Redwood National and State Parks
Your first question might be is this a state park or a national park? Well – it’s both! It is a collection of parks that make up Redwood National Park. These parks are home to the tallest trees on earth, as well as other beautiful wildlife. You absolutely need to plan a visit to this incredible region!
Need to Know for The Redwoods:
This is big region with limited services and cell service. I highly recommend downloading offline maps on your phone, keep an emergency kit in your car, and keep an eye on your gas tank as you plan your days.
Currency: USD
Language: English
Airports:
Medford – MFR
Sacramento – SMF
San Francisco – SFO
Electrical Outlets: 120V supply voltage and 60Hz, plug types A and B.
Planning Your Trip
Accommodation: The two closest cities to call homebase for your Redwoods trip are Eureka and Crescent City. There are plenty of Airbnb and hotel options in either city. You can also look for a campsite within the park if you’re planning to camp!
We stayed at this adorable guest house in Crescent City and it worked out great for our trip.
Getting There and Around:
Driving is really your only option to get around the park. I recommend renting a car from the airport wherever you arrive.
On your way, you can take Avenue of the Giants, a famous scenic route that goes parallel to Hwy 101. There are also three “drive through” trees you can find on this route! We drove through Shrine Tree, which was a $15 per car entry.
When to go:
Redwood National Park gets most of its visitors between May and September during the dry season. It stays pretty consistent all year round, around 50-60F, but the summer is the best chance to avoid rain.
Restaurants
These were our favorite places for a variety of reasons! Read the comments for thoughts on food, vibes, drinks, and more!
- SeaQuake Brewing – Our favorite place we went in Crescent City! The chocolate porter and sweet potato fries here were to die for! They also have a bunch of other great beers and food. We tried the pulled pork nachos and the fish tacos, both were solid! The wait here is always long, so you can put yourself on the waitlist online.
- Chart Room – This is a great seafood spot right by the water. They are known for their fish and chips which were super light and crispy. I also enjoyed their seafood medley. The wait here was also pretty long, but we put our names in and wandered around the pier.
- Crescent Seafood – We didn’t eat here, but we bought seafood and cooked it ourselves. They had a great selection of fresh and local seafood!
Best Hikes in the Redwoods
Fern Canyon
Distance: 1 mile loop
The hike: This is a hike through the unique canyon covered in ferns. You hike right through the river so they recommend wearing water shoes, but there are boards and rocks so you could do it in normal hiking boots too.
Details: You need a permit to hike Fern Canyon. You can get them ahead of time or the day before. The road to the trailhead is a bumpy dirt road with two small creek crossings. I’m definitely glad we had my Rav4, although a smaller car could have made it, it would have made me nervous.
Trillium Falls
Distance: 2.8 mile loop
The hike: This is a nice hike with spectacular redwoods and a lovely waterfall.
Details: There’s a big parking lot and this hike is very accessible!
Lady Bird Johnson Grove
Distance: 1.4 mile loop
The hike: This is a nice and easy hike to enjoy some beautiful and historic trees! This hike was founded in honor of the environmentally-minded first lady.
Details: There’s a small parking lot for this hike, so it’s best to get there early!
Prairie Creek, Big Tree, and Cathedral Trees Loop
Distance: 3.0 mile loop
The hike: This hike is inside Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, which has a lovely visitor’s center and tons of good hikes. This hike should take less than 1.5 hours and is mostly flat.
Details: You can access the trailhead without going into the actual park and paying the fee.
Boy Scout Tree Trail
Distance: 5.3 mile (total out and back)
The hike: This hike is inside Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. This hike wanders up and down but is mostly flat. This is a popular hike so you’ll likely run into plenty of fellow hikers along the way! This was one of our favorites for a peaceful hike with insane tree views.
Details: You’ll access this hike through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park which has a windy dirt road running through it. This road was pretty accessible and not too bumpy.
Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor
While you’re in the area, pop up to the beautiful Oregon coast. Once we were all tired from the amazing hikes, this was a perfect little drive with lookouts to enjoy. Below were our favorite stops along the way. Check out this blog for more comprehensive information!
Secret Beach: This was our favorite stop and the furthest north we went. There is a little parking area that doesn’t seem like much, and a steep hike down to a beautiful beach with rocky islands. Definitely worth it!
Natural Bridges: Another beautiful viewpoint! This one has a wooden viewing deck right off the parking lot.
Whaleshead Beach: This is an absolutely beautiful beach to walk around and hang out. We spent an hour here just enjoying the view and the sound of the waves. The road down to the beach is a pretty bumpy dirt road – I appreciated the high clearance on my car for this one.
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June 29, 2023
