Loop Trail is on the right (west) and is well marked.
Old Growth
Loop Trail starts off in the redwood forest and descends to Aptos Creek, about 0.1 mile from the trailhead. Immediately after crossing Aptos Creek, the trail forks. Go left to go clockwise around this loop, as described here. To go counter-clockwise around this loop, go right at this split.
After going left at the trail fork, Old Growth
Loop Trail climbs gradually through the lush, old-growth redwood forest. Giant, stately redwood trees are everywhere. Soon, about 0.1 miles from the trail fork, The Advocate Tree Spur is reached. This spur goes to Advocate Tree, a huge, 265 foot tall, old-growth redwood that was over 1,000 years old when unfortunately it fell over in the 2017 winter storms. But, very close to it is another giant, dominating, magnificent old-growth redwood that is well worth visiting.
Continuing past Advocate Tree Spur, Old Growth
Loop Trail continues to climb very gradually through the old-growth redwoods, loops around, and comes to a marked junction with
Oak Ridge Trail, followed almost immediately by an unmarked junction with
Oak Ridge Trail.
Old Growth Trail then soon veers left and comes upon
Twisted Grove Trail. Strange, cockeyed redwoods can be seen on
Twisted Grove Trail. These redwoods were disrupted by the 6.9 magnitude Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, and are trying to correct for their disruption.
After passing
Twisted Grove Trail, Old Growth
Loop Trail circles to the right and comes back to the trail fork near the beginning of this loop trail. Go left here to descend and cross back over Aptos Creek, and then climb to the end of Old Growth
Loop Trail at
Aptos Rancho Trail.
Giant, stately old-growth redwoods, ferns, and other lush vegetation can be found here.
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