Elk Prairie Campground

• Reservations can be made through the California State Parks at Reserve California (1-800-444-7275).

Gold Bluffs Beach Campground

• Reservations can be made through the California State Parks at Reserve California (1-800-444-7275).

Jedediah Smith Campground

• Reservations can be made through the California State Parks at Reserve California (1-800-444-7275).

Mill Creek Campground

• Reservations can be made through the California State Parks at Reserve California https://reservecalifornia.com/Web/ or 1-800-444-7275.

44 Backcountry Camp

A free backcountry permit is needed to use this site.

• This camping area is in second-growth forests - no ancient redwoods are seen from this site. The facilities are limited, but the four sites each has a fire ring, bear-proof storage box, and a picnic table. There are no working toilets.

Big Tree Wayside

If you only have ten minutes to see some redwoods - this is the place to go. Located in Prairie Creek State Park in the southern part of the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, this is an easy walk to stunning old-growth redwood trees.

• The trailhead is next to a paved parking lot that can hold several large buses and other vehicles. Orientation panels and an audio box are located at the trailhead. These talk about Yurok culture, and the role of redwoods in the landscape. The trail is about five feet wide and is well maintained. The 75 yard trail that leads to a large redwood tree that is known as the Big Tree. This tree has a wooden deck around half of it. There is a large open space in front of this tree that has fallen logs, interpretive panels and wooden benches around the perimeter of the open space. Several hundred people could gather in this space. Numerous other large redwood trees surround the site. Three gravel and dirt hiking trails lead from the Big Tree wayside site.

Boy Scout Tree Trail

A moderate hike through redwoods and a small water fall in the northern part of the parks. Only smaller vehicles will be able to get to the trail-head.

• The trailhead is on the windy and often dusty Howland Hill Road. The trail then climbs and meanders through old-growth redwoods and many other large conifer trees. These trees exceed two hundred feet tall, however the forest canopy is not visible because of the lower branches of these trees. Ferns and mosses are found where water trickles and flows over some of the surrounding hills.

Cal Barrel Road

A three-mile dirt road that climbs through old-growth redwood groves. This is a pet and bicycle friendly road that offers a good cardio work-out. For much of the year, there is a gate that keeps vehicles off the road.

• A winding road made of gravel climbs gently northwards from parking area at the bottom of hill. Tall redwoods, ferns and other trees surround the area. There is room for about six cars to park at the bottom of the road, and a metal swinging gate may block vehicle access to the north.

Coastal Trail: Crescent Beach

This section of the Coastal Trail leads to a pleasant stretch of beach, perfect for beachcombing or an extended walk. Colossal Sitka spruce highlight the walk, and Roosevelt elk regularly graze in the open prairie areas adjacent to the beach. Connect to the Last Chance Trail to continue along the Coastal Trail.

• The trailhead is near a paved, round parking lot with space for approximately 25 cars. A sandy beach is on three sides of the parking lot with picnic tables spaced around.

Coastal Trail: DeMartin

This hike travels through grand old-growth Sitka spruce, western hemlock, Douglas-fir, and redwoods. Climb through the forest to 10 backcountry sites with toilets. Descend to prairie bald spots and sweeping ocean panoramas.

• The trailheads are at paved highway pull-outs and minimally marked. Trail descends immediately into old growth redwood forest

Coastal Trail: Klamath

From Wilson Creek and False Klamath Cove, hike south approximately 2 miles and take a short spur to Hidden Beach and tidepools. (Check for low tide times at the visitor center). Go back to the main trail and ramble up to Klamath River Overlook for whale-watching.

• A small parking lot with picnic tables and accessible vault toilet restrooms

Coastal Trail: Last Chance Grade (North)

This trailhead will lead hikers to Enderts Beach. Adventurous hikers and mountain bikers will be able to follow this section of the rugged coastal trail southwards to the Damnation Creek trailhead.

• The parking area can hold about a dozen vehicles and a handicapped parking spot is right next to a vault toilet. There are two orientation panels / maps next to the trailhead. The trail is gravel and grassy, and at the trailhead it is about six feet wide. Alder trees line the eastern side of the trail, on the western side of the trail is other coastal vegetation and a steep slope dropping 200-feet to the Pacific Ocean.

Coastal Trail: Skunk Cabbage (South)

Not all our forests are redwoods. Enjoy this hike under sitka spruce trees and find some solitude by the beach.

