Henry Cowell Reservable Redwood Grove

A stunning grove of redwood trees with a clearing in the middle for your ceremony. There are only three places that the park itself permits for a ceremony, this location is by far the most beautiful and gives you the most old-growth redwoods for your ceremony.

If you’re picturing saying your vows completely surrounded by towering trees during your Henry Cowell State Park wedding: this is the location for you. 

The grove is 50ft or so off of the main loop trail so there is some foot traffic nearby, but the grove of trees offers some privacy. To have the most privacy, we’d recommend holding your ceremony on a weekday (Mon-Thurs) and not on the same week as any holidays)

Details:

A .5 mile hike/walk over a dirt path through the forest to reach the Henry Cowell Reservable Redwood Grove 

Maximum group size is 20 people (including vendors and the couple).

No decorations or setup is allowed at this location. Ceremonies are limited to 1 hour.

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Ceremony Locations:

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Train

One of the many unique things about Henry Cowell is the incredible Roaring Camp Railroads steam train! This vintage 19th century steam train was used to transport massive redwood logs over 120 years ago. Now, they use the train for open air rides through the forest that give you a truly one-of-a-kind redwood experience.

Roaring Camp Railroad’s Trackside Ties offers a wedding package where they take you and your guests to a private redwood grove on the steam train! It’s the perfect option if you want a Henry Cowell State Park wedding that feels straight out of a story book as you cruise through towering redwoods on a historic steam train.

Details:

There are multiple packages to choose from depending on what type of wedding you want. A reception barn is also available.

Price and maximum group size depends on the package you book.

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Photos from Roaring Camp Railroads

Henry Cowell Picnic Area 1

The second park-permitted ceremony option. A wide open picnic area with large tables surrounded by trees and shrubs, there are no redwoods here. This space works if you're having a large wedding, but Roaring Railroads offers more scenic spots for bigger groups. If your guest count allows, we'd recommend the redwood grove instead. 

Maximum group size is 150 people (including vendors and the couple). Some decorations and setup are allowed when approved by the park.

Henry Cowell Picnic Overflow Lot 

The third park-permitted ceremony spot. A smaller picnic area tucked amidst some trees, there are also no redwoods here either. While the area is nice, the scenery is somewhat lacking compared to what is offered by the redwood grove.

Maximum group size is 75 people (including vendors and the couple). Some decorations and setup are allowed when approved by the park.

Henry Cowell Redwood Grove Loop Trail 

The crown jewel of the park, this easy trail takes you on a journey through the most massive and ancient redwood trees in the park, such as the Fremont Tree. The main loop is an easy walk and well-maintained, making it perfect for couples of all fitness levels. There's also a wonderful extension to the loop that's more private but still has some incredible redwoods.

This is our favorite spot for photos in the whole park. The extended section offers more solitude and intimate moments among the towering giants, away from other park visitors.

The main loop is only 1 mile in length, with no significant elevation change or hills.

It's an easy way to see some super impressive redwoods during your Henry Cowell State Park wedding!

Locations to Explore:

Fall Creek to Lime Kilns Trail

This trail doesn’t have the same concentration of large redwoods that the loop trail does, but it’s a nice option if you want to explore a longer trail and see some interesting pieces of history. This 3.4 mile trail takes you through the beautiful forest and includes the ruins of a 19th century lime kiln. 

Shark Fin Cove

A short 30-minute drive from Henry Cowell lies this jaw-dropping beach with tall ocean cliffs that create a secluded cove with a massive rock formation in the middle that looks like a shark's fin.

There are trails along the cliffs you can explore with stunning ocean views, and the trail down to the beach is a little steep but totally doable for most couples.

The iconic shark fin-shaped rock jutting out of the sand makes for some really beautiful photos. This is the perfect place to explore and take photos after your wedding in Henry Cowell State Park

The contrast between towering redwoods and crashing Pacific waves creates an unforgettable variety in your wedding photos.

No hike is required to reach this location, just a short walk from the parking lot and then descending the steep trail to the beach.