Towering redwood trees are seen from below with a fish eye lens, in Redwood National Park.

Things to Do in Redwood National Park: a Complete Guide

October 14, 2024

Redwood is one of our favorite national parks in the U.S. Located in the far northern reaches of California, it has significantly less crowds than the state’s more famous parks like Yosemite and Joshua Tree. The result is a hidden gem, with 172 square miles of lush primeval forest, interspersed with stunning panoramas overlooking the Pacific Ocean. This guide details the best things to do in Redwood National Park for first time visitors.

Overview

Redwood National Park stretches along the Pacific coast, one of the last outposts of California before the Oregon border. The entire park spans approximately 50 miles from north to south.

Here, the coastal redwood – the tallest tree in the world – rises to heights of 350 feet or more. The cool, damp climate required for these trees to thrive also creates a temperate rain forest, carpeted by lush ferns. The effect is a primordial forest that feels lost in time, with a level of solitude rarely found elsewhere.

Unlike most other national parks, Redwood is technically a patchwork of both national and state parks. There is no designated entrance gate, as park lands are simply interspersed with public land along Highway 101. However, there are five park visitor centers where you can speak to rangers, pick up maps, and learn more about the park.

The primary highlights include the lush redwood groves and panoramic coastal views, which can be explored either by foot, car, bicycle, or even horseback.

Trails range from flat 0.5-mile strolls to longer 14-mile day hikes. And because these magnificent trees can easily live 2,000 years, you’ll be a small witness (both literally and metaphorically) to scenes that have remained unchanged for two millennia.

Getting to Redwood National Park

Redwood National Park is located roughly 300 miles north of San Francisco, or 300 miles south of Portland, Oregon.

The closest main airport is Arcata-Eureka (ACV), also known as the California Redwood Coast – Humboldt County Airport. It’s 25 miles from the southern entrance to Redwood National Park, although still a 45 – 90-minute drive to the more popular sections of the park.

You can also fly into Crescent City, just 4 miles from the park’s northern border, via Del Norte County/Jack McNamara Field (CEC). However, service is more limited than Arcata-Eureka.

Getting Around Redwood National Park

You can catch local public transportation via Redwood Coast Transit (RCT), but service is limited and does not reach any of the park’s highlights.

We strongly recommend having a car at your disposal, to optimize your time in Redwood National Park.

The Best Time of Year to Visit Redwood National Park

Lupine bloom in the late spring and summer months, as shown here along Bald Hills Road. Image courtesy NPS.

Redwood National Park is open year-round, and temperatures always remain mild.

Being a coastal rainforest, moisture is common any time of year, whether it’s fog, drizzle, or rain. However, you can optimize your chances of sunny days, depending on what time of year you visit.

Spring: spring starts wet, with frequent rain or drizzle. But by May-June, the weather typically opens up to sunshine and blooming wildflowers.
Summer: coastal fog is common , although it does lend additional mystique to the ancient groves. You can still catch warm, sunny days – these will just also be the most crowded, with summer vacation.
Fall: fall months are often crisp and clear, with blue skies and less rain.
Winter: winter is the rainiest season in the park, averaging 9-11” of rain each month between November – March. (Although we’ve visited in late November and still lucked out with bright sunny days, so you never know!)

The Best Things to Do in Redwood National Park

This Redwood National Park Itinerary highlights the top activities, hikes, scenic drives, and overlooks, for first-time visitors to make the most of their time in the park.

The itinerary is organized geographically from south to north, to help you plan out your stay.

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park and Visitor Center

The Prairie Creek Visitor Center (directions) is a great first stop, to help orient yourself in the park. Situated on the edge of a scenic meadow, visitors will frequently see the free-roaming elk that the park is famous for.

Prairie Creek also serves as the trailhead for many of the best hikes in the southern part of the park. Some recommended trails include:

Prairie Creek Nature Trail: this short loop is a great introduction to the redwood groves, leading you through magnificent old-growth forests with minimal elevation. 0.9 miles roundtrip.
Miners Ridge and James Irvine Loop: there are numerous iterations of these two trails, but this loop is the full package. Along the way, you’ll enjoy scenic redwood groves, pounding ocean surf, and the famous Fern Canyon. 11.5 miles roundtrip.

Fern Canyon

Fern Canyon, although a separate parking lot from Prairie Creek, is also a must-see in the region. This narrow gorge, carved by Home Creek, has created 30-foot tall canyon walls lined with lush, vibrant green ferns.

If you don’t hike to Fern Canyon from Prairie Creek (via one of the James Irvine trail iterations, all of which are at least 10 miles roundtrip), you can drive to Gold Bluffs Beach (you’ll need a permit for day parking) and take a shorter hike to Fern Canyon:

Fern Canyon Loop: this easy footpath leads from the mouth of Home Creek up to Fern Canyon, for a pleasant stroll through the shaded walls of the gorge. 1.1 miles roundtrip.
Friendship Ridge to Davidson Loop: those looking for a slightly longer hike from this direction will find it in this loop, which begins with Fern Canyon before traversing more old-growth redwood forests.

Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway

This 10-mile drive is one of the best drives in the park. The narrow road winds through stately redwood groves that dwarf any vehicle, with numerous pullouts for postcard-worthy photo opportunities.

Prairie Creek Visitors Center is located just off the southern end of the Drury Parkway; once you’re done at Prairie Creek, hop back in the car to finish this stunning drive.

Stop to Admire the Overlooks

Continue your drive north along Highway 101, where you’ll be greeted with multiple stunning vistas as the road opens up, high above the Pacific Ocean.

Many of the panoramas are worth stopping the car for. High Bluff Overlook (directions), located halfway between Orick and Crescent City, is one of the most famous, and frequently makes the guide book “must see” lists.

Additionally, one of our favorite vistas is the unnamed overlook (above, directions on Google Maps) that looks down towards Wilson Beach and False Klamath.

On a clear day, the views are spectacular, with sea meeting sky along a wild, rugged coastline.

Howland Hill Road Scenic Drive

Located just outside of Crescent City, the 10-mile Howland Hill Road is absolutely stunning. In our opinion, it’s as magnificent as the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, if not more so.

Here, the forest is thicker than other portions of the park, with stunning old-growth redwoods packed tight as they tower over the road below. The road winds along Mill Creek, with numerous opportunities to get out and admire these grandiose trees.

Note: the entirety of Howland Hill is a narrow dirt road, and can’t accommodate RVs or trailers.

Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park

Located along Howland Hill Road, Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park has some of the most concentrated groves in the national park’s northern section.

Here, the forest feels almost cathedral-like, with stately redwoods rising in silent splendor, high above the trails below.

The hikes in Jedidiah Smith are shorter than those in other parts of the park, immersing you in some truly photogenic settings for small effort. Some of the most popular trails in Jedidiah Smith include:

Stout Grove: this easy loop gets you up close to a particularly beautiful, serene little grove. 0.6 miles roundtrip.
Enderts Beach: for some variety from the trees, enjoy this simple stroll along the California Coastal Trail. You’ll hug the bluffs for about a half mile before dipping down to the beach, and even passing under a picturesque sea arch. It’s a great opportunity to catch marine life and witness the power of the Pacific Ocean. 1.3 miles roundtrip.
Boy Scout Tree Trail: for a bit more mileage, this (still easy) trail winds out-and-back to the delicate Fern Falls. 5.2 miles roundtrip.