Redwood National and State Parks

Redwood National and State Parks

Most people know Redwood as home to the tallest trees on Earth. But the Parks also protect vast prairies, oak woodlands, wild rivers, and 40 miles of rugged coastline. People have lived in this verdant landscape since time immemorial. Together, the National Park Service and California State Parks are managing and restoring these lands for the inspiration, enjoyment, and education of all.

Redwood National and State Parks is located in northernmost coastal California - almost on the Oregon border. The parks are about 60-miles long, with four visitor centers from north to south. We are a six to seven-hour drive (325 miles) north of San Francisco, a six-hour drive (330 miles) south of Portland, OR and a four-hour drive (170 miles) west of Redding, CA.

Arts and Culture
Cultural Demonstrations
Auto and ATV
Scenic Driving
Biking
Camping
Backcountry Camping
Car or Front Country Camping
Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
Hiking
Backcountry Hiking
Front-Country Hiking
Horse Trekking
Horseback Riding
Paddling
Kayaking
Junior Ranger Program
Tubing
River Tubing
Wildlife Watching
Birdwatching
Park Film
Shopping
Bookstore and Park Store

Fish-eye view of Redwood canopy

View from forest floor looking straight up. Ferns as seen close up and redwood trunks meet.

The redwood forest is a complicated and beautiful series of habitats.

Visitors Plan Their Redwood Trip

Five young women read the park map.

A great redwood trip starts with good trip planning.

Howland Hill Road

Redwood trees line a narrow dirt road.

With a small car, you can expericne close-up Redwoods along a century old, narrow road.

Tide pooling at Enderts Beach

Two visitors looking at tidepools.

We have forty miles of coastline to explore.

Ranger Program at Klamath River Overlook

Visitors chatting with a ranger above a river mouth.

Coastal overlooks provide amazing places to whale watch.. and more.

Visitors on walkway to Lady Bird Johnson Grove

Three people stand on a walkway in the trees. It is foggy.

Visitors to the Lady Bird Johnson Grove cross a road using a walkway.

Family Enjoys the Redwoods

Two adults and child look upwards into a forest

Millions of people visit the park to enjoy the forests.

A New Junior Ranger

A ranger helps a father and son learn about being a junior ranger.

Becoming a junior ranger at Redwoods is a fun and educational for the whole family.

"Big Tree" wayside.

Visitors pose with one of the widest Redwood trees.

For those short of time, the "Big Tree" offers easy access for all to a very photogenic tree.

Incoming Tide at Redwood National Park

Rocks, rockpools and waves

40 miles of coastline are part of Redwood National Park

Nurse log on the side of a trail.

A tree stump is covered with plants.

A fallen redwood tree will be on the forest floor for centuries providing habitat for a new generation of plants and animals.

Ranger and Visitors in the Redwoods

Two adults talk with a park ranger under foggy trees

Park rangers help visitor learn about and safely enjoy the Redwoods.

Trillium Falls

A small waterfall cascades past different trees

The Trillium Falls Trail is a popular, easy and family friendly walk.

How Tall is that Redwood?

Three adults stand and look curiously toward the tree tops

From the forest floor we can only see about a third of any old redwood tree.

How wide is that Redwood?

Two adults and a child stand next to a tree while a ranger nearby opens his arms wide.

The height and size of redwood trees can be hard to measure.

Having fun under the redwoods

Four adults stand on a trail surrounded by redwood trees

Taking a walk on the trail through redwood groves is great fun

Redwood Ranger in the mist

Fog surrounds tall redwoods on a trail. A park ranger stands in the distance.

Park Rangers help tell the stories and meanings of the park to visitors.

Tall Trees Grove from the creek

Gray cobbles on the foreground and 300foot redwoods behind.

300 foot redwood redwoods next to Redwood Creek.

Footbridge to Lady Bird Johnson Grove

A footbridge with people crosses a road on a foggy day

Summer fog is frequent in the redwoods

A family walks in Stout Grove

A trail meanders into a grove of tall trees. A family is seen at the far end of the trail.

Redwood forests are wonderful places to walk, relax and look up.

Coastline at Redwood National Park

Waves run-up on a beach, and sea stack rocks are seen in the distance.

40 miles of protected coastline are part of Redwood National and State Parks

Fern Canyon

Green ferns cover two natural walls cut by a creek. A calm creek is covered with grey cobbles.

Fern Canyon is a popular - and busy - summer desination.

A Redwood Grove

Reddy-brown colored redwoods

Over a hundred miles of trails lead you to places like this.

Autumn Colors in the redwood parks

A trail underneath trees with orange and yellow leaves

Big leaf maples in the autumn.

Fire scarred giants

A circle of redwood trees with black fire scars.

Fire has always been a part of a redwood tree's history.

Redwoods Resprouting

Young redwood sprouts grow off a horizontal redwood log

New shoots grow off a fallen redwood tree.

Trillium Falls Trail

A trail and bridge crosses a tree-line gully.

A short walk leads visitors to a series of small cascades.

Surrounded by old-growth redwoods.

A visitor stands next to a forest of enormous red and brown colored trees.

Walking though redwood forests is a beautiful experience.

Autumn leaves in the redwood parks

Orange and red leaves on maple trees.

Maples and oak trees show fall colors in the redwood parks.

Enderts Beach

Rugged coastal cliffs drop to blue ocean and waves. Pink flowers in the foreground.

The park protects forty miles of rugged coastline and marine protected areas..