• A large dirt and gravel parking lot is to the east of the trailhead. Vault toilets are to the south. The trailhead has informational panels and a map. Surrounding the immediate area are sitka spruce trees.

Crescent Beach Day Use Area

Plenty of parking, picnic tables, and facilities are found at this site. It is a two-minute drive off HWY 101, and provides the northern-most beach access in the redwood parks.

• This has large parking area on the edge of sand dunes. The western perimeter of the parking area is lined with very large pieces of driftwood. Picnic tables are nearby, and a wooden boardwalk to the south leads to an interpretive exhibit about Native American fishing camps and fishing practices along this coast. To the east are the toilets and information kiosks.

Crescent Beach Overlook

Get ready for sweeping views from cliffs looking north towards the beaches and harbor of Crescent City, CA. This is great for sunset photos and provides opportunities for seeing marine life.

• A 300-foot long paved trail slopes up from the parking area. This is on the edge of some bluffs and it provided 180 degree views along the coast. To the south are cliffs and to the north is a sweeping view of a sandy beach leading to a harbor and headlands about three miles away. Half a dozen large, jagged sea-stacks rise out of the Pacific Ocean to the west. Towards the top of the path is a grassy knowl with picnic tables. A wooden observation platform with railing is at the northern end of the path.

Davison Trail: South Access

A hike and bike trail through some old-growth, but mostly second-growth forests in the south of the redwoods.

• A gravel pull-out is located in front of a metal gate. Thousands of skinny, 100 foot tall Douglas-fire trees crowd the area. A dirt road that is covered with needles, grass and sticks climbs gently to the north.

DeMartin Backcountry Camp

A free backcountry permit is needed to use this site.

• Trees and shrubs crowd this camping area. Picnic tables, fire rings and metal bear-proof storage boxes are in the campsite.

Dolason Prairie Trail

A rugged hike from high prairies into the depths of Redwood Creek.

• The trail begins at a parking lot with some Douglas-fir trees on a ridge line. Trailhead information kiosks and a vault toilets are to the east. Open prairies of long grass surround the trailhead and views to the south and west are of hills covered with different kinds of forests. Dark-green patches of forest on the opposite hills are surrounded by light-green forests. The trail slopes downhill and it its 2,000 feet to the bottom of the valley.

Elam Backcountry Camp

A free backcountry permit is needed to use this site.

Elk Meadow Day Use Area

A great hub for walks, biking and picnics. It also has plenty of parking.

• This site has several acres of open space and grassy meadows that are surrounded by low hills. Forests of young Douglas-fir trees are closest to the site, and on the ridge-line across HWY 101 are old-growth redwoods trees. Picnic tables, wayside signs, orientation kiosks, viewing platforms and bathrooms are within a few hundred feet of the parking area.

Elk Prairie Day Use Area

Picnic tables, grills and redwoods. This area is located in the southern part of the parks.

• Parking is on a paved road next to an open meadow, Half a dozen picnic tables and grills are set on a grassy area to the west of the parking. Immediately behind this picnic area are large redwood trees and other trees.

Emerald Ridge Trail

Emerald Ridge Trail at Redwood National and State Parks.

• A trail junction marked by wooden signs marking distances to different trail locations. The top sign has an arrow and reads "To Tall Trees Trail. 1.7 miles downstream. Use gravel bars. Stream Crossings required. Summer use only. The bottom sign is perpendicular to the first and reads "Emerald Ridge Trail. Dolason Prairie Trail 1/2 mile. Tall Trees Trail 1 1/4 mile. Tall Trees Trailhead 1 1/4 mile."

Enderts Beach

Tide pools, coastal trails and rugged bluffs await those who have the time and ability to hike down to this beach. Parking is located about ten minutes south of Crescent City, CA.

• Enderts Beach is 1/2 mile long and made of grey cobbles and grey sand. Rocky bluffs, sea-stacks and cliffs surround the beach. At low-tide, rock pools are exposed. Large waves often crash against the rocks and cliffs. Sitka spruce trees are found on the higher parts of the bluffs.

False Klamath Cove: South-bound Only

A parking area by the Pacific Ocean in the northern half of the redwood parks - right next to HWY 101.

• An exposed area on the edge of the beach and next to a very busy highway. Coastal cliffs are covered with sitka spruce and other trees. The beach is covered with grey cobbles and waves often crash on nearby rocks.

