Redwood National and State Parks

Candy B. Harrington April 6, 2024

Jointly managed by the National Park Service and California State Parks, this park includes the original federal land plus three Northern California State Parks. The federal area — Redwood National Park — is located southeast of the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center in Orick. The California additions include Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. They are located along Highway 101 between Orick and the Oregon border. Highlights of this 131,983-acre preserve include several stands of ancient coastal redwoods, prairies dotted with Roosevelt Elk and 40 miles of scenic coastal drives. As an added bonus, there’s no admission charge or day-use fee for this park.

Insider Tips

Although there’s certainly no shortage of majestic redwoods along Newton B. Drury Parkway in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, make sure and stop at the nicely accessible Big Tree Wayside. Going south on the parkway it’s on the left and marked simply as “Big Tree”, and going north it’s not marked at all, but it’s the first turn on the right after Cal Barrel Road. From the accessible parking area it’s a short 100-yard walk on a paved level path to this 304-foot giant. And there’s even ramp access up to the tree.
Hop off of Highway 101 just south of Crescent City and enjoy a scenic drive along Enderts Beach Road. This winding route is lined with redwoods and offers a coastal view every now and then. It’s just a five minute drive to the end of the road, where there’s an accessible ocean overlook. Try and hit this short detour in the afternoon though, as the thick coastal fog hangs over the area in the mornings.
Spend the night in a redwood forest in one of four accessible cabins in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Each cabin can each sleep six, with two bunk beds with a single bunk on the top and a double bunk on the bottom. Other cabin features include a small counter, electricity, lights and a heater. There’s also a raised grill, an accessible picnic table and a bear box in a level area outside each of the cabins. And the accessible showerhouse near the visitor center is equipped with a spacious roll-in shower.

Redwood National and State Parks Road Trip Resources