Each passionate bay area hiker has a few favorite places to trek. To us these parks and preserves inspire beatific smiles and excited stories about sublime trails and special experiences. Unfortunately, Butano State Park is not on my top ten list. Hard to say why; it's not crowded, ugly, boring, or dirty. Lots of people rave about the redwood canyons and the hike-in campground. I think it's just a personality conflict, like Maggie Simpson and that baby with one eyebrow. I don't dig Butano and Butano doesn't dig me. It's a perfectly fine park, but to me, Butano doesn't rise above other bay area preserves. If I want redwoods, I'll go to Portola Redwoods State Park. Butano's creekside trails pale in comparison to Purisima Creek Redwoods or Monte Bello. Maybe someday I'll experience a Butano epiphany, but until then I'll keep visiting occasionally, continuing to plod along the paths while I dream of other trails.
      Hikers who want to camp will want to check out Butano's Trail Camp, 5.5 miles from the entrance kiosk via the Jackson Flats and Canyon Trails. Reservations are required. Day hikers looking for a challenge can string together Jackson Flats Trail, Canyon Trail, Indian Trail, Doe Ridge Trail, Goat Hill Trail, and Six Bridges Trail. This loop takes place solely on hiking-only paths (with the exception of a short walk along the park road), and is more than 9 miles long. Butano's most celebrated path is Año Nuevo Trail, a tricky narrow and steep trail that ascends from the park's lowest elevation along a creek, through Douglas fir, redwoods, hazelnut, creambush, and thimbleberry. Año Nuevo Trail meets a rolling ridgeline fire road that allows a few loops; Goat Hill or Doe Ridge Trail are fine choices. Unless you really object to walking on pavement, the park road makes a decent easy circuit when combined with Creek Trail.
     For the featured hike, park at the entry kiosk. Look for the signed Año Nuevo Trail on the southeast side of the park road, just past the nature center. Start hiking on the path, open to hikers only, through thick vegetation that feels like the walls of a maze to me (if you're claustrophobic and feeling it already, this may not be a good trail for you). Dogwood, elderberry, stinging nettle, nightshade, California coffeeberry, and blackberry thrive in this moist habitat. The trail crosses a creek (a ramp and log should help in the wet months), then reaches a signed junction with Six Bridges Trail. Turn right and remain on Año Nuevo Trail.
      Thimbleberry crowds the narrow path; in July keep an eye out for ripe berries that taste and look a bit like raspberry. Hazelnut, monkeyflower, and creambush are common. Año Nuevo Trail commands your attention, with fallen trees to duck under, poison oak along the path, uneven surfaces, and plenty of blind, tight curves. After a bit of level (albeit exciting) walking, the trail heads uphill via a long series of switchbacks. Even with switchbacks, the grade is tough. Douglas firs loom overhead as you climb. There are some steps, as well as fallen trees that make the hike a butt buster. A view to the north opens up near a rest bench (look for a short trail to the right). As the trail climbs, trees thicken, and redwoods appear alongside Douglas fir. Fog drip keeps the ground and plants damp, fostering ferns, baneberry, coffeeberry, huckleberry, lots more thimbleberry, gooseberry, and twinberry, accompanying tanoak and hazelnut, while the giant trees tower overhead. A second rest bench appears off the right side of the trail as the path reaches a crest. If not for the trees, there'd be a decent view south (I guess this is famous Año Nuevo vista, but it's not much of a view to me). The trail meanders, descending gently through the quiet woods. A few shrubs of toyon and pitcher sage seem out of place in the shade. You may hear hawks calling from the treetops. Año Nuevo Trail ends at a signed junction at about 1.3 miles. (You can extend this hike by turning right and taking the fire road to Goat Hill Trail, or extend it even more by hiking on Olmo Fire Road to Doe Ridge Trail. The fire road is annoying, with lots of ups and downs, but the two hiking only paths are lovely.) Turn left on Olmo Fire Road.
      The dirt multi-use trail immediately heads downhill. Tree cover is a little thinner than Año Nuevo Trail's romp through the woods, so sunlight filters down to creambush, hazelnut, giant chain fern, honeysuckle, coffeeberry, and gooseberry along the trail. Watch out for banana slugs! At about 1.8 miles, Goat Hill Trail sets out on the right side of the road at a signed junction. Turn left and continue downhill on the fire road, which after the junction becomes a robust road (it's kind of a driveway, so do listen for cars). The fire road soon dips beneath Douglas firs, some of them quite old and majestic. Gradually, as you descend, redwoods take over, until they attain complete domination at the canyon floor. Six Bridges Trail heads back to the trailhead at a signed junction on the left side of the road. (Any normal hiker would prefer Six Bridges to walking back on the park road, so exercise this option unless you're reluctant to climb some more and then walk though the overgrown foliage along the creek.) Continue on the fire road, which ends a few steps further, at about 2.4 miles. Turn left and walk on the narrow paved park road back to the trailhead.

Total distance: about 3 miles
Last hiked: Monday, July 31, 2000


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