Fern Canyon Loop Trail

A unique walk along a creek leads into a small canyon lined with dripping ferns. Be prepared to get drive across two steams to get there, and have a change of shoes.

• The gravel parking area can hold several dozen vehicles. On the northern end is the Fern Canyon Trailhead which has interpretive signs, orientation maps and safety information about elk. On the western end of the lot are the vault toilets. The trail is dirt and gravel for the first few hundred feet until it reaches Home Creek. The creek flows gently in the summer dry season and it can be a foot deep. From here the trail turns inland and becomes river cobbles. In the summer, temporary footbridges made of wood are installed to help cross parts of the creek. After several hundred feet, the canyon walls loom fifty feet high, and these are covered in different species of green ferns. Dripping water, and rivulets flow off these walls. Tree branches, and sometimes entire tree trunks can block the trail after winter rains and floods. These obstacles are not easy pass unless a person crawls or climbs over them.

Flint Ridge Backcountry Camp

A free backcountry permit is needed to use this site.

• This backcountry site sits on a windy ridge about 1,000 feet east of coastal cliffs. There are no redwoods right at this site, but alder trees and sitka spruce trees are common. Eight simple campsites are in this area which located is on a slope. Each site has a picnic table, a bear-proof container for storing food, as well as a fire ring. There is one simple vault toilet for the whole campground and there is no running water.

Freshwater Lagoon

There are fishing and kayaking opportunities at Freshwater Lagoon. The lagoon normally has calm conditions even on windy days.

• At this location, HWY 101 is a two lane highway built on a sandspit that divides the ocean from the lagoon. The lagoon is many hundreds of feet wide and long. On the hills to the east of the lagoon are alders and spruce forests. There are occasional dwellings on the far eastern side of the lagoon. Around the end of the lagoon is gravel, sand and native vegetation.

Gold Bluffs Beach Backcountry Site

Located among coastal dunes and grasses, this site is only for those that arrive using their own foot (or pedal) power.

• Situated on exposed dunes and native dune grasses, this developed campground by the ocean has many facilities. Bluffs to the east are lined with sitka spruce trees and open sand and dunes extend to the west hundreds of feet to the ocean. Gray sand and driftwood line the coastline on this beach.

Gold Bluffs Beach Day Use Area

If you are heading to Gold Bluffs Beach or to Fern Canyon, this is the best place to park, picnic and enjoy the beach.

• Picnic tables are located among sandy dunes and beach grasses along this coastal day-use area. The parking lots can get wet and muddy, and water may pool up around some of trails leading to the ocean.

High Bluff Overlook

Take a 15-minute drive off HWY 101 to see dramatic coastal views with a picnic area. Bird and whale watching opportunities abound at this location just south of the Klamath River mouth.

• A large, gravel parking lot is surrounded by alder trees and other vegetation. A dirt trail leads to the west for a few hundred feet to an exposed, cliff-side overlook. Wooden picnic tables are near the trail, and vault toilets are next to the parking area.

Jedediah Smith Redwoods Day Use Area

Incredible views and access to the Wild and Scenic Smith River. A family-friendly paradise with redwoods forests along the edge of a blue/green river.

• 250-foot tall redwood trees line the edge of a 150-foot wide river. Large rounded grey cobbles line the river banks. The river flows mostly calm in the summertime and with emerald green colors. Open and designated areas beyond the edge of the forest are where vehicles and boat trailers can park.

Klamath River Overlook

A stunning view over the ocean with opportunities for whale watching.

• This is open and often windswept overlook about 300 feet above the ocean. To the south are views of the mouth of the Klamath River and a long sandspit that can move depending on the ocean and winds. Rocky cliffs and outcroppings are seen below and to the south. The coastline curves into the distance to the south. Pockets of redwood forests are seen across the Klamath River. Several interpretive panels at this site talk about salmon and whale watching.

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Parking

• A paved parking area with spots for about thirty vehicles. On the south, east and west side is forest of young skinny trees. A vault toilet is on the east side, and on the west side are orientation panels, interpretive panels and sloped wooden hiker's bridge. One large old-growth redwood tree is next to the parking lot.

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail

A popular destination for a beautiful, short walk. This historical grove of redwoods is located in the southern end of the parks. The ten-minute winding drive from Orick to the parking lot is not recommend for trailers or recreation vehicles.

