Notes: Use this alternate route to visit Tom McDonald whenever Redwood Creek is impassable. If Redwood Creek is low enough to wade across near Tall Trees Grove, use the 10.5 mi (16.9 km shorter) normal route to Tom McDonald via Tall Trees Trail instead.

Drive: Tom McDonald is 251 mi (404 km) north of San Francisco near the community of Orick.

From Highway 101 near Orick School, turn onto Drydens Road, drive north 0.9 mi (1.4 km) to Orick Rodeo Grounds, and park in the unpaved parking lot.

Hike: GPS-assisted navigation is recommended for this hike. From the parking lot, follow a short trail northwest to the levee. Hike northeast 0.5 mi (0.8 km) along the levee to Orick Horse Trail. From the trailhead, hike south 1.1 mi (1.8 km) on Orick Horse Trail to Ridge Loop Trail (also known as Three Hour Loop Trail). Turn left onto Ridge Loop Trail and hike south 1.5 mi (2.4 km) to McArthur Creek Loop Trail (also known as Six Hour Loop Trail). Turn left again and hike south 1.7 mi (2.7 km) on the McArthur Creek Loop Trail to Elam Creek Loop Trail (also known as Overnight Loop Trail). Turn left onto Elam Creek Loop Trail and hike southeast 1.1 mi (1.8 km) toward Elam Camp. Turn left/east onto an unnamed spur trail and hike east 0.1 mi (0.2 km) to Redwood Creek Trail. Turn right/south at the Redwood Creek Trail sign onto Redwood Creek Trail and hike south 4.6 mi (7.4 km), past Elam Creek, Bond Creek, and Forty Four Creek, to the junction with Forty Four Creek Loop Spur Trail. Veer left at the trail junction and hike south another 0.2 mi (0.3 km) to Redwood Creek. Using a GPS device, follow the western bank of Redwood Creek south 0.8 mi (1.3 km) to Tom McDonald Creek then hike 1.1 mi (1.8 km) up Tom McDonald Creek, past Hyperion, to Tom McDonald.

Trespass Warning: The forest surrounding Hyperion is closed to the public until further notice. Hyperion, Crown Jewel, and Tom McDonald remain inaccessible indefinitely.

View Tom McDonald Tree location in Google Maps