Redwood
The world's tallest trees, wild beaches and Roosevelt elk on California's far north coast
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, all year
- Entry
- Free entry
- Reservations
- Not required
- Size
- About 139,000 acres (national and state parks combined)
Redwood Weather Now
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Redwood National and State Parks protect nearly half of all the old-growth coast redwood forest left on Earth, including Hyperion, the tallest known tree at about 380 feet. The national park was created in 1968 and is managed together with three older California state parks: Jedediah Smith, Del Norte Coast and Prairie Creek Redwoods. Logging cut about 90 percent of the original redwood forest, so these groves are what remains. The parks are a World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve.
The parks stretch about 50 miles along the coast, so a visit mixes giant forests, river valleys, prairies and wild beaches. Summer fog feeds the trees, which can drink moisture straight from the air through their needles. Herds of Roosevelt elk graze in meadows and even on the beach at Gold Bluffs. Fern Canyon was a filming location for Jurassic Park: The Lost World.
The park and surrounding area
- Park boundary
- Other parks
- Major highway
- Road
- Rivers and lakes
- Town
Plan your trip
- Best time to go
- Late spring through early fall brings the driest weather, and September and October offer fewer crowds and no Fern Canyon reservation.
- How long to stay
- Two days lets you see both the north and south ends of the parks.
- Getting there
- Del Norte County Airport in Crescent City (CEC) is minutes from the north end, California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport (ACV) is about 40 minutes from Orick, and Medford (MFR) is about 2.5 hours away.
- Wildlife
- Look for Roosevelt elk, black bears, banana slugs, harbor seals, sea lions and, offshore in winter and spring, migrating gray whales.
Plan and book
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Where to stay
- Hotels in Crescent City (opens in a new tab)California
- Hotels in Trinidad (opens in a new tab)California
- Hotels in Klamath (opens in a new tab)California
- No lodging inside the park. The towns above are the closest bases.
Tours and activities
- Guided tours on Viator (opens in a new tab)Day trips, wildlife, photography
- Tours on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)Compare options and reviews
- Campsites on Recreation.gov (opens in a new tab)Official federal booking site
What to pack for Redwood
- Rain jacketCoastal rain and drizzle can show up in any season.
- Waterproof sandals or bootsFern Canyon means wading through a creek.
- Fleece layerHighs often stay in the 50s and 60s, and the forest is shady and damp.
- BinocularsGood for elk in the meadows and whales or seals from the coastal overlooks.
- Offline mapCell service is spotty, and the parks are spread along 50 miles of coast.
A first day, start to finish
- Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center
- Lady Bird Johnson Grove
- Elk Prairie and Big Tree
- Fern Canyon
- Klamath River Overlook at sunset
Don't miss
- Fern CanyonA short, flat walk up a creek between 50-foot walls covered in ferns, reached by gravel Davison Road; expect to wade in ankle- to knee-deep water.
- Tall Trees GroveA 4-mile round trip that drops about 800 feet to a grove of giant redwoods along Redwood Creek; a free permit is needed to drive to the trailhead.
- Lady Bird Johnson GroveAn easy 1.5-mile loop through old-growth redwoods up Bald Hills Road, and the best quick redwood walk in the south end of the park.
- Stout Grove and Howland Hill RoadA flat half-mile loop through some of the densest old-growth redwoods anywhere, reached by a narrow 10-mile gravel road near Crescent City.
- Newton B. Drury Scenic ParkwayA 10-mile drive through Prairie Creek Redwoods past Big Tree, many trailheads and the Elk Prairie meadow where Roosevelt elk often graze.
Know before you go
Do
- Bring cash or a check for the $12 Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon day-use fee, since cards are not accepted there.
- Pack rain gear and layers, because fog and rain are common and it stays cool year-round.
- Keep at least 50 yards from Roosevelt elk, especially during the fall rut.
Don't
- Take a trailer or RV on Davison Road or Howland Hill Road, which are narrow and unpaved.
- Turn your back on the ocean, since sneaker waves and cold water are dangerous on these beaches.
- Walk off trail around old redwoods, because their shallow roots are easily damaged.
Redwood National and State Parks are open 24 hours a day, year-round, with no entrance stations on the national park side. Visitor centers have seasonal hours, and some (like Hiouchi and Jedediah Smith) are summer-only. Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway closes to cars on the first Saturday of each month from October through May for walkers and cyclists.
Go to Fern Canyon after September 15, when no day-use reservation is needed, and arrive early in the day before the small lot fills.Trekker's tip