Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve

Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve is a 1,323-acre state-owned park located in the Coastal Range in Mendocino County, California, United States. The Reserve occupies the headwaters of Montgomery Creek, a tributary of Big River, which flows into the Pacific Ocean at Mendocino Headlands State Park. The virgin groves of Coast Redwood in Montgomery Woods are examples of a now rare upland riparian meadow habitat; most other preserved redwood groves are on broad alluvial plains. The Reserve is accessed from a parking area along Orr Springs Road 13 miles west of Ukiah, California, or 15 miles east of Comptche, California. A moderately steep trail from the parking area climbs uphill along Montgomery Creek about three-quarters of a mile. Once in the grove, the trail makes a meandering three mile loop, with substantial use of boardwalks to protect the fragile forest floor. The reserve was initiated by a 9-acre donation from Robert T. Orr in 1945, with 765 acres donated since 1947 by the Save the Redwoods League. ()