Redwoods National & State Parks

Home to the tallest trees on earth, Redwood National and State Parks also protects oak woodlands, boundless prairies, powerful rivers and 40 miles of rugged Pacific coastline.

Native Americans made the redwood forests and surrounding ecosystems their home for thousands of years, building shelter and homes from fallen redwoods, speaking a variety of languages, and maintaining distinct identities. Their descendants continue to live both on and off reservations in the redwood region to this day. Yurok and Tolowa ancestral territories exist within Redwood National State Park. The Yurok reservation extends from the mouth of the Klamath River 40 miles upstream and the Tolowa also have two rancherias in Del Norte County.

The Flora and Fauna

Many visitors come just to see blooms in the redwoods — they are spectacular. Among the other picture-perfect sights are expanses of vibrant, delicate-looking California poppies, which blanket grassy areas at elevations up to 7,000 feet from February through September.

Where land meets sea, beach peas, beach strawberries and sand verbena anchor themselves against salty, persistent winds. Coast redwoods and Douglas fir stand watch over the old-growth forests. And the likes of Oregon grapes, Jeffrey pines and colorful spring lupines accentuate the Bald Hills.

From populous birds of prey to mysterious tidepool creatures, pinnipeds, cetaceans, Roosevelt elk and banana slugs, diverse wildlife abounds.

Buzzard Roost, Big Basin

Nick Rickert

The Weather

Conditions can quickly change at Redwood, so dressing in layers and having rain gear is essential year-round. Given the rainforest is slippery, wearing sturdy, “sticky” hiking boots is important, too.

Oceanic influences remain fairly steady along California’s redwood coast. The result is temperatures ranging from the mid-40s F to the low-60s F. Typically, winters are cool and see a lot of precipitation. It is rainiest from October through April, when a high-pressure area atop the North Pacific pushes storms that dump 60-80 inches of rain annually.

When summer arrives, that high-pressure area moves north and heavy clouds and winter storms subside. At the same time, the California Current pulls warm surface water away from the coast, bringing deeper, colder water near the shores, creating moisture and a narrow band of fog that blankets and moistens the coastal redwoods during dry summers. Inland, conditions are warmer and sunnier this time of year.

Keep on top of conditions and closures in Redwoods National Park on its website.

The Hikes, Drives and Viewpoints

Unlike other national parks, Redwood National Park exists in partnership with several California state parks: Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Together, Redwood National and State Parks total 131,983 acres of old-growth redwood forest. The following hikes span those boundaries.

Fern Canyon

Bring your rain boots — a trek through verdant Fern Canyon in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park takes you through a steep-walled, mini-canyon steeped in its namesake foliage. Follow the mile-long “lollipop” loop with an elevation gain of 150 feet. Or stick to the bed of Home Creek and you’ll see the canyon’s leafy walls in about a quarter mile.

Stout Grove Trail

To revel in the glory of the park’s redwoods, make fast tracks for the .7-mile Stout Grove Trail in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Take in the behemoths’ cathedral-like majesty as you navigate a small floodplain at the confluence of two rivers.

Stout Grove

Getty

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail

Another popular hike is the Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail, a 1.5-mile walk through redwoods as old as 2,000 years. Named in honor of the first lady who dedicated the park, the trail traverses an upland environment in Redwood National Park proper, at 1,200 feet above sea level.

Prairie Creek, Big Tree & Cathedral Trees Loop

For a more comprehensive taste of the park, tackle the 3-mile Prairie Creek, Big Tree and Cathedral Trees Loop in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Look for Roosevelt elk as you set out from the Prairie Creek Visitor’s Center.

About the Park

Location - Northern California, from Crescent City to Orick

Established - October 2, 1968

Area - 138,999 acres