Where are the best hikes in Redwood National Park?
Looking for a hike that combines serenity with jaw-dropping scenery? Redwood National Park has it all! Our recent journey through this majestic park led us to trails that offer a peaceful retreat among the world’s tallest trees.
We’ve curated 17 of the best hikes to help you experience the full magic of the redwoods. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or just seeking a scenic escape, these trails won’t disappoint!
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Planning your trip to Redwood National Park? Save with the Annual National Parks Pass. We visited 4+ parks for only $80 last year, saving $53! Here are the best hotels & car rentals:
😴 Best Hotels Near Redwood National Park:
- Oceanview Inn and Suites (💲) (complimentary continental breakfast)
- Holiday Inn Express Redwood National Park (💲💲) (indoor swimming pool)
- Glenkirk (💲💲💲) (BBQ, garden, mountain views)
🚘 Best Car Rental: DiscoverCars (save up to 70%)
17 Best Hikes in Redwood National Park
Can you hike at Redwood National Park? Yes, you can! There are so many hikes of different intensities that you can walk – trails that take an hour to trails that take a day. While it could be overwhelming, trying to figure out which hikes to do, we’re here to help!
What are the best hikes in the redwoods? Here are the 17 best trails in Redwood National Park, you need to add to your itinerary:
Easy Hikes In Redwood National Park
1. Revelation Loop Trail
- Trail Distance: 0.3 mile
- Elevation Gain: 6 feet
- Intensity: Easy
- Location: Start at Revelation Trailhead located inside Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (near Prairie Creek Visitor Center)
For a hike with interpretive signs along the way, try the Revelation Loop Trail. This trail gets you to not just see, but also hear, smell, and touch redwood trees.
Touch redwood tree roots and while they are shorter than other tree roots, they intertwine with other roots to create resistance against winds and floods. Count a redwood tree’s rings to find out how old the fallen redwood tree is. (A ring for each year) Smell a whiff of fresh air when you come across nurse logs – young plants growing on the fallen redwood tree trunks. Hear the sounds of salmon fish in Prairie Creek.
See a chimney tree, a coast redwood tree that was burnt during a fire. But due to its thick bark and a chemical in itself called tannic acid, that makes these redwoods still stand after a fire! Allow 0.5 hour to walk the Revelation Loop Trail.
2. Big Tree Circle Trail
- Trail Distance: 0.3 mile
- Elevation Gain: 19 feet
- Intensity: Easy
- Location: Start at Big Tree Wayside Trailhead located inside Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (near Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway)
The Big Tree is one of the tallest redwood trees in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park with 286 feet high and 74.5 feet round. To check out just The Big Tree, walk just 100 meters in, and there it is!
On the Big Tree, other than its enormousness, you’ll find trunks grown out of burls (dormant tree buds), fire scars, ferns, and huckleberries 200 feet above the ground.
This trail is the easiest in terms of being the shortest and most leveled trail among others. But also walk the Circle Trail, a 0.3-mile trail to see multiple cathedral trees.
Allow 0.5-1 hour to access the Big Tree and the Circle Trail. If you’d like a longer hike, walk the Cathedral Trees Trail, a 2.1-mile loop trail to see entire redwoods and a forest canopy.
There’s a parking lot available near the trailhead and if it’s full, park on either side of Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway.
3. Stout Memorial Grove Trail
- Trail Distance: 0.5 mile
- Elevation Gain: 32 feet
- Intensity: Easy
- Location: Start at Stout Grove Trailhead located inside Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
If you’re looking for just one trail to check out at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, the Stout Memorial Grove is the one. Stout Grove is one of the best hikes in Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park.
As the main attraction at this park, the old-growth redwood trees appear to grow so gracefully- very cathedral-like. The trees are as high as 300 feet in the 44-acre Stout Grove.
Heads up, it is a drive to get to and back from the grove’s trailhead so I would recommend 3 hours to take your time and enjoy the redwood beauty.
Directions: If you’re driving on HWY 101, you can access the grove’s parking lot by taking the exit to HWY 199 and driving past the fork at Smith River onto Douglas Park Dr. that turns into Howland Hill Road.
Only smaller vehicles can access Howland Hill Road since it is narrow and unpaved. Plus there isn’t parking for larger vehicles at the trailhead. But in the summer, vehicles of any size can park at the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park Campground. You would need to pay the $8 day use fee to park there.
From the campground, you’ll need to walk 0.5 mile, cross the bridge across the Smith River to the grove.
