If you’ve ever walked among these giants, you know it feels like stepping into a time machine set to the Jurassic Period. In the cathedral-like redwood groves, the flying squirrels gliding above could just as easily be pterodactyls.
Mile after emerald mile, primeval redwoods tower above the forest floor — growing taller than even the largest factory chimneys. The tallest redwood in the park, known as “Hyperion,” is nearly 380 feet tall –that’s taller than London’s Big Ben and the Statue of Liberty.
For centuries, these old-growth trees have grown in silence, stretching their arms out to the sun as they play host to generations of birds, insects and mammals. Now, they are playing host to you, too.
This wondrous park (really, a series of parks, but more on that later) will transport you to an ancient past that feels unscathed by modernity. Rugged, rocky coves, unspoiled coastlines, fern-covered canyons and the biggest trees on the planet: that’s what you can expect to find in Redwood National and State Parks.
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What You Need to Know:
- Entrance Fee: No entrance fee or pass is required to visit Redwoods National and State Parks.
- Opening Hours: The parks are open year-round. Find operating hours & seasonal closures here.
- Cell service is non-existent in most parts of the park. Bring a printed map and download off-line navigation.
- Average annual visitors: 436,940
- Unlike most national parks, this is not one park — “Redwoods” refers to a collection of five parks that protect California’s magnificent coastal redwoods. The main area is known as the “Redwood National and State Parks,” which is a joint management effort between the federal and state government of California. This group includes:
- Redwood National Park: Managed by the National Park Service and covering the northern stretch.
- Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park: Offers a blend of redwood forests and rugged coastline.
- Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park: Known for dense old-growth forest and scenic river views.
- Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park: Known for its scenic fern-filled canyons, and prime wildlife viewing, especially Roosevelt elk.
- Humboldt Redwoods State Park: Features the largest remaining contiguous old-growth redwood forest in the world, including the famed Avenue of the Giants scenic drive.
- No lodging or restaurants within the park boundaries: There are no hotels within the park, but there are four developed campgrounds within Redwood National and State Parks, all of which are managed by the California State Parks.
Things to keep in Mind while planning your trip to see California’s redwoods
- Build extra time into your drive: It takes a long time to go from Point A to Point B. Winding coastal roads, constant construction, road passages narrowed by ancient trees — some of which are just barely wide enough to fit a car through — and the shape of the park itself (long and narrow along the coast) all make getting around a bit trickier. As scenic as these roads are, your drives end up being longer than they feel like they should. In peak season, traffic congests the lengthy stretch of Highway 101 that connects the parks. You’ll only go as fast as the RV ahead of you!
- Food options near the park are scarce. Plan ahead if you intend on staying overnight in the park.
- Best time to visit: While the parks are open year-round, the best times to visit are late spring and early fall when temperatures are mild, and there’s less fog. Summer is also beautiful, though trails can be more crowded. Winter is ideal if you don’t mind the rain, and the forests take on an even more mystical quality.
How to Get to Redwoods National and State Parks
- By car: The park is roughly equidistant between San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. To reach the park, it’ll take you roughly six hours to drive from either city.
- By plane: If you intend on flying into the West Coast and renting a car, flights into San Francisco tend to be cheaper.
Nearby Towns and Amenities
- Crescent City: A good base for exploring Jedediah Smith and Del Norte with restaurants, hotels, and other amenities.
- Orick: Closest to Prairie Creek and Redwood National Park with a few local dining options and accommodations.
- Trinidad: A quaint coastal town with beautiful beaches and good lodging options.
5 Things You Can’t Miss:
1. Damnation Creek Trail
This was hands down our favorite trail in the park. The trailhead is right off of Highway 101 — making it easy to reach — and the trail features every aspect that makes this park so unique. Damnation Creek Trail starts by leading you through an exceptional grove of old-growth redwoods, and continues to lead you down to the coastline. After a 1,200-ft descent, you’ll reach a rocky cove with cliffsides emblazoned with mesmerizing succulents, colorful wildflowers and rock formations in the surf that look like sculptures straight out of the Louvre.
The trail will lead you down to paradise. Then you’ll remember: I’ve got to hike back up. On the way back to your car, you’ll climb 1,200 feet and the series of switchbacks that were a breeze to go down on will become a zig-zagging pain to go back up on.
The trail is best to hike in the late afternoon, as the setting sun lights up the hillside. This trail is often shrouded in fog as well, which adds a magical aura to the primeval forest. As the fog rolls up the hillsides, the crowns of Redwood trees around you will disappear into the abyss above.
