Redwood National and State Parks
Renowned for the world’s tallest trees, Redwood’s landscapes span from open prairies and oak woodlands to pristine rivers and untamed coastline. This ancient home has supported people for thousands of years. The National Park Service and California State Parks now work to safeguard and rejuvenate these lands for everyone’s enjoyment, learning, and inspiration.
Alerts
- CautionDelays along Highway 101
There are multiple traffic stops along Highway 101 from Orick, CA to Crescent City, CA due to road construction. Extra time may be needed to travel throughout the park. Delay times may vary. Please stay alert and drive cautiously.
- InformationNPS ↗DeMartin Trail and Campground
As part of CalTrans work to develop a new highway route that is more stable and safer, they will be undertaking geotechnical drilling this fall and winter. Hikers and campers in the area will likely see and hear heavy equipment at work and hear noise associated with the drilling, which may be 24 hours/day at times.
- Information44 Creek Bridge Failure
44 creek bridge is closed due to damage identified by a Federal Highway inspection team. This bridge is north of 44 Camp, approximately 7 miles south of the Redwood Creek trailhead and about 1 mile north of the Tall Trees river crossing. All trails remain open in the area, but crossing this ravine is dangerous and not advised.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRoots & Shoots Rx: Or
14 mi from the park's reference point
- PrescribedLeary Rx
25 mi from the park's reference point
- PrescribedSrf 2026 Rx Implementation
26 mi from the park's reference point · 500 acres
- PrescribedPatterson Rx
28 mi from the park's reference point
Within 50 miles, as of 2026-10-14. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Check the park's alerts and the managing office before you drive.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
There are no entrance fees to drive the scenic roads or highways in our three state parks and national park. Some day-use areas have fees; these accept interagency and CA state park passes.
Hours
| Operating Hours | Daily · All Day |
When to go
June draws the most visits here and December the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Campgrounds
| Jedediah Smith Campground - Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park | 89 sites | |
| $35 a night · Open year-round. The northern-most campground in the parks. Operated by the California State Parks. · Books through reservecalifornia.com | ||
| Mill Creek Campground - Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park | 145 sites | |
| $35 a night · Open mid-May to early October · Books through reservecalifornia.com | ||
| Gold Bluffs Beach Campground - Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park | 26 sites | |
| $35 a night · Open year round. Access may be limited in winter due to road conditions. · Books through reservecalifornia.com | ||
| Elk Prairie Campground - Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park ↗ | 75 sites | |
| $35 a night · Reservations are essential from May to October. · Books through reservecalifornia.com | ||
Every campground here has its own page on Campsite Atlas, with site counts, hookups, rig limits and booking windows. All of them on one page → How park camping works
Visitor centers
- Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor CenterPassport stamp
Southern-most visitor center in the park and located right on the beach. Exhibits about Yurok culture, art and history, redwood ecology, park information, junior ranger program, bookstore and retail sales. Park film available.
- Prairie Creek Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
Located just off the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway - in the heart of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Exhibits about the Civilian Conservation Corps and redwood ecology, park information, junior ranger program, bookstore and retail sales.
- Hiouchi Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
Northern-most park visitor center located 9-miles east of Crescent City on Hwy 199. Exhibits about Tolowa culture and art, redwood ecology, park information, junior ranger program, bookstore and retail sales.
- Crescent City Information Center ↗Passport stamp
Located in the bottom floor of park headquarters. Picnic area and retail sales.
- Jedediah Smith Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
Located in the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park campground, near the amphitheater. Small visitor center with information, exhibits, junior ranger program, bookstore, and retail sales. Seasonal operations, only open Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Explore
Things to do
- Hike to the Tall Trees Grove3-6 Hours
A half-day hike in the southern part of the parks for those ready for an adventure. A free reservation is needed. This trail is one the more strenuous hikes in Redwood National and State Parks.
Opens on the Park Service site - Bike the Davison/Streelow Creek Loop2 Hours
Start at a meadow where elk gather before biking through dense, Douglas-fir forests that have grown back since the old-growth redwoods were logged here in the 1960s.
Opens on the Park Service site - Walk the Fern Canyon Loop Trail45-90 Minutes
A unique, beautiful, and popular location in the park. Getting here does require some planning, reservations are required May 15th through September 15th (available online), there are two (2) stream crossings that you have to drive through, and your…
Opens on the Park Service site - Walk the Stout Memorial Grove Trail1-2 Hours
A majestic grove of redwoods next to the Smith River in the northern part of the park. This trail requires some planning about how you will access it. Hours can be spent on a summer's day relaxing on the banks of the Smith River.
Opens on the Park Service site - Stroll the Simpson-Reed Trail30-60 Minutes
An easy walk through beautiful old-growth redwood forests in the northern part of the parks. Limited parking, RV's and trailers not permitted.
Opens on the Park Service site - Hike the Boy Scout Tree Trail3-5 Hours
A moderate hike with some steep grades and switchbacks.
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 12Hide
- Go Tide Pooling at Enderts Beach60-120 Minutes
Tidepooling at Enderts Beach will bring you experience some incredible coastlines and give you a glimpse into life at the edge of the ocean. For some, its like seeing science fiction come to life.
Opens on the Park Service site - Walk the Karl Knapp (Prairie Creek) to Foothill Trail Loop1-2 Hours
Located in the southern third of the parks, this family-friendly loop trail takes you under some of the tallest trees in the world and follows along a beautiful creek.
Opens on the Park Service site - Hike Zig Zag Loop
Walk along flowing Prairie Creek before ascending to ridgetop views in Prairie Creek State Park.
Opens on the Park Service site - Watch Wild Elk
Watch Roosevelt elk at Redwood National and State Parks
Opens on the Park Service site - Bike Redwoods to Beach on the Ossagon Trail Loop
Follow a 19-mile loop through old-growth redwood forests to the Pacific coast and back. The route combines Ossagon Trail, Coastal Trail (Gold Beach Section), Davison Road and Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway.
Opens on the Park Service site - Bike Lost Man Creek Trail
Lost Man Creek flows through a landscape greatly changed from the 1960s when much of this area was clearcut logged. What used to be a logging road has been converted into a hike and bike trail.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Webcams
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center
Elk Prairie at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
Bald Hills & Redwood CreekCamera images load live from the National Park Service and partner agencies
Events
- Ranger-led Afternoon Walk: Simpson-Reed (North end of park)10/1402:00 PM · runs through Oct 30 · freeSimpson-Reed Trailhead located off Walker Road. A pit toilet bathroom is available at the trailhead. This trail is gravel.
- Ranger-led Afternoon Walk: Prairie Creek (South end of the park)10/1702:00 PM · runs through May 1 · freePrairie Creek Visitor Center
- Hike and Bike Day: Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway11/07· runs through May 1 · freePrairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway.
News
- Prescribed Burns Planned for Bald Hills This Fall ↗2026-09-25
Redwood National and State Parks will conduct a series of prescribed burns this fall in six areas of the Bald Hills: DA Second Growth, Williams Ridge, Schoolhouse, Wooden Gate, Lower Dolason and South Boundary.
- Redwood National and State Parks Welcome New Superintendent ↗2026-07-15
The National Park Service has selected Jacob “Jake” Ohlson as the next superintendent of Redwood National and State Parks. He will assume the role in mid-August 2026.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
On the National Register nearby
- Prairie Creek Fish HatcheryHistoric district · Orick · 2.7 mi
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for Redwood National and State Parks
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBrown Pelican 6× · California Sea Lion 4× · North American River Otter 4× · California Condor 2× · American Black Bear 2× · Harbor Seal 2× · Osprey 2× · Pacific Marten 2×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 309 birds, 99 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Barn Owl · Barred Owl · Burrowing Owl · Cooper's Hawk · Golden Eagle · Great Gray Owl · Great Horned Owl · Merlin · Northern Harrier · Northern Pygmy Owl · Northern Saw-whet Owl · Osprey · Peregrine Falcon · Red-shouldered Hawk · Red-tailed Hawk · Rough-legged Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Short-eared Owl · Snowy Owl · Spotted Owl · Turkey Vulture · Western Screech Owl · White-tailed Kite
Waterfowl & wadersAmerican Bittern · American Coot · American White Pelican · American Wigeon · Barrow's Goldeneye · Black-crowned Night-Heron · Blue-winged Teal · Brandt's Cormorant · Brown Pelican · Bufflehead · Canada Goose · Cattle Egret · Cinnamon Teal · Clark's Grebe · Common Goldeneye · Common Loon · Common Merganser · Double-crested Cormorant · Eared Grebe · Eurasian Wigeon · Great Blue Heron · Great Egret · Greater Scaup · Greater White-fronted Goose · Green Heron · Green-winged Teal · Harlequin Duck · Hooded Merganser · Horned Grebe · Lesser Scaup · Mute Swan · Northern Pintail · Pacific Loon · Pelagic Cormorant · Pied-billed Grebe · Red-breasted Merganser · Red-necked Grebe · Red-throated Loon · Ring-necked Duck · Ruddy Duck · Snowy Egret · Tundra Swan · Virginia Rail · Western Grebe · Wood Duck