With the Stout Memorial Grove being right next to the Smith River, people go swimming and picnicking in the summer.
4. Simpson-Reed Trail
- Trail Distance: 0.9 mile
- Elevation Gain: 52 feet
- Intensity: Easy
- Location: Start at Simpson-Reed Trailhead near Walker Road located inside Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
For another easy trail at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, check out the Simpson-Reed Trail. If you like to walk through a huge variety of plants and see some forest creatures, visit this trail.
Simpson-Reed is one of the best hikes in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park for kids. This hike has also got jungle vibes with almost every place you look covered with greenery.
This trail has got huckleberries, nurse logs, hemlocks, ferns, and more! The biggest of the trees are at the start and end of the trail. Even though this is a short trail, it is very different from other redwood trails so allow 1-2 hours for the hike to take in all its uniqueness.
Directions: While driving on HWY 199, take a sharp turn on Walker Road. You’ll need to drive in a bit before reaching the trailhead on the right.
With the Simpson-Reed Trail being a little hard to find, it is less busy so go here for the tourist-less photography.
There’s limited parking available with no parking for vehicles with trailers or RVs.
5. Lady Bird Johnson Grove Loop Trail
- Trail Distance: 1.5 miles
- Elevation Gain: 75 feet
- Intensity: Easy
- Location: Start at Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trailhead located inside Redwood National Park
The Lady Bird Johnson Grove Loop Trail is a nice hike and it’s usually the first or last hike since it’s the south most part of the park – it was our last hike.
If you like the feeling of walking among the fog and surrounded by redwood trees, try this one. This is one of the best hikes to see redwoods among the misty air. Because this grove is higher than others, you’ll feel like you’re in the clouds.
This trail is dedicated to Lady Bird Johnson who was the First Lady in the 1960s and urged others to protect nature and its creatures.
Allow 1-2 hours and immerse yourself in this noise-free trail. To make your hike more interesting, download the NPS app to check out the self-guided walking tour.
Look for this trail (Find a Park -> Redwood National and State Parks -> Front-Country Hiking -> Walk the Lady Bird Johnson Grove or ‘Allow app to access your location’] and find information on 13 different stops along the trail.
Directions: For the trailhead, drive in about 3 miles from HWY 101 to Bald Hills Road. Bald Hills Road is narrow and bumpy which is why larger vehicles like RV’s and vehicles with trailers aren’t suitable to go through.
There’s limited parking and parking on Bald Hills Road isn’t allowed. If you’re visiting in the summer, try to come in as early as possible or after late afternoon as parking will get filled up between morning to late afternoon.
6. Fern Canyon Loop Trail
- Trail Distance: 1.1 miles
- Elevation Gain: 118 feet
- Intensity: Easy
- Location: Start at Fern Canyon Trailhead located inside Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
The Fern Canyon Loop Trail is a must-do trail for wherever you are in the redwoods. The trail has got a fern-covered canyon and you’ll also see Sitka spruce and other conifers.
This is a popular attraction at the park so make sure you come in before 10 am for parking especially during weekends in the summer. Very popular as one of the scenes from The Lost World: Jurassic Park was filmed here!
There is an $12 fee to enter the area but if you’ve got the $80 Annual National Parks (America the Beautiful) pass, you can get that fee waived. Make sure to bring cash as credit cards aren’t accepted.
This is also a very wet hike so wear waterproof hiking shoes and also carry an extra pair of shoes just in case.
Allow 1-1.5 hours at this trail as the canyon is a 0.8 mi loop. Or spend more time if you want to visit Gold Bluffs Beach.
To access the parking area, you’ll have to drive across streams so if you’re in a low-clearance vehicle, you might get stuck. The road to the Fern Canyon, Davison Road is a narrow dirt road so it would be challenging for RV’s or vehicles with trailers to drive through.
Also please note that you might spot Roosevelt Elk around the Fern Canyon area. Please do not walk or drive towards them as they are wild animals.
7. Yurok Loop Trail
- Trail Distance: 2.1 miles
- Elevation Gain: 121 feet
- Intensity: Easy
- Location: Start at Yurok Loop Trailhead located in Redwood National Park
If you want to take a break from redwood hikes, walk the Yurok Loop Trail. While there are no redwoods on this hike, you’ll get to see the False Klamath Rock and also walk along wildflowers, Sitka spruce, and Douglas-fir trees.
Near the trail are the Wilson Creek Beach and the Lagoon pond where you can picnic, relax, and bird watching.
Allow 1-2 hours for this hike to take in views of sea stacks with birds flying around them.
