Redwood National Park

Redwood National and State Parks offer awe-inspiring recreation — walking and hiking among the ancient old-growth redwoods on trails through the great groves (Tall Trees Grove, Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Stout Grove, Fern Canyon), driving the scenic parkways and the Newton B. Drury and coastal drives, watching Roosevelt elk in the prairies, exploring the rugged coastline and beaches, kayaking the rivers and lagoons, biking, and ranger programs. Walking among the tallest trees on Earth in the misty forest is the signature, humbling experience. The combination of the giant redwoods, the wild coast and the roaming elk makes the parks a treasured destination.

The redwoods are magnificent year-round, though the parks are often cool, misty and damp (the fog nourishes the trees). Summer and early fall offer the driest, warmest weather and the best coastal access (though summer can be foggy and busy), while spring brings green and rhododendron blooms in the forest, and winter is wet and lush but quiet. The misty, filtered light is part of the redwoods’ magic in any season. Summer and early fall for the best weather, and spring for the blooms, are highlights; bring layers for the cool, damp coast and forest year-round.

The coast redwoods were central to the Native peoples of the region — the Yurok, Tolowa, Karuk and others — who lived among them for thousands of years. From the mid-1800s, logging devastated the ancient redwood forests, destroying some 95 percent of the old growth. A long conservation campaign, led by groups like the Save the Redwoods League, protected the surviving groves, first as California state parks and then, in 1968, as Redwood National Park, now jointly managed with the state parks. The parks preserve the finest remaining old-growth redwoods and the tallest trees on Earth, a treasured and hard-won landscape.

Redwood National and State Parks lie along the rugged northern California coast, where the coast redwoods grow in a narrow band shaped by the climate and terrain rather than by dramatic rock. The redwoods thrive here because of the cool, wet climate and especially the coastal fog, which bathes the trees and provides moisture through the dry summers, allowing them to grow to their record heights in the deep, rich soils of the river valleys and slopes. The coastline itself is shaped by the meeting of land and the powerful Pacific, with sea stacks, beaches and bluffs. The fog-nourished coast and rich valleys create the home of the tallest trees on Earth.

Redwood National and State Parks host Roosevelt elk (large herds roam the prairies and forest edges, a signature sight), black bears, mountain lions, black-tailed deer, river otters, and a rich community of birds, including the endangered marbled murrelet (which nests in the old-growth redwoods) and the spotted owl, while the rivers support salmon and steelhead and the coast its marine life (gray whales offshore, seabirds, tidepools). The old-growth forest, prairies, rivers and coast support diverse wildlife. The parks are an outstanding place for wildlife watching, with the Roosevelt elk and the coastal and forest wildlife among the highlights.

Redwood National and State Parks protect the finest remaining old-growth coast redwood forest — a globally significant and irreplaceable ecosystem of the tallest trees on Earth, dependent on the coastal fog and the cool, wet climate, and supporting an extraordinary community of life from the towering canopy to the lush fern-and-moss understory. The parks also protect rivers, prairies, and rugged coastline, a rich mosaic of habitats. Old-growth redwoods, nearly all destroyed elsewhere by logging, harbor unique species. Protecting the old-growth, the watersheds, the prairies and the coast sustains this rare, ancient and globally significant ecosystem.

Redwood National and State Parks, protecting the tallest trees on Earth and the finest surviving old-growth redwoods, hold a treasured and humbling place among America’s natural wonders, beloved for the awe-inspiring grandeur of the ancient giants and the hard-won triumph of saving them from logging. Sacred to the Native peoples who lived among them and central to the conservation movement, the redwoods inspire reverence in all who walk beneath them. The redwoods are a cherished icon of California and the natural world, a primeval cathedral of giants and a symbol of the value of preserving the ancient forest.

Redwood National and State Parks stretch along the far northern California coast, off US-101, between the towns of Orick, Klamath and Crescent City, about five hours north of San Francisco (or via the airport at Crescent City/Arcata-Eureka). The parks are free to enter (some state-park day-use and campground fees apply, and the Tall Trees Grove requires a free permit). They offer visitor centers, scenic drives, many groves and trails, the Fern Canyon and coastal areas, campgrounds, and elk-viewing prairies. The forest is cool and damp. Check the National Park Service and California State Parks for permits, conditions and access before visiting.

The National Park Service and California State Parks jointly protect the old-growth redwoods, the watersheds, the prairies, the coast and the wildlife of Redwood National and State Parks, and work to restore previously logged lands. Visitors help by staying on trails (protecting the redwoods’ shallow roots and the fragile forest floor), not damaging the trees, giving the Roosevelt elk plenty of space (they are large and can be dangerous), protecting the rivers and coast, packing out everything, respecting the marbled murrelet and other wildlife (never feeding animals), and following Leave No Trace. Protecting the old-growth, the watersheds and the wildlife sustains this rare and irreplaceable ecosystem.

In the redwoods, give the Roosevelt elk a wide berth — they are large, wild and can be dangerous, especially during the fall rut and when with calves (never approach them). On the coast, beware of dangerous surf, rip currents, sneaker waves and cold water (stay back from the surf line, and never turn your back on the ocean), and watch the tides at beaches and Fern Canyon. The forest trails can be wet, muddy and rooty; wear sturdy footwear. Watch for falling limbs in wind, be bear-aware, carry layers for the cool, damp weather, and respect the elk, the surf and the forest.

The parks are free to enter (some state-park and campground fees apply; the Tall Trees Grove requires a free permit). Stay on trails; protect the redwoods’ roots and the forest floor. Give Roosevelt elk plenty of space; never approach or feed wildlife. Camp only in designated campgrounds or with a backcountry permit. Protect the rivers, coast and tidepools. Pets are restricted (not allowed on most trails). Drones are prohibited. Collecting is prohibited. Pack out all trash. Check the National Park Service and California State Parks for permits and current rules before visiting.

The towns of Crescent City, Klamath, Orick and Arcata/Eureka lie along the parks, with the rugged northern California and southern Oregon coast, the redwood country’s other parks (including the Avenue of the Giants to the south), the Smith River, and the coastal mountains in the region. San Francisco is about five hours south. The far northern California coast and the redwood forests define the region. Redwood National and State Parks anchor the magnificent redwood country of the California coast, a centerpiece of a redwoods-and-coast journey along the Pacific Northwest’s edge.

Walk among the ancient old-growth redwoods on the great grove trails (Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Stout Grove, the Tall Trees Grove with a free permit) to stand in awe beneath the tallest trees on Earth in the misty, fern-filled forest — staying on the trails to protect the shallow roots. Watch for Roosevelt elk in the prairies (giving them wide space), explore Fern Canyon and the rugged coast (minding the dangerous surf and tides), and drive the scenic parkways. Bring layers for the cool, damp weather, and savor the primeval cathedral of giants along the wild northern California coast.