• At this site, old-growth redwoods, spruce, fir and hemlock forests are on the north side of the Bald Hills Road. This type of ancient forests have large, old trees widely spaced apart from each other. Old growth redwood forests have be a lot of light and ferns and other shrubs cover the forest floor. On the south side of the road and at parking lot is second-growth forests that were planted in the 1960s. These have young, skinny Douglas fir trees. In this kind of forest, all the trees just a few feet apart and it is dark with little undergrowth. There is parking for about twenty smaller vehicles and a vault toilet is at the trailhead. A wooden hikers' bridge crosses the Bald Hills Road and the slope of the ramps on the bridge allow for easy walking.

Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Beginning

The beginning of the Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Tour. This walking tour offers spectacular views of an old-growth redwood grove as you take a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the redwood forest. The 1.5 mile round-trip walk is perfect for first-time and experienced visitors alike.

• A beautiful brown bridge extends delicately over Bald Hills Road while cars rush beneath it. As you cross the bridge and head up the trail, you notice thousands of colors of green in the leaves, needles, and ferns around you. A large Douglas-fir to your left demands attention to its corky bark and distant, elevated canopy. You come upon a gray donation box and stop. A complex redwood with a conglomerate of trunks stands behind the donation box, inviting you to Lady Bird Johnson Grove and the redwood forest.

Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #1

The first stop on the Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Tour. This walking tour offers spectacular views of an old-growth redwood grove as you take a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the redwood forest. The 1.5 mile round-trip walk is perfect for first-time and experienced visitors alike.

• As you head up the trail and away from the noise of Bald Hills Road, you immerse yourself in the green of the redwood forest. Smaller Douglas-fir are trumped begin to be shadowed by the large, thick redwoods. Huckleberry tangles around you while fern and salal blanket the forest floor with green foliage.

Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #10

Stop #10 on the Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Tour. This walking tour offers spectacular views of an old-growth redwood grove as you take a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the redwood forest. The 1.5 mile round-trip walk is perfect for first-time and experienced visitors alike.

• The trail cuts through a blanket of ferns. The red and brown colors of the trail contrast with the deep and vibrant greens of the ferns around them. The ferns dominate the understory and the absence of tall shrubs create a perfect, view to see the large trunks of the Douglas-fir and redwoods around you.

Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #11

Stop #11 on the Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Tour. This walking tour offers spectacular views of an old-growth redwood grove as you take a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the redwood forest. The 1.5 mile round-trip walk is perfect for first-time and experienced visitors alike.

• A foggy day in the redwood forest is magical. Redwood trunks disappear into fog as you peer up into the canopy of the trees. Clouds shift and move, curtaining different parts of the forest as you watch. Fog drips off the low-hanging branches of the redwoods to the forest floor and showers the understory plants with life-giving water. As the sun begins to peek through the crowns of the trees the fog is illuminated in a gorgeous stream of brilliant light.

Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #12

The 12th stop on the Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Tour. This walking tour offers spectacular views of an old-growth redwood grove as you take a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the redwood forest. The 1.5 mile round-trip walk is perfect for first-time and experienced visitors alike.

• A redwood fallen decades ago lays on the forest floor. The former giant is barely visible under fallen needles and the new plants that have started to grow on it. A dense montage of plants including huckleberry, salal, and even a small redwood tree utilizes the nutrients from this fallen redwood.

Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #13

• The last of the trail features a panoramic view of redwoods. Looking down on a valley, you can see the entire length of these giants from their colossal base to their complex canopy. The size of the redwood trunks varies throughout the forest, the larger trees trumping the size of their smaller counterparts. The longevity of the forest is visible through these large, old-growth redwood trees and the diversity of the plants around you.

Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #2

The second stop on the Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Tour. This walking tour offers spectacular views of an old-growth redwood grove as you take a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the redwood forest. The 1.5 mile round-trip walk is perfect for first-time and experienced visitors alike.

• A large old-growth redwood towers before you. Two colossal, red trunks sit in the middle of a cluster of smaller diameter trees all connected at the base. The main, largest, trunks have deep, black burn scars on the furrows of the red bark, the result of a fire over 150 years ago. A burl - a large warty, woody mass the size of a watermelon - bulges from the largest tree 20 feet above our head. The smaller trees connect to the base of the largest, forming the entirety of the large redwood before you. These smaller tree’s bark is unscarred, new, red, and fresh. The red and black bark of the tree contrasts beautifully with the green and yellow understory around it. Leaves, needles, ferns, and moss, all capture the light that streams through the forest canopy.

Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #3

Stop #3 on the Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Tour. This walking tour offers spectacular views of an old-growth redwood grove as you take a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the redwood forest. The 1.5 mile round-trip walk is perfect for first-time and experienced visitors alike.

• You stand in a green forest surrounded by colossal, red-barked redwood trees. A kaleidoscope of greens and yellows surrounds you in the leaves, bark, and moss of the forest. A significant old-growth redwood stands before you. Its trunk is a hollow cylinder, the middle heartwood consumed from a fire over a century ago. The inside of the tree is hollow, black and charred. The outside bark is maroon and fresh, extending slightly over the charred edges to begin healing over the inside of the tree. As you look up, you can see the hollowed section extends above you before closing over 50 feet above your head. The top of the tree remains living, its green branches and flourishing crown a testament to a redwood’s resistance to fire.

Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #4

The fourth stop on the Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Tour. This walking tour offers spectacular views of an old-growth redwood grove as you take a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the redwood forest. The 1.5 mile round-trip walk is perfect for first-time and experienced visitors alike.

• A mosaic of green leaves surrounds you as you peer out into the redwood forest. The ground beneath your feet is blanketed in the clover-like redwood sorrel and ferns as tall as your waist. Huckleberry, salmonberry, thimbleberry, and salal meet you at eye level. These small bushes offer flowers and berries at various times during the year, dotting the green landscape with color. As you peer into the sky, you see the green needles and small trunks of young hemlock and Douglas-fir. The grey bark of older, larger Douglas-fir and the red bark of the redwoods are barely visible through this section of dense understory plants.

Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #5

Stop #5 on the Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Tour. This walking tour offers spectacular views of an old-growth redwood grove as you take a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the redwood forest. The 1.5 mile round-trip walk is perfect for first-time and experienced visitors alike.

• Large redwood trees tower above you as your stand among ferns and low bushes. A hole in the canopy allows the sunlight to flood into the redwood understory. This hole in the canopy and a large snag, or dead tree, before you serve as the only hint of a giant that once stood here. A past windstorm felled this redwood giant, severing the tree and leaving only a 20-foot stump to remain. The bark of this snag is gone and holes in the exposed wood shows signs of decay and age. A sword fern grows at the top of the snag, soaking in the extra sunlight from the hole in the canopy.

Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #6

The 6th stop on the Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Tour. This walking tour offers spectacular views of an old-growth redwood grove as you take a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the redwood forest. The 1.5 mile round-trip walk is perfect for first-time and experienced visitors alike.

• A cathedral of trees stands before you. Columns of redwoods rise from the aisle of the walking trail. Redwood sorrel and ferns around you blanket the forest floor in green while above you, yellow light shines through the forest. The absence of taller trees and shrubs create an open and airy space.

Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #7

Stop #7 on the Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Tour. This walking tour offers spectacular views of an old-growth redwood grove as you take a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the redwood forest. The 1.5 mile round-trip walk is perfect for first-time and experienced visitors alike.

• A clearing in the forest gives a panoramic view of colossal trees that surround you. A plaque reads ‘Lady Bird Johnson Grove. Dedicated in honor of Mrs. Johnson by Richard Nixon, President of the United States’ and is dated August 27th, 1969. A quote from Lady Bird Johnson on July 30th, 1969 reads “One of my most unforgettable memories of the past years is walking through the Redwoods last November – seeing the lovely shafts of light fluttering through the trees so far above, feeling the majesty and silence of that forest, and watching a salmon in one of those swift steams – all our problems seems to fall into perfective and I think every one of us walked out more serene and happier”.

Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #8

The 8th stop on the Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Tour. This walking tour offers spectacular views of an old-growth redwood grove as you take a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the redwood forest. The 1.5 mile round-trip walk is perfect for first-time and experienced visitors alike.

• The canopy of the redwood forest is interrupted by a clear patch of sky in the distance. Under this blue sky, small and tightly packed trees growth in stark contrast with the redwood forest around you. This new forest is full of Douglas-fir and sitka spruce with little understory vegetation. This forest is often called a ‘dog-hair’ forest due to its tightly packed, small diameter trees. These trees are much smaller than the coast redwoods that tower before them and serve as a reminder of a previous clear-cut.

Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #9

The 9th stop on the Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Tour. This walking tour offers spectacular views of an old-growth redwood grove as you take a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the redwood forest. The 1.5 mile round-trip walk is perfect for first-time and experienced visitors alike.