If you’re feeling more adventurous, hike 4 more miles to the Klamath River Overlook and check out the Hidden Beach, a small cove beach along the way.
8. Drury-Chaney Trail
There are some great hikes you can enjoy just outside of Redwood National Park boundaries. And several to choose from that have different difficulty ratings, distance, and views.
Drury-Chaney Trail is an easy hike that’ll take 1-2 hours to experience the forest floors filled with redwood sorrel and ferns. This hike is located in Avenue of the Giants. The hike is 2.5 miles in length.
9. Founders Grove Nature Trail Loop
This 0.5-mile loop trail is an easy one with only 25 feet of elevation gain. While you’ll be among the tallest trees in the park, the biggest attraction is the Founder’s Tree, sitting 346.1 feet high and 40 feet round.
Since it’s so close to Hwy 101 compared to other groves this is the most-visited in the park, especially the proximity of its trailhead to the main road. Also, check out the fallen Dyerville Giant tree. Allow 1 hour to visit the entire trail.
Moderate Hikes In Redwood National Park
Moderate hikes in Redwood National and State Parks are a great way to take in the beauty of some of the ancient coastal redwoods in Northern California. There are trails that challenge beginners and others that provide more of a workout as you gain elevation with each step.
10. Redwood Creek Trail
- Trail Distance: 15.7 miles
- Elevation Gain: 75 feet
- Intensity: Moderate
- Location: Start at Redwood Creek Trailhead located inside Redwood National Park
Here’s a long and easy hike along the creek to try out – the Redwood Creek Trail. Since there is very little elevation gain, you can hike it in 8 hours or the whole day.
This trail is also free from traffic noise but you can hear the Redwood Creek during the hike. This trail doesn’t have as many redwood trees as other trails as they don’t grow near the creek.
On this trail, you’ll also cross Redwood Creek twice via seasonal bridges in the summer. (The water isn’t that high during the other seasons so you can cross it without its bridges.)
ALTERNATIVELY – you can drive to the Redwood Creek Overlook, a 15-minute drive from the Redwood Creek Trailhead. At this overlook, view hundreds of darker green old-growth redwood trees and lighter green second-growth redwood trees. View more than 9000 acres of old-growth redwood trees at this overlook.
If it’s not foggy or cloudy, you can also see the Pacific Ocean. Also, a beautiful spot for sunsets if the sky is clear.
11. Last Chance Coastal Trail
- Trail Distance: 1.4 miles
- Elevation Gain: 196 feet
- Intensity: Moderate
- Location: Start at Last Chance Trailhead located at Del Norte Coast Redwood State Park
A part of the Coastal Trail, the Last Chance section of the Coastal Trail is a short but intense hike with multiple switchbacks and sharp grades.
The trail might be a bit difficult to find on the maps but the trailhead starts at the end of Enderts Beach Road near Crescent City. Once you start the hike, you’ll see views of the ocean, then you’ll walk into a redwood forest with old-growth redwood trees, Sitka spruce, and red alder trees.
Allow 1-2 hours to walk the trail. Please note that this trail is prone to landslides so please check its current conditions on the NPS page.
12. Klamath River Overlook Trail
- Trail Distance: 1 mile
- Elevation Gain: 360 feet
- Intensity: Moderate
- Location: Start at Klamath River Overlook Trailhead located in Redwood National Park
For another hike along the ocean border, check out the Klamath River Overlook Trail. There’s a very steep hike down from the parking lot. Another hike without redwood trees, this one provides gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean and the Klamath River.
The views on this trail can be a hit or miss due to fog. If you start seeing fog while driving up to the overlook trailhead then there will definitely be more fog up top. But walking through the fog is its own magic!
If there isn’t fog, this is a great place to view the sunset and watch for birds, whales, sea lions, and seals.
Allow 1-2 hours for the hike down and back up. Near the trail’s parking lot, there are picnic tables available.
13. Trillium Falls Trail
- Trail Distance: 2.6 miles
- Elevation Gain: 433 feet
- Intensity: Moderate
- Location: Start at Trillium Falls Trailhead located inside Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
For a trail with a small waterfall, try the Trillium Falls Trail. This old-growth redwood trail is next to an old Arcata Redwood Company sawmill site. The sawmill site is now a field where Roosevelt elk usually graze.
This is one of best hikes to see redwoods with kids as there is so much variety on this hike. Check out this trail if you’re looking for darker and more varied redwood trees along with fir trees, trillium flowers, ferns, and maples with a waterfall at the beginning of the trail.