Shorebirds & seabirdsAmerican Avocet · American Golden-Plover · Arctic Tern · Baird's Sandpiper · Bar-tailed Godwit · Black Oystercatcher · Black Tern · Black Turnstone · Black-bellied Plover · Black-footed Albatross · Bonaparte's Gull · California Gull · Caspian Tern · Cassin's Auklet · Common Murre · Common Snipe · Common Tern · Dunlin · Elegant Tern · Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel · Forster's Tern · Franklin's Gull · Glaucous Gull · Glaucous-winged Gull · Greater Yellowlegs · Heermann's Gull · Herring Gull · Hudsonian Godwit · Killdeer · Leach's Storm-Petrel · Least Sandpiper · Lesser Yellowlegs · Long-billed Curlew · Long-billed Dowitcher · Magnificent Frigatebird · Marbled Godwit · Mew Gull · Mountain Plover · Pacific Golden-Plover · Parasitic Jaeger · Pectoral Sandpiper · Pomarine Jaeger · Red Phalarope · Red-necked Phalarope · Rhinoceros Auklet · Ring-billed Gull · Rock Sandpiper · Ruddy Turnstone · Sabine's Gull · Sanderling · Semipalmated Plover · Sharp-tailed Sandpiper · Short-billed Dowitcher · Short-tailed Shearwater · Snowy Plover · Solitairy Sandpiper · Sooty Shearwater · Spotted Sandpiper · Stilt Sandpiper · Thayer's Gull · Tufted Puffin · Upland Sandpiper · Western Gull · Western Sandpiper · Willet · Wilson's Phalarope
Gamebirds & dovesBand-tailed Pigeon · Blue Grouse · California Quail · Mountain Quail · Mourning Dove · Pigeon Guillemot · Ring-necked Pheasant · Rock Dove · Ruffed Grouse
WoodpeckersAcorn Woodpecker · Downy Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Lewis' Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Pileated Woodpecker · Red-breasted Sapsucker · Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftsAllen's Hummingbird · Anna's Hummingbird · Black Swift · Rufous Hummingbird · Vaux's Swift
Also on the checklistAmerican Crow · American Dipper · American Goldfinch · American Pipit · American Redstart · American Robin · American Tree Sparrow · Ancient Murrelet · Ash-throated Flycatcher · Bank Swallow · Barn Swallow · Belted Kingfisher · Bewick's Wren · Black Phoebe · Black Scoter · Black-and-white Warbler · Black-capped Chickadee · Black-headed Grosbeak · Black-legged Kittiwake · Black-necked Stilt · Black-throated Gray Warbler · Black-throated Green Warbler · Black-throated Sparrow · Blue Grosbeak · Bobolink · Bohemian Waxwing · Brant · Brewer's Blackbird · Brewer's Sparrow · Brown Creeper · Brown-headed Cowbird · Bullock's Oriole · Bushtit · California Towhee · Canvasback · Canyon Wren · Cassin's Vireo · Cedar Waxwing · Chestnut-backed Chickadee · Chestnut-collared Longspur · Chipping Sparrow · Clark's Nutcracker · Cliff Swallow · Common Nighthawk · Common Poorwill · Common Raven · Common Yellowthroat · Dark-eyed Junco · Dusky Flycatcher · Eastern Kingbird · European Starling · Evening Grosbeak · Fox Sparrow · Gadwall · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Golden-crowned Sparrow · Grasshopper Sparrow · Gray Catbird · Gray Jay · Hammond's Flycatcher · Harris' Sparrow · Hermit Thrush · Hermit Warbler · House Finch · House Sparrow · House Wren · Hutton's Vireo · Lapland Longspur · Lark Bunting · Lawrence's Goldfinch · Lazuli Bunting · Lesser Goldfinch · Lincoln's Sparrow · MacGillivray's Warbler · Mallard · Marbled Murrelet · Marsh Wren · Mountain Bluebird · Nashville Warbler · Northern Fulmar · Northern Goshawk · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Parula Warbler · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Northern Shoveler · Northern Shrike · Oldsquaw · Olive-sided Flycatcher · Orange-crowned Warbler · Orchard Oriole · Ovenbird · Pacific Wren · Pacific-slope Flycatcher · Palm Warbler · Pine Siskin · Prothonotary Warbler · Purple Finch · Purple Martin · Pygmy Nuthatch · Red Crossbill · Red Knot · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-necked Stint · Red-winged Blackbird · Redhead · Rock Wren · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Ruff · Rusty Blackbird · Sage Sparrow · Savannah Sparrow · Say's Phoebe · Snow Bunting · Song Sparrow · Sora · Spotted Towhee · Steller's Jay · Surf Scoter · Surfbird · Swainson's Thrush · Swamp Sparrow · Townsend's Solitaire · Townsend's Warbler · Tree Swallow · Tropical Kingbird · Varied Thrush · Vesper Sparrow · Violet-green Swallow · Wandering Tattler · Warbling Vireo · Western Bluebird · Western Kingbird · Western Meadowlark · Western Scrub Jay · Western Tanager · Western Wood-pewee · Whimbrel · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-crowned Sparrow · White-throated Sparrow · White-winged Scoter · Willow Flycatcher · Wilson's Warbler · Wrentit · Yellow Warbler · Yellow-billed Cuckoo · Yellow-breasted Chat · Yellow-headed Blackbird · Yellow-rumped Warbler · green-tailed towhee
Small mammalsAllen's Chipmunk · American Water Shrew · Beaver · Black Rat · Black-Tailed Hare · Botta's Pocket Gopher · Broad-Footed Mole · Brush Deermouse · Brush Rabbit · Bushy-Tailed Woodrat · California Ground Squirrel · California Vole · Coast Mole · Creeping Vole · Deer Mouse · Douglas' Squirrel · Dusky-Footed Woodrat · Fog Shrew · Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel · House Mouse · Long-Tailed Vole · Marsh Shrew · Mountain Beaver · Muskrat · Northern Flying Squirrel · Norway Rat · Pacific Jumping Mouse · Pacific Shrew · Pinyon Mouse · Porcupine · Red Tree Vole (Sonoma) · Shrew-Mole · Siskiyou Chipmunk · Sonoma Chipmunk · Townsend Mole · Townsend's Chipmunk · Townsend's Vole · Trowbridge Shrew · Vagrant Shrew · Western Gray Squirrel · Western Harvest Mouse · Western Red-Backed Vole · White-Footed Vole
Marine mammalsBering Sea beaked whale · Blue Whale · California Sea Lion · Common Dolphin · Dall Porpoise · Elephant Seal · False Killer Whale · Fin Whale · Goosebeak Whale · Gray Whale · Harbor Porpoise · Harbor Seal · Humpback Whale · Killer Whale · Minke Whale · North Pacific Bottlenose Whale (Baird's Beaked) · Northern Fur Seal · Northern Right Whale Dolphin · Northern Sea Lion (Stellar) · Pacific White-Sided Dolphin · Pygmy Sperm Whale · Sei Whale · Short-finned Pilot Whale · Sperm Whale · black right whale
PredatorsBlack Bear · Bobcat · Coyote · Ermine · Gray Fox · Longtail Weasel · Mink · Raccoon · Red Fox · Ringtail · Spotted Skunk · Striped Skunk · river otter
Hoofed mammalsBlack-Tailed Deer · Roosevelt Elk
BatsBig Brown Bat · California Myotis · Fringed Myotis · Hoary Bat · Little Brown Myotis · Long-Eared Myotis · Long-Legged Myotis · Mexican free-tailed Bat · Pallid Bat · Silver-Haired Bat · Spotted Bat · Yuma Myotis · mule-eared bat
Also on the checklistGrampus · Virginia Opossum · cougar
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Camping in the national parks · Canoeing and kayaking in the national parks · Fishing in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Horseback riding in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
All 36 activitiesHide
Weather & climate
Visitors should be prepared for cooler and damp weather. Dress in layers and expect to get wet. Year-round temperatures along California's redwood coast: mid-40s°F (7°C) to mid-60s°F (18°C). Summer can be foggy, with highs occasionally reaching low 70s°F (20°C). Winters are cooler with considerable rain. October through April averages 60-80 inches of rain over the region.
Questions people ask
Does Redwood charge an entrance fee?
No. Redwood is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
Is Redwood open year-round?
Yes. The grounds are open 24 hours a day, year-round.
Source: National Park Service
Can I camp in Redwood?
Yes. The Park Service lists 4 campgrounds in Redwood: Jedediah Smith Campground - Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Mill Creek Campground - Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Gold Bluffs Beach Campground - Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and Elk Prairie Campground - Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. 4 take reservations through Recreation.gov.
Which Redwood campgrounds have showers, hookups, or a dump station?
Showers: Jedediah Smith Campground - Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Mill Creek Campground - Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Gold Bluffs Beach Campground - Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and Elk Prairie Campground - Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Dump station: Jedediah Smith Campground - Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and Mill Creek Campground - Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park.
Source: Campgrounds
Do Redwood campgrounds book through Recreation.gov?
No. Jedediah Smith Campground - Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Mill Creek Campground - Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Gold Bluffs Beach Campground - Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and Elk Prairie Campground - Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park take reservations through reservecalifornia.com.
Source: Campgrounds
Is anything closed at Redwood right now?
3 active alerts as of October 14, 2026: DeMartin Trail and Campground; 44 Creek Bridge Failure; and more.
Source: Alerts
How busy is Redwood?
1,202,480 recreation visits in 2025, number 63 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Redwood?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE and AT&T 4G LTE. No reported coverage for T-Mobile. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
When was Redwood established?
1968, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It covers about 161 square miles.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the weather like at Redwood?
Visitors should be prepared for cooler and damp weather. Dress in layers and expect to get wet.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
