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Top Reasons to Go | Getting Oriented | What’s Where | Redwood Planner
Updated by Christine Vovakes
Soaring to more than 300 feet, the coastal redwoods that give this park its name are miracles of efficiency—some have survived hundreds of years (a few live for more than 2,000 years). These massive trees glean nutrients from the rich alluvial flats at their feet and from the moisture and nitrogen trapped in their uneven canopy. Their huge, thick-barked trunks can hold thousands of gallons of water, reservoirs that have helped them withstand centuries of firestorms.
Top Reasons to Go
Giant trees: These mature coastal redwoods are the tallest trees in the world.
Hiking to the sea: The park’s trails wind through majestic redwood groves, and many connect to the Coastal Trail running along the western edge of the park.
Rare wildlife: Mighty Roosevelt elk favor the park’s flat prairie and open lands; seldom-seen black bears roam the backcountry; trout and salmon leap through streams; and Pacific gray whales swim along the coast during their biannual migrations.
Stepping back in time: Hike Fern Canyon Trail and explore a prehistoric scene of lush vegetation and giant ferns.
Cheeps, not beeps: Amid the majestic redwoods you’re out of range for cell-phone service—and in range for the soothing sounds of warblers and burbling creeks.
Getting Oriented
U.S. 101 weaves through the southern portion of the park, skirts around the center, and then slips back through redwoods in the north and on to Crescent City. Kuchel Visitor Center, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park and Visitor Center, Tall Trees Grove, Fern Canyon, and Lady Bird Johnson Grove are all in the park’s southern section. In the park’s central section, where the Klamath River Overlook is the dominant feature, the narrow, mostly graveled Coastal Drive loop yields ocean vistas. To the north you’ll find Mill Creek Trail, Enderts Beach, and Crescent Beach Overlook in Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park as well as Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Stout Grove, Little Bald Hills, and Simpson-Reed Grove.
What’s Where
Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park. The rugged terrain of this far northwest corner of California combines stretches of treacherous surf, steep cliffs, and forested ridges. On a clear day it’s postcard-perfect; with fog, it’s mysteriously mesmerizing.
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Gargantuan old-growth redwoods dominate the scenery here. The Smith River cuts through canyons and splits across boulders, carrying salmon to the inland creeks where they spawn.
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The forests here give way to spacious, grassy plains where abundant wildlife thrives. Roosevelt elk are a common sight in the meadows and down to Gold Bluffs Beach.
Orick Area. The highlight of the southern portion of Redwood National and State Parks is the Tall Trees Grove. It’s difficult to reach and requires a special pass, but it’s worth the hassle—this section has the tallest coast redwood trees, with a new record holder discovered in 2006.
Redwood Planner
When to Go
Campers and hikers flock to the park from mid-June to early September. Crowds disappear in winter, but you’ll have to contend with frequent rains and nasty potholes on side roads. Temperatures fluctuate widely throughout the park: the foggy coastal lowland is much cooler than the higher-altitude interior.
The average annual rainfall here is 60 to 80 inches, and during dry summer months thick fog rolling in from the Pacific veils the forests.
Getting Here and Around
Car Travel
U.S. 101 runs north–south along the park, and Highway 199 cuts east–west through its northern portion. Access routes off 101 include Bald Hills Road, Davison Road, Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, Coastal Drive loop, Requa Road, and Enderts Beach Road. From 199 take South Fork Road to Howland Hill Road. Many of the park’s roads aren’t paved, and winter rains can turn them into obstacle courses or close them completely. Motorhomes/RVs and trailers aren’t permitted on some routes. TIP Park rangers say don’t rely solely on GPS; closely consult park maps, available at the visitor information centers.
Park Essentials
Park Fees and Permits
Admission to Redwood National Park is free. There’s an $8 day-use fee to enter one or all of Redwood’s state parks; for camping at these state parks it’s an additional $35. To visit Tall Trees Grove, you must get a free permit at the Kuchel Information Center in Orick. Permits also are needed to camp in all designated backcountry camps.
Park Hours
The park is open year-round, 24 hours a day.
Automobile Service Stations
Contacts
Crescent City Chevron. | 315 Hwy. 101 S | Crescent City | 707/465–3825.
Pete’s Marine Repair. | 1305 2nd St. | Crescent City | 707/464–2538.
Visitor Information
Park Contacts
Redwood National and State Parks.
| 1111 2nd St. | Crescent City | 707/465–7335 | www.nps.gov/redw.
Visitor Centers
Crescent City Information Center.
As the park’s headquarters, this center is the main information stop if you’re approaching the redwoods from the north. A gift shop and picnic area are here. | Off U.S. 101,1111 Second St., near K St. | Crescent City | 707/465–7335 | www.nps.gov/redw | Mid-May–mid-Oct., daily 9–5; mid-Oct.–mid-May, daily 9–4.
Hiouchi Information Center.
Located in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, 2 miles west of Hiouchi and 9 miles east of Crescent City off U.S. 199, this seasonal center has a bookstore, film, and exhibits about the flora and fauna in the park. It’s also a starting point for seasonal ranger programs. | U.S. Hwy. 199 | 707/458–3294, 707/465–7335 | www.nps.gov/redw | Late May–early Sept., daily 9–6.
Jedediah Smith Visitor Center.
Located off U.S. 199, adjacent to the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park main campground, this seasonal center has information about ranger-led walks and evening campfire programs in the summer. Also here are nature and history exhibits, a gift shop, and a picnic area. | Off U.S.Hwy. 199 | Hiouchi | 707/458–3496, 707/465–7335 | www.parks.ca.gov | Late May–early Sept., daily 9–5.
Fodor’s Choice | Prairie Creek Visitor Center.
Housed in a redwood lodge, this center has wildlife displays and a massive stone fireplace that was built in 1933. Several trailheads begin here. Stretch your legs with an easy stroll along Revelation Trail, a short loop behind the lodge. Pick up information about summer programs in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. There’s a nature museum, gift shop, picnic area, restrooms, and exhibits on flora and fauna. TIP Roosevelt elk often roam in the vast field adjacent to the center. | 6 miles north of Orick, off the southern end of Newton B. Drury Scenic Pkwy. | Orick | 707/488–2039 | www.parks.ca.gov | Mid-May–mid-Oct., daily 9–5; mid-Oct.–mid-May, Thurs.–Mon. 9–4.
Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center.
If you’re approaching the park from the south end, stop here to get brochures, advice, and a free permit to drive up the access road to Tall Trees Grove. Whale-watchers find the deck of the visitor center an excellent observation point, and bird-watchers enjoy the nearby Freshwater Lagoon, a popular layover for migrating waterfowl. Many of the exhibits here are hands-on and kid-friendly. | Off U.S. 101 | Orick | 707/465–7765 | www.nps.gov/redw | Mid-May–mid-Oct., daily 9–5; mid-Oct.–mid-May, daily 9–4.