Bradley N.
Yelp
Even if you've been to old growth redwood groves before, Montgomery Woods will make you stop, stare, and take notice. Unlike some locations where redwood groves tend to congregate around a constant water source, like a creek or river, here the redwoods are thriving in a flat, sandy area deep in the forest where only intermittent water flows in winter, leaving just a few small pools that support newt and frog populations year-round. Because the flat tends to get uniformly wet during heavy rains, conifers that don't like to get their roots so damp cannot compete with the redwoods, so they pretty much rule the roost, alongside their typical fern friends who create a lovely understory of lush green even in late summer.
There is only one marked loop trail in the reserve, although the flat itself invites you to wander, clambering onto fallen trunks for picture-taking and perhaps a yoga pose or two. In winter, rubber boots or sturdy waterproof hikers may be advisable (if the road here is even open), but in drier months simple sandals or light trail running shoes will do. Plan about an hour for the trail, and budget some extra time for aimless wandering. There is very little fire damage to many of the trees, whose trunks stretch hundreds of feet into the sky. The reserve isn't a camping area and so it remains very primitive in feel and look, with minimal signs and modestly maintained wooden walkways and bridges. There is no fee to visit, but the parking area can fill up, so be prepared to park on the side of the road and walk a few hundred feet to the trailhead if necessary.
To find such a beautiful grove of coastal redwoods as far South as Mendocino County (as compared to Del Norte and Humboldt Counties) is a beautiful thing. It is pristine, pin drop quiet, and lush with enough light shining through during midday to render the trees elegant and cathedrallike in stature. It also makes the grove 10 degrees cooler (give or take) from nearby areas, so if it's 90 in Anderson Valley or at Orr Hot Springs, chances are it will be a pleasant 75 or so here. Not that those other places lack charm or distractions. It's just that if you are anywhere near to the Montgomery Grove, you really ought to carve out some time for wandering.