The Trillium Falls is about a 0.5-mile hike from the trailhead and if you keep walking, you’ll start to see redwood trees halfway into the trail. The trail is a little steep when walking towards the waterfall.
Allow 1-2 hours if you plan to cover the whole trail or just half an hour if you just want to see the Trillium Falls.
This is also one of the trails that’s got a lot of parking spots for small and large vehicles. Picnic tables are available.
14. Boy Scout Tree Trail
- Trail Distance: 5.5 miles
- Elevation Gain: 938 ft
- Intensity: Moderate
- Location: Start at Boy Scout Tree Trailhead located inside Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
If you’re looking for a moderate hike at the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, walk the Boy Scout Tree Trail. Like the Stout Grove Trail, this also has lots of big old-growth redwood trees. But if you want a longer trail that is also quieter, choose this one.
This hike can be a little tiring with taking care to walk its riparian areas (ups and downs of the trail) and not trip on any tree roots sticking out. But you’ll also see a small waterfall named Fern Falls.
Allow 4 hours or longer to finish this trail. To get its full glory, walk the Boy Scout Tree Trail when it’s sunny to feel the sun rays beaming through tree branches.
There’s limited parking at the trailhead.
Difficult Hikes In Redwood National Park
If you are looking for a challenge, there are many difficult hikes in Redwood National and State Parks to choose from. Some hikes begin with a scramble, others begin with steep inclines, and still others require crossing over streams.
These hikes might also have narrow trails or provide very little shade. These difficult hikes can be made easier with the proper equipment and preparation.
But a long and hard hike is the best way to really be immersed in the redwoods forest. The sights, sounds and wildlife along the Pacific coast will have you feeling like you’ve stepped into a whole new world — it is truly magical.
15. Tall Trees Grove Loop Trail
- Trail Distance: 4.5 miles
- Elevation Gain: 748 feet
- Intensity: Strenuous
- Location: Start at Tall Trees Grove Trailhead located inside Redwood National Park
Located in Trinidad, The Tall Trees Grove Loop Trail is unique in its way of getting to the trailhead. You’ll need an online permit to get the gate code to access the trailhead. You can get the permit 2-7 days before you hike the trail.
Allow 4 hours to hike the whole trail and drive to and back from the trailhead. The trail’s got a steep drop of 800 feet in the first 1.5 miles.
Since the Tall Trees Grove is inland, it’s quieter with the weather being mostly warm and sunny unlike trails near the coast.
16. Damnation Creek Trail
- Trail Distance: 3.4 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1190 feet
- Intensity: Strenuous
- Location: Start at Damnation Creek Trailhead located inside Del Norte Coast Redwood State Park
Located in Klamath, the Damnation Creek Trail may be short in length but it is strenuous! Even though you can’t access the beach from this trail, you will come across a junction where you can access the Coastal Trail where you can access the beach.
Allow 4 hours to walk this trail surrounded by a fresh forest of redwood trees with spouts of fog during the summer.
17. James Irvine Loop Trail
- Trail Distance: 10.4 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1404 feet
- Intensity: Strenuous
- Location: Start at James Irvine Trailhead (also where the Revelation Trailhead is) located inside Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
If you’re seeking a hard hike in different types of environments, walk the James Irvine Loop Trail. First, you’ll be walking along creeks and surrounded by redwood forests and then meet the ocean at the end of the trail before walking back.
This trail starts and ends near the Prairie Creek Visitor Center. Allow 6-8 hours or a whole day hiking the trail and take plenty of water. On your way to the turnaround point, you’ll come across the one-of-a-kind Fern Canyon and then see the Gold Bluffs Beach at the end!
Make sure the sun is up the whole day when doing this hike. Otherwise, it might be chillier being in the shade for the whole hike.
If you’re looking for parking, park at the Prairie Creek Visitor Center. But it is usually crowded so if you can’t find parking, park on the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. RVs and vehicles can also park on the parkway.
Where is the Redwood National Park?
Situated in northernmost coastal California, the Redwood National and State Parks is a co-managed system of parks managed by the National Park Service and the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
It consists of four parks:
- Redwood National Park located in Orick
- Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park located in Crescent City
- Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park located in Crescent City
- Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park located in Orick
Redwood National Park Map
How to Get to Redwood National Park?
