Redwood National Park Guide: Best Hikes, When to Visit & Where to Stay

Redwood National and State Parks protect the tallest living things on Earth. Along a narrow, fog-drenched strip of California's northern coast, coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) rise over 350 feet into air so thick with moisture that the trees drink from the clouds themselves. The tallest known tree on the planet, Hyperion, stands 380.3 feet in an undisclosed location within the park -- taller than the Statue of Liberty from base to torch. These are not merely big trees; they are organisms that have been growing for over 2,000 years, their trunks wide enough to drive through (though please do not), their canopies creating an ecosystem hundreds of feet above the forest floor that scientists are only beginning to understand.

The park complex is a collaboration between the National Park Service and California State Parks, encompassing 139,000 acres of old-growth and second-growth redwood forest, oak woodlands, wild rivers, prairies, and 40 miles of rugged Pacific coastline. The combined parks protect 45 percent of all remaining old-growth coast redwoods -- a forest type that once covered two million acres but was reduced to less than five percent of its original range by a century of intensive logging. Walking through these groves is not like visiting a museum of large trees. It is like stepping into a cathedral built over millennia, where the scale of life humbles you into silence.

Best Hikes

Tall Trees Grove Trail -- Home to some of the tallest trees in the park, this 3.5-mile round trip descends 800 feet through old-growth forest to a grove along Redwood Creek. The trees here were once the tallest known in the world before Hyperion was measured. The grove is reached via a gated road that requires a free permit (limited to 50 cars per day), which helps preserve the quiet atmosphere. The descent is gentle but the climb out is steady. Difficulty: moderate. Allow 3-4 hours including the drive.

Boy Scout Tree Trail -- One of the finest redwood hikes in existence. This 5.6-mile round trip wanders through dense old-growth forest, crossing footbridges over fern-lined creeks and passing beneath trees of staggering size. An additional 0.6 miles each way leads to Fern Falls, a lovely waterfall in a grotto of five-finger ferns. The trail is in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. The path can be muddy -- sometimes extremely muddy -- during the wet season. Difficulty: moderate. Allow 3-4 hours.

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail -- A gentle 1.5-mile loop through a magnificent old-growth grove dedicated by President Nixon in 1968. The trail is mostly level with interpretive signs explaining redwood ecology. This is the most accessible old-growth experience in the park and an excellent choice for families or those with limited time. Difficulty: easy. Allow 1 hour.

Prairie Creek-Fern Canyon Loop -- A 5.4-mile loop that combines Fern Canyon -- a narrow gorge with 50-foot walls covered in five-finger ferns -- with a walk through towering old-growth redwoods and along Gold Bluffs Beach. Fern Canyon has appeared in films including "Jurassic Park 2" and is frequently listed among the most beautiful hikes in the world. The canyon floor has a shallow stream that requires fording. Difficulty: moderate. Allow 3-4 hours.

Simpson-Reed Trail -- A short, flat, 1.0-mile loop through old-growth redwoods in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. The grove is dense and atmospheric, with massive trees, a thick understory of ferns and sorrel, and very few visitors. This trail is fully accessible and is one of the best quick stops in the park for those driving Highway 199. Difficulty: easy. Allow 30-45 minutes.

Coastal Trail: Crescent Beach to Enderts Beach -- A 2.8-mile round trip along the bluffs above the Pacific, with views of Crescent City, the ocean, and tide pools at Enderts Beach. The trail passes through Sitka spruce forest and wildflower meadows. At low tide, the tide pools at Enderts Beach are excellent. This hike offers a different perspective on the park's coastal ecosystem. Difficulty: easy to moderate. Allow 2 hours.

When to Visit

May-September -- Summer and early fall offer the driest weather, though fog is a near-constant companion along the coast. The fog keeps temperatures cool (50s to 60s near the coast, 70s to 80s inland) and provides the moisture that sustains the redwoods. July and August have the least rainfall but the most fog. The combination of fog filtering through towering redwoods creates an atmosphere that is among the most photogenic in the national park system.

October-November -- Fall brings the first rains, turning the forest an even deeper green. Mushroom season begins, and the rivers start to flow again after the dry summer. Rain can be heavy and sustained, but the forest is at its most atmospheric when wet. Roosevelt elk are in rut during fall, and the bulls can be seen sparring in the prairies.

December-March -- Winter is the wet season, with monthly rainfall totals sometimes exceeding 15 inches. The rivers run high, trails can be muddy to the point of impassibility, and some roads (including the road to Fern Canyon) close. But the forest is magnificent in the rain, and the park is nearly empty. Gray whale migration can be observed from coastal viewpoints from December through April.

April -- A transitional month with decreasing rainfall and the beginning of wildflower season. Trillium, redwood sorrel, and rhododendrons bloom beneath the old-growth canopy. The rivers are still flowing well, and the forest floor is lush.

