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Deep in the beautiful, dark, redwood forest at the bottom of the steep sided Blackhawk Canyon.


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Map Key

0.6

Miles

1.0

KM

Point to Point

1,562' 476 m

High

1,312' 400 m

Low

0' 0 m

Up

250' 76 m

Down

8%

Avg Grade (4°)

12%

Max Grade (7°)

Dogs Leashed

Features River/Creek

Open 8 a.m. to sunset.

Description

The Blackhawk Trail trailhead is found in the forest at the end of the parking area on the east side of the park road.

Blackhawk Trail follows a seasonal creek downstream, running along side of it. The creek and the trail are both at the bottom of Blackhawk Canyon, a steep sided, heavily forested canyon dominated by redwoods. The undergrowth is dense and especially lush at the canyon bottom. Many beautiful ferns are along the trail and creek. It is quite dark down here even on a sunny day because the valley walls are so steep and the forest is thick.

Starting off on the north side of the creek, Blackhawk Trail crosses the creek at the 0.45 mile mark. The trail grows darker as it descends. After 0.6 miles, Contour Trail is reached. Currently (January 2021), this is as far as one can go on Blackhawk Trail. Beyond this point, the trail is being repaired and re-routed due to landslides. When this work is done, Blackhawk Trail should reach Ridge Trail very near the Ridge Trail start. It should be a very beautiful, dark dramatic trail when repaired as it runs the length of the Blackhawk Canyon bottom.

Flora & Fauna

Mixed redwood forest, mostly redwoods. Lush, dense creekside vegetation, beautiful ferns.

Contacts

Shared By:

Joan Pendleton

Trail Ratings

  4.0 from 1 vote

#17183

Overall
  4.0 from 1 vote
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Trail Rankings

#1,833

in California

#17,183

Overall
5 Views Last Month
130 Since Dec 31, 2020
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Photos

Deep, dark forest, at the bottom of Blackhawk Canyon, with such steep sides and thick forest that areas like this rarely see the sun, no sun here on this sunny December day at high noon.
Jan 1, 2021 near Interlaken, CA
Contour Trail begins its climb up out of deep, dark, densely forested Blackhawk Canyon, on a sunny December day.
Jan 1, 2021 near Interlaken, CA
In the dark redwood forest of the steep sided Blackhawk Canyon valley, Iron Springs Trail approaches Blackhawk Trail.
Jan 1, 2021 near Interlaken, CA
The creek at the bottom of steep sided Blackhawk Canyon is to the right of Blackhawk Trail here.  Redwoods and ferns everywhere.
Jan 1, 2021 near Interlaken, CA
Redwoods and other dense, lush vegetation cover the valley down to the bottom of Blackhawk Canyon where Blackhawk Trail runs.
Jan 1, 2021 near Interlaken, CA
East Bayview Trail travels through the redwood forest of Mt. Madonna County Park, with the park road close by.
Jan 18, 2021 near Interlaken, CA

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