• Ferns dominate the forest floor, blanketing the ground in green. Redwoods rise from the ferns like ancient columns. As you pan from the ground to the canopy, you notice a large tree learning on another, the top of the standing tree supporting the fallen tree like a long-time friend. Both trees are scarred from a previous fire but remain alive, their green needles a testament to their resilient.

Lagoon Creek

If you need a five minute break from driving, or want a ten minute walk to see crashing waves or marine wildlife, this is a perfect place for pulling over.

• A large parking area is built on the lower side of HWY 101. An equally large calm pond is adjacent to this site. Alder, spruce and other coastal plants and shrubs covers the surrounding hills, and are around the pond. A wooden viewing deck overhangs part of the pond. Restrooms, a interpretive panel and an information kiosk are located on the edge of the parking lot. A trailhead / informational sign for the Yurok Loop Trail is on the western side of the parkin lot.

Lieffer Loop Trail

A loop trail that is partially ADA accessible - through redwoods - in the north of the parks.

• Both the trailheads are next to a gravel and dirt road surrounded by tall redwood trees and other kinds of conifers, ferns, maples and oaks. The trail is about four feet wide.

Little Bald Hills Backcountry Camp

A free backcountry permit is needed to use this site.

• Skinny trees, like Douglas-fir made up the forest around this backcountry camp. Ferns cover the forest floor and grassy meadows are here. Horse troughs and corrals are located at this camping area.

Lost Man Creek: Hike and Bike Trail

A hike and bike trail in the southern part of the parks. This provides opportunities to see how ecosystem restoration occurs in the redwoods.

• The trailhead is at a dirt parking lot next to a flowing creek. It can hold about a dozen carefully parked cars. Picnic tables, orientation panels with trail information, interpretive signs and vault toilets are at the trailhead. A metal gate blocks vehicles from driving up the trail. A wide, dirt and duff-covered trail heads up a gentle slope under old-growth redwood trees. The trail follows and passes over the creek several times.

Lyons Ranch Historical District

Set on several acres of sweeping prairies, a visit to Lyons Ranch is like stepping back 150 years. A moderate hike is needed to get to this unique part of the parks. Spring and autumn are preferred times to visit because of the lack of shade, and lack of water. In winter, snow can cover the trail.

• Set on several acres on a gentle hill, a dirt road leads to a large barn and smaller cottages set among oak trees. The barn is made of redwood planks and is two stories tall. Inside the barn are some rusty items, and equipment like pulleys and gates for sheep shearing. The other buildings are set back a few more hundred feet are small. One of the buildings is a single story bunkhouse that still has rusty can and other early 20th century items on shelves. Newspapers from the 1920's line some of the interior walls.

Lyons Ranch Trailhead

The starting point for hikers seeking a unique experience in high prairies of the Bald Hills. Historic ranches and clear night skies makes this area special.

• Located on a knoll, the gravel parking area is surrounded by open prairies, grasses, and occasional Douglas-fir trees. A gate and trail head is to the south, and a trail leads down the hill to the south. Looking to the south across hill, is a valley formed by Redwood Creek. On the north-facing hills on southern side of the valley, are different kinds of forests. Straight-lines show where different forests meet. Dark-green patches of forest are 300-foot tall redwoods, and light-green forests are much shorter second-growth forests.

Crescent City Information Center

• Crescent City Information Center
• Located in the bottom floor of park headquarters. Picnic area and retail sales.

Hiouchi Visitor Center

• Hiouchi Visitor Center
• Northern-most park visitor center located 9-miles east of Crescent City on Hwy 199. Exhibits about Tolowa culture and art, redwood ecology, park information, junior ranger program, bookstore and retail sales.

Jedediah Smith Visitor Center

• Jedediah Smith Visitor Center
• Located in the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park campground, near the amphitheater. Small visitor center with information, exhibits, junior ranger program, bookstore, and retail sales. Seasonal operations, only open Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Prairie Creek Visitor Center

• Prairie Creek Visitor Center
• Located just off the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway - in the heart of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Exhibits about the Civilian Conservation Corps and redwood ecology, park information, junior ranger program, bookstore and retail sales.

Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center

• Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center
• Southern-most visitor center in the park and located right on the beach. Exhibits about Yurok culture, art and history, redwood ecology, park information, junior ranger program, bookstore and retail sales. Park film available.

• Walk the Karl Knapp (Prairie Creek) to Foothill Trail Loop
• