Hendy Woods State Park

True, the trees at Hendy Woods State Park are not quite as tall as the giants in some of California’s more famous redwood parks. But Hendy Woods’ unique location alongside orchards and vineyards in Anderson Valley — an idyllic and undiscovered wine country — gives it a magic that is all its own. Don’t forget to check out the trees after you’re done wine tasting. Big Hendy Grove, in particular, is enormous and will inspire awe as you traipse through sorrel, sun dapples and ancient redwoods.

Redwoods in Wine Country

ABOVE: Big Hendy Grove’s 80 acres of old-growth redwoods are the highlight of Hendy Woods. You’ll find the park’s tallest trees in this enormous grove, which feels a world away from the surrounding wine country. This bridge is near the northern entrance to the grove. Be sure to hike all the way to the Upper Loop and Back Loop trails if you want to see the most impressive redwoods. You can also get there by hiking along the grove’s edge via the Meadow Trail.

Big Hendy Grove

ABOVE: Here are some impressive old-growth redwoods in Big Hendy Grove. Many of the trees here are wonderfully unique. The redwood on the left is scratched and scarred by a violent encounter with another large tree that must have scraped it as it fell. Hendy Woods is actually the first place I started shooting images like these, which I like to call “tree portraits.” Standing beneath these giants, you can’t help but feel you’re at the foot of something grand.

ABOVE: This massive tree and its root system lay on the forest floor, slowly decaying and nourishing other large redwoods in the vicinity. I really love this image — a beautiful juxtaposition of the living and the dead.

ABOVE: One of my favorite things to do at Hendy Woods or any redwood park is to look up. You’ll feel like an ant as you peer into the crowns of the trees and watch them sway in the wind.

Camping at Hendy Woods State Park

ABOVE: Camping at Hendy Woods State Park is utterly relaxing. The campground has two loops: Azelea, which is open year-round, and Wildcat, which is seasonal. Both have plenty of big campsites to choose from. Some are tucked into the trees and more private than others, but generally, they are all pretty good. There’s water, flush toilets and even showers — it’s more of a comfy (and affordable) place to stay in wine country than a wilderness experience. Be warned that the campground is booked solid throughout the summer, and many of the sites tend to be occupied by larger goups of people. If you’re seeking quiet introspection, look elsewhere — or come in the winter. There are also small cabins to rent with bunkbeds and wood stoves. One winter, while camping here, I was woken in the early hours of the morning by a screeching mountain lion. Have a listen. It sounds just like you’d expect a banshee to sound, and will have the hairs on your neck standing up right quick. A reminder that even in a comfortable campground, you’re never far from the wild.

Little Hendy Grove

ABOVE: The view as you hike down from Azalea Campground into Little Hendy Grove. I often find this grove vacant since most people visit Big Hendy Grove or hang out by the Navarro River. That’s why Little Hendy Grove feels more like a cathedral to me, even though it’s a quarter the size of Big Hendy Grove, with nowhere near as many impressive trees. There is a sanctity to it that more than makeups for its coziness.

ABOVE: A beautiful old-growth redwood swaying in the wind blowing down the valley and across the vineyards. There are few places in the world that could inspire such a sentence.

ABOVE: A peek into the crowns of some big trees in Little Hendy Grove.

ABOVE: The late-evening sun filters through ancient trees as their needles shimmer in the breeze. Anderson Valley really is a special place — a land of redwoods, wine and orchards unlike anywhere else.

Redwoods in Wine Country

Big Hendy Grove’s 80 acres of old-growth redwoods are the highlight of Hendy Woods. You’ll find the park’s tallest trees in this enormous grove, which feels a world away from the surrounding wine country. This bridge is near the northern entrance to the grove. Be sure to hike all the way to the Upper Loop and Back Loop trails if you want to see the most impressive redwoods. You can also get there by hiking along the grove’s edge via the Meadow Trail.

Big Hendy Grove

Here are some impressive old-growth redwoods in Big Hendy Grove. Many of the trees here are wonderfully unique. The redwood on the left is scratched and scarred by a violent encounter with another large tree that must have scraped it as it fell. Hendy Woods is actually the first place I started shooting images like these, which I like to call “tree portraits.” Standing beneath these giants, you can’t help but feel you’re at the foot of something grand.

This massive tree and its root system lay on the forest floor, slowly decaying and nourishing other large redwoods in the vicinity. I really love this image — a beautiful juxtaposition of the living and the dead.

One of my favorite things to do at Hendy Woods or any redwood park is to look up. You’ll feel like an ant as you peer into the crowns of the trees and watch them sway in the wind.

Camping at Hendy Woods State Park

Camping at Hendy Woods State Park is utterly relaxing. The campground has two loops: Azelea, which is open year-round, and Wildcat, which is seasonal. Both have plenty of big campsites to choose from. Some are tucked into the trees and more private than others, but generally, they are all pretty good. There’s water, flush toilets and even showers — it’s more of a comfy (and affordable) place to stay in wine country than a wilderness experience. Be warned that the campground is booked solid throughout the summer, and many of the sites tend to be occupied by larger goups of people. If you’re seeking quiet introspection, look elsewhere — or come in the winter. There are also small cabins to rent with bunkbeds and wood stoves. One winter, while camping here, I was woken in the early hours of the morning by a screeching mountain lion. Have a listen. It sounds just like you’d expect a banshee to sound, and will have the hairs on your neck standing up right quick. A reminder that even in a comfortable campground, you’re never far from the wild.

