{"id":4234,"date":"2018-07-21T15:59:44","date_gmt":"2018-07-21T22:59:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/?p=4234"},"modified":"2023-06-04T10:10:52","modified_gmt":"2023-06-04T17:10:52","slug":"french-hill-trail-smith-river-national-recreation-area-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/2018\/07\/21\/french-hill-trail-smith-river-national-recreation-area-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Hiking the French Hill Trail in the Smith River National Recreation Area"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hiking the French Hill Trail in the Smith River National Recreation Area of the Six Rivers National Forest is well worth the effort. You\u2019ll have solitude along the trail<\/a>, you\u2019ll gain good views of Siskiyou Wilderness and nearby ridges and slopes, and you\u2019ll see a wide variety of plant life.<\/p>\n

\"French
The French Hill Trail passes through a Douglas fir forest with lots of sword fern.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And you\u2019ll also get a good aerobic workout. The French Hill Trail climbs pretty much the whole way from its beginning at the Smith River National Recreation Area Visitor Center on US Highway 199 to its end at French Hill Road.<\/p>\n

Note: I love this trail and hiked it several times with my golden retrievers Hana and Molly back when I lived in Crescent City. It\u2019s just a little too far out from Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park to be included in my book Hiking the Parks: Redwood National and State Parks (coming in spring, 2019). That book does include two trails in the Smith River National Recreation Area: Myrtle Creek Botanical Trail and Craigs Creek; both trails border Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park \u2013 and both have redwoods. The French Hill Trail has no redwoods (that I saw, anyway).<\/p>\n

French Hill Trail Key Data<\/h2>\n

Distance: 5.6 miles roundtrip
\nDifficulty: Strenuous
\nType: Day hike
\nTotal elevation gain: 1650 feet
\nHigh point: 2005 feet
\nSeason: year-round
\nContact: Smith River National Recreation Area<\/a> Visitor Center in Gasquet, California
\nMaps: USGS Gasquet, Smith River National Recreation Area map with hiking trails
\nTrailhead GPS coordinates: N 41 50.662 W 123 57.903
\nNotes: dogs allowed; toilet, picnic tables, and information at the Smith River National Recreation Area Visitor Center across the street; car shuttle possible for a one-way hike (see discussion of French Hill Road near the end of the post); some poison oak trailside<\/p>\n

\"French<\/a>
French Hill Trail Map, Smith River National Recreation Area, Six Rivers National Forest. The trail begins at the Smith River National Recreation Area Visitor Center on Highway 199 and ends at French Hill Road. Click map for larger version. (Courtesy of Caltopo.com<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Driving Directions to French Hill Trailhead and Smith River National Recreation Area Visitor Center<\/h2>\n

Reach the Smith River National Recreation Area Visitor Center in the town of Gasquet on US Highway 199. It\u2019s 14.4 miles east from the intersection of US Highway 101 and US Highway 199<\/a> just north of Crescent City and 19.1 miles west of the Collier tunnel picnic area near the California-Oregon border. The trailhead is on the south side of Highway 199 about 150 feet east of the Smith River National Recreation Area Visitor Center. You can park along the south side of Highway 199 in the designated area or at the Smith River National Recreation Area Visitor Center.<\/p>\n

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Explore Redwood National & State Parks!<\/h4>\n

\"HikeMy compact, all-color guidebook has it all:<\/strong><\/p>\n