Entry No. 49 — the San Francisco file — filed under: ruins
Old Lime Kiln Ruins
Tucked away in the redwood forest of the Fall Creek Unit of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, these massive, moss-covered stone structures are the remains of a major late-19th-century lime-processing operation. Operated by the IXL Lime Company from 1874 to 1919, the kilns burned local limestone using redwood timber as fuel to produce the lime mortar that helped rebuild San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake. Today, three large granite kilns, a stone-walled storage depot, and remnants of the old barrel mill stand slowly being reclaimed by the surrounding forest.
The story
Before San Francisco could rebuild from the 1906 earthquake, it needed mortar—and it got it by incinerating the Santa Cruz mountains piece by piece. From 1874 to 1919, the IXL Lime Company ran a heavy industrial operation hidden in what is now the Fall Creek Unit of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. Workers felled surrounding redwood giants simply to feed the fires needed to reduce local limestone into high-grade powder.
What sits hidden along the creek isn't a couple of stray stones, but serious granite infrastructure: three colossal kilns, a stone-walled storage depot, and the decaying traces of an old barrel mill. These heavy masonry stacks were the engine room of regional construction, converting living forest and quarried rock into the mortar that held the rebuilding city together.
When the IXL operation shuttered in 1919, the fires went cold and the canyon quieted down. Over a century later, nature is running a slow-motion demolition project, wrapping thick moss and ferns around the granite walls as the forest reclaims its ground.
What it's like
You reach the site via a 3.3-mile round-trip trek along the fern-lined Fall Creek Trail, where the dense redwood shade keeps the canyon noticeably cooler than the surrounding area. Unlike the main Henry Cowell park entry down the road, access to the Fall Creek Unit is free with no entrance fee, but trailhead parking fills up fast on weekends. Expect wet ground near the creek bed and bring shoes that handle mud. When you reach the ruins, keep your feet on the dirt trail—these damp 19th-century stone structures are historic artifacts, not scrambles.
The move: Embark on a scenic, shaded 3.3-mile round-trip hike along the fern-lined Fall Creek Trail, stopping to photograph the towering, moss-draped stone kilns and enjoy a quiet picnic under the redwoods.
📍 Before you go The ruins are located along a well-maintained public hiking trail in the Fall Creek Unit of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, which is open daily from dawn to dusk with no entry fee for this specific unit.
- 📍 Felton
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Fall Creek Trail, Felton, CA 95018, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Enriquita Mine — Pair this forest industrial ruin with another 19th-century mountain extraction site in nearby Los Gatos, where quicksilver was mined from cinnabar.
- Pier 90 Grain Silos — Trace the evolution of Bay Area masonry and industrial infrastructure from 1870s forest lime kilns to San Francisco's massive 1920s concrete waterfront silos.
- Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum — Trade moss-draped 19th-century granite stacks for ancient Egyptian stone relics inside a Karnak-modeled temple complex in San Jose.
Good to know
How much does it cost to hike to the ruins?
There is no entry fee for the Fall Creek Unit of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.
How long is the hike to the kilns?
It is a 3.3-mile round-trip hike along the Fall Creek Trail.
What were these stone structures built for?
The IXL Lime Company built them to burn local limestone using redwood fuel between 1874 and 1919, supplying lime mortar used heavily to rebuild San Francisco after 1906.
What are the trail hours?
The unit is open daily from dawn to dusk. Check trail conditions before visiting.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: modernhiker.com · californiawanderland.com
last checked: 2026-07-20