You can access this park via flight, car, or local public transportation. If you’re flying, the closest airports to Redwood National Park are:
- Del Norte County Regional Airport in Crescent City, CA
- Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport in Medford, OR
- Arcata-Eureka Airport in McKinleyville, CA
If you’re driving:
- Take HWY 199 from central Oregon
- Take HWY 101 from California coast or Oregon coast
- Take HWY 299 from central California
For local public transportation, you can use Redwood Coast Transit (RCT).
The park is free to enter except for the Fern Canyon & Gold Bluffs Beach that’s got an $8 entrance fee but can be waived with other federal and national passes.
Where to Stay Near Redwood National Park
Redwood National Park has a variety of accommodations: hotels, resorts, campgrounds and more. We recommend these 3 options:
Budget-Friendly Option: Oceanview Inn and Suites
Mid-Priced Option: Holiday Inn Express Redwood National Park
Lux Option: Glenkirk
Hiking Tips for Redwood National Park
Here are some things to consider when going on Redwood hikes:
- Please walk on the designated trail while hiking in the park and don’t create new trails. This helps to protect both wildlife and the forest.
- When accessing directions to a trail, please make sure to also carry the Redwood National and State Parks map as the online maps may not be accurate in certain areas.
- As cell coverage or network can be limited, please have an emergency plan in case of accidents.
- When driving in the park, please be aware that wildlife may be near the roads. Please don’t approach wildlife. Drive cautiously especially in fog.
Best Things To Do Near Redwood National Park
While you’re here for the hikes, make sure to also take in other experiences that the park offers you. Drive through redwood giants, drive through a tree or a log, learn about some of these mysterious trees at Trees of Mystery; there are tons to do!
Add these things to your itinerary before you exit the Redwoods:
Drive through Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway
The Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway is a 10-mile scenic alternative to HWY 101 in Orick, CA. Located inside Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, this parkway is easily accessible from HWY 101 by taking exit 753 or exit 765.
Allow 15 minutes to just drive through the parkway surrounded by giant redwood trees or 1-2 hours to stop and check out its attractions and trails. You can park vehicles of any size on either side of the parkway.
Look for Roosevelt Elk
Look for Roosevelt Elk either at Elk Meadow on Davison Road or near Elk Prairie Campground on Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. The elk prefer prairies and meadows but go to forests for shade or to hide. Be aware of elk herds or elk crossing local roads and highways.
As they are wild, they can be unpredictable. Please don’t approach them via foot as it is not only unsafe but also against state law. If you’re here between August and October, look out for sounds of elk fighting each other for mating.
Relax on Gold Bluffs Beach
Included in the $8 fee when you pay to see Fern Canyon, the Gold Bluffs Beach is also a part of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The beach’s name comes from the story in the 1850s when travelers noticed gold mixed in the grayish-black sand at the beach.
While they soon realized that it would be difficult to extract, the name stayed. This beach also has a picnic area and a campground. If you’re visiting the Fern Canyon, it’s a short walk from the Fern Canyon’s parking area. Look for unpaved trails near the restrooms and that will take you to Gold Bluffs Beach.
Visit Humboldt Redwoods State Park
If you’ve got a few extra days or want to explore another redwood park, visit Humboldt Redwoods State Park. It is one of California’s largest state parks with over 17,000 acres of old-growth coast redwood trees. It’s located in Weott near Avenue of the Giants.
Drive through Avenue of the Giants
Another scenic drive and HWY 101 alternative, we’d recommend is the Avenue of the Giants. The drive stretches for 32 miles through giant redwood trees and crosses the Eel River. Through this drive, stop at various stops for hiking, camping, picnicking, or visiting the shops on the way.
Pick up an Auto Tour brochure either at the North entrance or South entrance for a self-guided drive around what Avenue of the Giants has to offer.
Catch glimpses of the Eel River
Driving from the north, you’ll start to see the Eel River near Fortuna. Driving from the south, you’ll cross the river near Benbow on HWY 101. Around the Eel River, you can hike, camp and kayak.
Visit Trees of Mystery
Is the Trees of Mystery worth it? Yes, definitely visit Trees of Mystery! Trees of Mystery is a paid attraction filled with mysterious trees and neat trails.
Add this park as the first thing to do since the park educates you on different types of trees and that helps you to look for those trees on your future hikes!
Walk into Treehouses
Two treehouses we recommend checking out:
The Eternal Tree House: Enter this treehouse that’s 20 feet high inside this living tree and it’s free to visit. The tree is over 2500 years old and most of the tree was logged in the 1900s. But due to a fire, the stump created a cavern used for shelter. Walk into the treehouse, look around and look up!
Treehouses at Shrine Drive-Thru Tree Auto Park: Another place to check out treehouses is at Shrine Drive-Thru Tree Auto Park. These houses are super cute and you can also go inside but watch your head when entering and when you’re inside!
Drive Thru Trees
Drive through a tree at these three spots:
Drive up a log
And while you’re at the Shrine Drive-Thru Tree Auto Park, drive up a log!
Go on a Jet Boat Tour on the Klamath River
Did you know that the Klamath River is the second largest river in California after the Sacramento River? Take the Klamath River Jet Boat Tours for a 45-mile adventure on the Klamath River. During this two-hour trip, learn about the river’s history, Yurok’s history, and culture. Also spot wildlife including bears, hawks, and deer.
Buy Redwood Souvenirs
Take home souvenirs from the redwoods at Burl n’ Drift or Burlwood Gallery, both located in the Avenue of the Giants. Manufactured locally and sourced ethically, both stores offer furniture, gifts, and décor to take back a reminder of your visit to the redwoods.
Spot unusual trees on your hikes and drives
There are some mysterious trees that have grown out in different shapes and survived natural disasters.
The Immortal Tree is an ancient redwood tree that’s around 950-1000 years old. Due to lightning, the tree’s top was destroyed but it still lives. It also survived a loggers axe, a 1908 forest fire, and a 1964 flood. It’s located in the Avenue of the Giants.
The Corkscrew Tree is a tree with a twisted trunk. You’ll see a sign that says Corkscrew Tree when driving on Newton B. Drury Scenic Pkwy.
Located on the Revelation Trail, a western hemlock tree or the Octopus Tree is where its roots wrap themselves around a log. It looks like an octopus has wrapped itself around the log. After the fallen log decays, it disappears and creates a hollow cave-like space. We saw those caves at the Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail.
A Cathedral Tree is a bunch of redwoods with its trunks attached together due to some trees reproducing from other trees and then growing out. You can spot these at the Trees of Mystery or the Big Tree Circle Trail.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re looking for an unforgettable hiking experience during your trip to Northern California, look no further than Redwood National and State Parks. With over 100 miles of hiking trails, this park is a true haven for hikers and with many hikes easy enough for anyone to tackle, it can be enjoyed by the whole family.
But you might have some questions about planning a trip to the Redwood National and State Parks. We’ve got answers! Here are some FAQs that might help you plan your next trip.
Why visit the redwoods in California?
California is filled with redwood forests and prior to the Ice Age, the Earth was covered with redwood trees but the redwoods were all destroyed except for the California coast and the Sierra Nevada (a part of Yosemite National Park).
To see original coast redwoods, you’ll need to visit the Pacific Coast – as north as southern Oregon and as south as Big Sur near central California. It’s only in these areas that the redwoods continue to thrive keeping their moisture intact with rain and fog.
Are pets allowed on the trails?
No, pets aren’t allowed on the trails at Redwoods National and State Parks to protect the wildlife and the park’s visitors.
Which trails are accessible?
The accessible trails are Simpson-Reed Trail, Big Tree (not the Circle Trail), Revelation Trail, Elk Prairie Trail, and Foothills-Prairie Creek Loop.
What is the best time to visit Redwood National Park?
Summer is the best time to visit Redwood National Park. Visit between June and September for cooler weather with fog in the 60s even when it’s 90s away from the coast. But if you prefer fewer crowds, visit during the rest of the year. If you’re looking to visit a National Park during the summer, we recommend the Redwood National and State Parks.
What should you pack when hiking in the redwoods?
If you plan on hiking in Redwoods National and State parks, the last thing you want to worry about is not having the right supplies. Make sure to pack your hiking essentials. Here’s what you’ll need when hiking in the redwoods:
If you driving to the redwoods, don’t forget to bring a smaller cooler on the road trip to keep your snacks and drinks fresh.
How can you spend a day in Redwood National Park?
What should you not miss in Redwood National Park? If you’ve only got one day to spend at Redwoods National and State Parks, we recommend checking out Fern Canyon, Elk at Elk Prairie Campgrounds, and Lady Bird Johnson Grove Loop Trail.
How many days do you need in Redwood National Park?
We would recommend 2-4 days to cover most parts of Redwood National Park. Need an itinerary for visiting this huge park? Stay tuned for a 2-day sample itinerary!
Final Thoughts
As you can see the Redwood National Park offers so many amazing hikes with forest or beach scenery. Whether you choose to hike here for a day or a week, you know that you’ll have plenty to see when you walk among the redwood giants.
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