California Est. 1968

Redwood National Park

Forest Ocean

Plan a visit Check conditions

Established

1968

Size

138,999 acres

Visitors / yr

605K

Entrance

Free

Best season

May through September

Nearest airport

ACV Arcata-Eureka Airport

Caution: Delays along Bald Hills Road +1 more Wildfire Tracker

Why Redwood is worth the trip

California · Established 1968

The tallest living things on Earth grow in a fog belt along California's far north coast, and walking among them permanently recalibrates your sense of big. Coast redwoods here pass 370 feet, and some have stood since the Roman Empire. The sobering half of the story is that nearly all the old growth was logged before anyone stopped it; this park, together with its partner state parks, protects 45 percent of what remains.

Walk Lady Bird Johnson Grove or the Prairie Creek trails and let your neck do the work, then sample the strangeness at the edges. Roosevelt elk graze the meadows, and Fern Canyon squeezes you between 50-foot walls upholstered entirely in ferns. Entry is free, fog is standard equipment, and morning light coming through the canopy is the whole argument for getting up early.

Start with our full Redwood guide, then use the planning below.

Conditions today Good day to go

WeatherHigh 69°F · Partly Sunny

Air qualityAQI 32 Good

WildfireNo active fires nearby Clear

NPS alerts2 routine alerts 2 active

Air quality map Wildfire tracker

See live Redwood conditions in the all-parks tracker

Open, clean air, no fire nearby, and no severe weather; the Park Service has 2 routine alerts worth a look.

Top things to do in Redwood

Where we would start, and what we would plan a day around. Read the full guide.

Start here

15 Things to Do in Redwood National Park (2026 Guide)

Read the guide

Biking · nps.gov Bike the Davison/Streelow Creek Loop Start at a meadow where elk gather before biking through dense, Douglas-fir forests that have grown back since the old-growth redwoods were logged here... 02

Hiking · nps.gov Walk the Fern Canyon Loop Trail A unique, beautiful, and popular location in the park. Getting here does require some planning, reservations are required May 15th through September 15th (available... 03

Hiking · nps.gov Walk the Stout Memorial Grove Trail A majestic grove of redwoods next to the Smith River in the northern part of the park. This trail requires some planning about how... 04

Hiking · nps.gov Stroll the Simpson-Reed Trail An easy walk through beautiful old-growth redwood forests in the northern part of the parks. Limited parking, RV's and trailers not permitted.

Best hikes in Redwood

The trails that define the park, with the distance and elevation numbers that decide your day.

1 Stout Memorial Grove Where Mill Creek meets the Smith River in Jedediah Smith. 2 Fern Canyon Loop The best hike in the Redwood parks, prove us wrong. 3 Lady Bird Johnson Grove Loop An easy old growth loop on a ridge at 1,300 feet. 4 Karl Knapp / Foothill Trail Loop Giant redwoods, Prairie Creek, and a decent shot at elk. 5 Tall Trees Grove Coast redwoods soaring north of 350 feet on a floodplain.

All Redwood hikes

Before you go

Get the Redwood heads-up

Permit windows, closures and seasonal alerts, plus our best Redwood guides, in your inbox before you go. Free, no spam.

Plan your trip

Our guides for the big decisions, plus the gear, maps and lodging we would actually use for Redwood.

Things to Do Best Hikes Fun Facts

Where to stay

Gateway towns with lodging, food and outfitters.

Crescent City, CAGateway town
Orick, CAGateway town
Klamath, CAGateway town
Elk Prairie Campground - Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park 75 sites · Reserve
Gold Bluffs Beach Campground - Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park 26 sites · Reserve

Compare stays near Redwood

Maps & guides

Carry paper. Cell service dies fast inside most parks.

Redwood Trails Illustrated map

Waterproof National Geographic topo of the park.

View on Amazon

Redwood field guide

Trail-by-trail detail and planning help in print.

View on Amazon

America the Beautiful pass

$80 a year. Covers entrance fees at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites.

Get the pass

What to bring

Field-tested picks we bring on park trips.

Water Shoes

Quick-drying grip for shorelines, slot canyons, and river crossings. View on REI
Dry Bag

Keep your phone, camera, and spare clothes dry near water. View on REI
Sun Hat

Full-brim coverage for exposed trails with zero shade. View on REI
Binoculars

Spot wildlife from a safe distance without disturbing them. View on REI

Getting there

ACV Arcata-Eureka Airport 75 mi
MFR Rogue Valley International-Medford 100 mi

NPS Official Page Reservations Google Maps

Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend what we would use ourselves.

Redwood map

VC Visitor Center CG Campground Nearby Park

When to go

Loading weather...

Month-by-Month Conditions

Tap any month for details

Month

High

Low

Crowds

Roads

Jan

52°

36°

Light

Open

Feb

54°

37°

Light

Open

Mar

56°

37°

Light

Open

Apr

58°

39°

Moderate

Open

May Best

61°

43°

Heavy

Open

Jun Best

64°

46°

Peak

Open

Jul Best

67°

49°

Peak

Open

Aug Best

69°

49°

Peak

Open

Sep Best

69°

45°

Heavy

Open

Oct

65°

42°

Moderate

Open

Nov

56°

39°

Light

Open

Dec

51°

36°

Light

Open

Best months to visit Crowd level (low to peak)

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