Little Hendy Grove

The view as you hike down from Azalea Campground into Little Hendy Grove. I often find this grove vacant since most people visit Big Hendy Grove or hang out by the Navarro River. That’s why Little Hendy Grove feels more like a cathedral to me, even though it’s a quarter the size of Big Hendy Grove, with nowhere near as many impressive trees. There is a sanctity to it that more than makeups for its coziness.

A beautiful old-growth redwood swaying in the wind blowing down the valley and across the vineyards. There are few places in the world that could inspire such a sentence.

A peek into the crowns of some big trees in Little Hendy Grove.

The late-evening sun filters through ancient trees as their needles shimmer in the breeze. Anderson Valley really is a special place — a land of redwoods, wine and orchards unlike anywhere else.

Know
Before
You Go

Hendy Woods State Park sees nowhere near the traffic that Humboldt’s more famous redwood parks attract, but it’s still plenty busy, especially in the summer. With so few old-growth trees remaining, it’s critical that you respect the rules and regulations at this beautiful park.

More Info
  • Hendy Woods State Park is open from 8:00 am to sunset.
  • Dogs are not allowed on trails anywhere in the park — this is the norm for California State Parks.
  • Camping is available year-round. You can make reservations online at Reserve California.
  • If you’re camping and need last-minute groceries or supplies, try Lemons Market just down the road in Philo.
  • The biggest trees here are in Big Hendy Grove, which is something like 80 acres of old growth. Little Hendy Grove is only a quarter that size, but beautiful in its own right, tucked onto a flat bordering the Navarro River and apple orchards.
  • Want to go wine tasting? You honestly can’t go wrong in Anderson Valley. Baxter, Navarro Vineyards, Lula Cellars, and Pennyroyal Farm are some of my favorites (but just some — I have like a dozen more). Yorkville Cellars is a must-visit as well if you’re headed through Yorkville Highlands.
  • The weather at Hendy Woods State Park can vary wildly depending on the time of year. It can be hot here from spring to early fall — even surpassing 100 degrees, though it’s usually always a bit cooler near the river in the trees. Expect nightime temps in the mid-to-upper 40s. From late fall through early spring, highs will be around 60 degrees. It can dip below freezing at night, and rain is not uncommon this time of year.

Know Before You Go

Hendy Woods State Park sees nowhere near the traffic that Humboldt’s more famous redwood parks attract, but it’s still plenty busy, especially in the summer. With so few old-growth trees remaining, it’s critical that you respect the rules and regulations at this beautiful park.

More Info
  • Hendy Woods State Park is open from 8:00 am to sunset.
  • Dogs are not allowed on trails anywhere in the park — this is the norm for California State Parks.
  • Camping is available year-round. You can make reservations online at Reserve California.
  • If you’re camping and need last-minute groceries or supplies, try Lemons Market just down the road in Philo.
  • The biggest trees here are in Big Hendy Grove, which is something like 80 acres of old growth. Little Hendy Grove is only a quarter that size, but beautiful in its own right, tucked onto a flat bordering the Navarro River and apple orchards.
  • Want to go wine tasting? You honestly can’t go wrong in Anderson Valley. Baxter, Navarro Vineyards, Lula Cellars, and Pennyroyal Farm are some of my favorites (but just some — I have like a dozen more). Yorkville Cellars is a must-visit as well if you’re headed through Yorkville Highlands.
  • The weather at Hendy Woods State Park can vary wildly depending on the time of year. It can be hot here from spring to early fall — even surpassing 100 degrees, though it’s usually always a bit cooler near the river in the trees. Expect nightime temps in the mid-to-upper 40s. From late fall through early spring, highs will be around 60 degrees. It can dip below freezing at night, and rain is not uncommon this time of year.

Hendy Woods Stae Park

Directions to Hendy Woods State Park

The simplest way to get to Hendy Woods — whether you’re coming from the north or south — is via Route 128, which winds through Anderson Valley. Look for Greenwood Road, just north of Philo. Go past the Apple Farm, over the bridge and the entrance to the park will be on your left. Bring your wine-tasting shoes. You’ll pass dozens of vineyards and tasting rooms on the way, most of which are small, family-run wineries focused on organic grapes and sustainable winemaking techniques.

Related Organizations

Hendy Woods Community

The Hendy Woods Community is dedicated to ensuring that Hendy Woods State Park remains open to the public, and its resources are protected for future generations and for the well-being of the Navarro River watershed and its native plants and animals.

Save the Redwoods League

Since 1918, Save the Redwoods League has protected and restored California redwood forests and connected people with their peace and beauty so these wonders of the natural world flourish. They purchase redwood forests and the surrounding lands needed to nurture them; regenerate logged forests so they become spectacular havens for future generations; study how to best protect and restore these global treasures; and introduce people to these magical places.

California State Parks

The mission of California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state's extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation.