Introduction
Redwood National Park is located in northern California and protects nearly half of the world’s remaining old-growth coastal redwood forests.
For more background, visit the Wikipedia page.
The history of the park system dates back to the early 20th century, when extensive logging of redwood forests raised concerns among conservationists. Redwood National Park was created in 1968 and expanded in 1978 to include additional logged lands. In 1994, the National Park Service and California Department of Parks and Recreation began joint management of the four parks.
The combined area of Redwood National and State Parks is approximately 139,000 acres, or about 562 square kilometers. This includes 37 miles (60 km) of protected coastline. The park is home to the tallest trees on Earth, with some coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) exceeding 350 feet (107 m) in height and living for over 2,000 years.
There are over 200 native resident species, including Roosevelt elk, black bears, and black-tailed deer. Annual visitation has ranged between 400,000 and 500,000 people. In 2023, the parks recorded approximately 410,000 visitors.
Hikes
There are many short hikes within the park. Below are my three favorites.
Top Hikes
These three hikes are good starting points for planning, with at least one more difficult option. Distances and elevation gain are rounded; check the official park trail page for current closures, permits, weather, and trail conditions.
Fern Canyon Loop (easy to moderate) - 1.1 miles (1.8 km); elevation gain 150 feet (46 m). A famous canyon walk among fern-covered walls and seasonal creek crossings.
Tall Trees Grove Trail (difficult) - 4.5 miles (7.2 km); elevation gain 800 feet (244 m). A permit-required hike into one of the best-known old-growth groves.
Boy Scout Tree Trail (difficult) - 5.5 miles (8.9 km); elevation gain 750 feet (229 m). A longer redwood forest hike to huge trees and a small waterfall.
Backpacking
Along with 200 miles (322 km) of trails, there are seven backcountry campsites. Black bears are common, food containers are required. Free permits can be obtain at the Redwood Park Conservancy website.
Camping
There are four designated campgrounds within the park.
Jedediah Smith Campground is open year-round and has 86 sites; 10 tent only and one reserved for RVs. There is phone reception, showers, flush toilets, potable water and a dump station. Reservations can be made through the ReserveCalifornia website.
Mill Creek Campground is open year-round and has 145 sites (22 tent only). There is no phone reception, showers, flush toilets, potable water and a dump station. Reservations can be made through the ReserveCalifornia website.
Gold Bluffs Beach Campground is open year-round and has 26 sites. There is phone reception, showers, flush toilets, potable water and no dump station. Reservations can be made through the ReserveCalifornia website.
Elk Prairie Campground is open year-round and has 75 sites; 21 tent only and one only RV site. There is no phone reception, showers, flush toilets, potable water and no dump station. Reservations can be made through the ReserveCalifornia website.