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Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 442 Google reviews · Running trail in Ukiah, California · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Trails loop through a fern forest & 5 separate unlogged groves of 2 distinct redwood species.
What runners say about Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve
“Would love it if a sign got added for reference otherwise it was a great nature hike and gorgeous trees with little streams.”
“The moment I stepped onto the trail, I felt like I had entered a secret redwood cathedral quiet, cool, and full of wild energy.”
“All in all it is a fantastic, family friendly, magical experience.”
I’ve hiked a lot of places, but Montgomery Woods has this kind of ancient, mossy magic that hits different. The moment I stepped onto the trail, I felt like I had entered a secret redwood cathedral quiet, cool, and full of wild energy. These trees are seriously old. Like… older than most countries old.
We have heard many good things about Montgomery Woods. Yes, the redwoods are beautiful. This particular forest was nearly one-third destroyed by fire a little more than 10 years ago. The forest and ground cover are quite resilient. Parking is a bit limited. And, it is a good uphill walk. Then, there's the mosquitoes.
I would rate a 5 - but the windy drive into the middle of "nowhere" is for the determined. That said, if you want to see the big trees in this area, you will find some spectacular trees here, along with a rather raw old growth forest.
Special magical quiet place. Highly recommend going unhurried and taking it in. Six of us walked ~4 miles over 3 hours on a weekday summer afternoon. Pack water, snacks and wear good shoes for this relatively easy slightly hilly hike.
Trail conditions & character
“As everyone says, there is an incline at the beginning, but once you get to the top it levels out and definitely worth the hike.”
“Would love it if a sign got added for reference otherwise it was a great nature hike and gorgeous trees with little streams.”
“The moment I stepped onto the trail, I felt like I had entered a secret redwood cathedral quiet, cool, and full of wild energy.”
“I will say, though, that on AllTrails the loop was marked as “easy,” and I personally think that’s a little misleading.”
“Parking can be a bit sparse, though that may have just been the new year's day crowd.”
Plan your run at Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- Websiteparks.ca.gov
- Phone+1 707-937-5804
Hours
| Monday | 8 am–5 pm |
| Tuesday | 8 am–5 pm |
| Wednesday | 8 am–5 pm |
| Thursday | 8 am–5 pm |
| Friday | 8 am–5 pm |
| Saturday | 8 am–5 pm |
| Sunday | 8 am–5 pm |
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Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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