Damnation Creek Trail
- Difficulty: Moderate (1,200 ft elevation gain)
- Route Type: Out-and-back
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Distance: 3.9 miles
2. Drive through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park on Howland Hill Road
Driving through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park on Howland Hill Road is one of the most immersive and awe-inspiring ways to experience the majesty of the redwoods. This narrow, 10-mile dirt road winds right through the heart of the forest, allowing you to get up close to towering, ancient trees—some more than 300 feet tall and over a thousand years old.
The road, once a historic wagon trail, is mostly unpaved and can be bumpy, but it’s suitable for most vehicles. The slow drive means you can take in the dense undergrowth, ferns, and wildflowers at a leisurely pace.
Along the way, there are pull-outs where you can stop, step out, and experience the quiet of the old-growth forest. If you want to get your boots dirty, hike the Grove of Titans. The trail is accessible from Howland Hill Road and offers a short, scenic loop through some of the most impressive redwoods in the park. Whether you’re taking photos, hiking a bit, or simply marveling from your vehicle, the Howland Hill Road drive is a must-see attraction that brings you face-to-trunk with some of nature’s giants.
3. Grove of Titans
The Grove of Titans trail begins off Howland Hill Road, near the Mill Creek Trail, and is known for its amazing concentration of massive, old-growth redwoods. It’s an easy, 1.7-mile out and back trail and was recently rebuilt using a series of elevated boardwalks designed to protect the grove’s root systems.
If you’re visiting Jedediah Smith State Park, this grove is a must-see. In the fall, bigleaf and vine maples in the understory burst into beautiful colors. Come spring, trillium, rhododendron, and various wildflowers bloom all along this trail, adding touches of color to the forest floor. In the summer, the trailhead parking area can become congested. If you plan on doing this trail in peak season, hit it early in the morning (before 9am).
Grove of Titans Trail
- Difficulty: Easy (147 ft elevation gain)
- Route Type: Out-and-back
- Duration: 45 minutes
- Distance: 1.7 miles
4. Fern Canyon
This unique destination lives up to the hype.The canyon walls are blanketed in vibrant green ferns that dance together like prairie grass in the wind. The trail is relatively short (about a mile round-trip) and easy, but it offers an unforgettable experience as you walk between towering canyon walls, which rise up to 50 feet high and are adorned with five-finger ferns, sword ferns, and other native plants.
From May 15th to September 15th, reservations are required in order to visit Gold Bluffs Beach Day-Use Area including Fern Canyon Trailhead. For a longer adventure, you can access the canyon via the James Irvine Trail from the Prairie Creek Visitor Center, a scenic 10-mile round-trip hike through the redwoods that ends at Fern Canyon. This approach does not require a reservation.
Fern Canyon Loop Trail
- Difficulty: Easy (127 ft elevation gain)
- Route Type: Loop
- Duration: 40 minutes
- Distance: 1.1 miles
5. Hit the Beach (and stay for the sunset)
For good reason, the redwoods in this park are the stars of the show, but the park’s breathtaking stretch of Pacific coastline can’t be overlooked, either. The beaches throughout the park are dramatic and secluded, offering an incredible contrast to the towering redwoods. Here are some highlights to explore:
- Gold Bluffs beach
Soft sand, swimming areas, sandy dunes and a chance to see Roosevelt elk grazing near the beach.
- Hidden Beach
Accessible via a short hike on the Yurok Loop Trail near Klamath, Hidden Beach offers a secluded cove with large driftwood logs and scenic ocean views. The beach is peaceful, making it a great spot for a picnic or watching the waves crash against rocky outcroppings.
- Enderts Beach
Just south of Crescent City, Enderts Beach is a tranquil spot with tide pools rich in marine life. The walk down to the beach follows the Coastal Trail, offering scenic coastal views before descending to a pebble-strewn shoreline. Low tide is the best time to explore tide pools brimming with sea stars, anemones, and colorful marine algae.
Recommended accommodations near the park:
The four campsites within the park fill up quickly — you can check availability here. If you don’t manage to book a site at one of these campgrounds, there are some pretty great alternatives that offer good value. Here a few camping alternatives:
Camp-like Accommodations:
- Kamp Klamath
- Mystic Forest RV Park: We stayed here during our visit and absolutely loved it. This family-run RV park offers both tent and RV sites — the tent site we had was tucked neatly into the forest and the RV pull-through sites were pretty roomy. The facilities are clean and the hosts are lovely!
- Browse other nearby campgrounds on HipCamp.
