Redwood National and State Parks

Coastal giants, jointly managed with California state parks.

Tall Trees, Prairie Creek, and a coastline of Roosevelt elk. The national park is a complex with state parks; your pass and your map both matter. Fog is part of the light California.

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Location

41.21° N, 124.00° WOpen in OpenStreetMap

Must-see spots

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Best time to visit

May–September

Trip planner

A Redwood National and State Parks itinerary

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Field guide

Redwood National and State Parks is a U.S. National Park in California. Coastal giants, jointly managed with California state parks.

When to go

May–September is the window most visitors aim for. Shoulder seasons mean fewer cars at trailheads. Winter can close roads; summer can fill parking lots by 8 a.m. Check NPS alerts the night before you drive in.

How to see it

Start with prairie Creek or Jedediah Smith groves. Then newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. If you have a second day, fern Canyon if the road is open. Keep one spare hour for elk at Gold Bluffs Beach.

Park practicalities

An America the Beautiful pass covers entry at most national parks. Timed-entry reservations are used at several busy parks in peak season — book those before lodging. Wildlife has the right of way; 25 yards from most animals, 100 yards from bears and wolves.

Pack this in your notes

Tall Trees access needs a permit. The scenic parkway already delivers the cathedral.
Download offline maps. Cell service drops in most parks.
Bring layers. Elevation and wind change the day faster than the forecast.
Enter the park early. Famous lots and shuttles fill first.

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Traveler reviews

Rate and review

Diego A.

10/10

Start early in Redwood National and State Parks

Fern Canyon if the road is open. Elk at Gold Bluffs Beach. Give Redwood National and State Parks days, not hours, and go in May–September. The trailhead line is the tax; the quiet after it is the park.

Jun 6, 2025

Nate J.

10/10

Redwood National and State Parks is bigger than the postcard

Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. Coastal giants, jointly managed with California state parks. Crowds thin if you are moving at first light. May–September is the window I would book again.

May 5, 2025

Luca F.

8/10

Start early in Redwood National and State Parks

Prairie Creek or Jedediah Smith groves. Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. Give Redwood National and State Parks days, not hours, and go in May–September. The trailhead line is the tax; the quiet after it is the park.

Apr 4, 2025