Where to Stay

Elk Meadow Cabins -- Located in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (managed by the park), these cabins sit at the edge of a meadow where Roosevelt elk regularly graze. The cabins are comfortable with kitchenettes. Rates run approximately $100-$180 per night.

Camping -- Several campgrounds are available throughout the park complex. Jedediah Smith (86 sites), Mill Creek (145 sites), Elk Prairie (75 sites), and Gold Bluffs Beach (26 sites) offer sites ranging from $20-$35 per night. Jedediah Smith and Elk Prairie are the most popular and are reservable. Gold Bluffs Beach offers spectacular oceanside camping reached via a narrow, unpaved road.

Crescent City -- The only real town within the park area, Crescent City sits on the northern coast and offers a range of motels, a few bed-and-breakfasts, and basic services. It is not a tourist town -- it is a working fishing and lumber community -- but lodging is affordable, with rates starting around $80-$130 per night. The town is a practical base for exploring the northern sections of the park.

Klamath -- A small community between the park's northern and southern units along Highway 101. A few motels and lodges are available, most offering views of the Klamath River. The Historic Requa Inn is a charming option overlooking the river mouth.

Trinidad -- A tiny, picturesque fishing village about 25 miles south of the park along Highway 101. Several bed-and-breakfasts, a hostel, and vacation rentals are available. Trinidad Head offers stunning coastal views and there are excellent restaurants for a town its size.

Eureka and Arcata -- About 40-60 miles south of the main park areas, these towns offer the widest selection of lodging, dining, and services. Arcata is a lively college town (Humboldt State University) with good restaurants and a progressive culture.

Getting There

By Air -- Arcata-Eureka Airport (ACV) is the closest airport with commercial service, located about 50 miles south of the main park areas. It has direct flights from San Francisco, Los Angeles, and a few other cities. Crescent City's Jack McNamara Field (CEC) has very limited service. The nearest major airports are San Francisco (SFO, 350 miles) and Portland (PDX, 370 miles).

By Car from San Francisco -- Take US 101 north. The drive is approximately 330 miles and takes 5.5-6 hours. The route passes through Eureka and enters the park from the south.

By Car from Portland -- Take I-5 south to Grants Pass, then US 199 west to Crescent City. The drive is approximately 370 miles and takes 6-7 hours. This route enters the park from the north.

Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway -- This 10-mile road through Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park parallels Highway 101 and passes through some of the finest old-growth forest accessible by car. It is the one drive every visitor should make.

Essential Tips

Dress in layers -- Coastal fog and inland warmth can create temperature differences of 20-30 degrees within a few miles. Bring warm layers even in summer. Rain gear is essential from October through May.

Permits for Tall Trees Grove -- A free permit is required to drive the access road to the Tall Trees trailhead, limited to 50 vehicles per day. Permits are available at the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center (Orick) or the Hiouchi Visitor Center on a first-come, first-served basis during summer.

Elk safety -- Roosevelt elk are common in prairie areas, particularly in Elk Prairie and Gold Bluffs Beach. Bulls can weigh over 1,000 pounds and are unpredictable, especially during the fall rut. Maintain at least 75 feet of distance. Never approach or feed elk.

Poison oak -- Abundant along many trails, particularly at lower elevations and along forest edges. Learn to identify the shiny three-leafed plant and stay on trails.

Fern Canyon access -- The road to Fern Canyon at Gold Bluffs Beach (Davison Road) is unpaved, narrow, and not suitable for large RVs or trailers. The road may be closed during the wet season. A shuttle service operates during summer from the Elk Prairie area.

Nearby Attractions

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park -- Part of the park complex but often overlooked by visitors focused on the southern units. The Smith River, California's last major undammed river, flows through the park. Howland Hill Road, an unpaved route through old-growth forest, is one of the most atmospheric drives on the West Coast.

Trees of Mystery -- A privately operated roadside attraction along Highway 101 near Klamath featuring a SkyTrail gondola through the forest canopy, a trail of large carved wooden statues, and an excellent Native American museum. The 49-foot-tall Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox statues at the entrance are a beloved Highway 101 landmark.

Trinidad State Beach and Trinidad Head -- A beautiful small beach and coastal headland about 25 miles south of the park. The short trail to the top of Trinidad Head offers panoramic views. Excellent tide pools are accessible at low tide.

Battery Point Lighthouse -- A functioning lighthouse in Crescent City, accessible on foot at low tide across a rocky causeway. Tours of the lighthouse are available during summer months. The setting is spectacular.

Oregon Caves National Monument -- About 90 minutes north, across the Oregon border, this marble cave system offers guided tours through elaborately decorated passages. The historic Oregon Caves Chateau, perched on the mountainside above the cave entrance, is a National Historic Landmark.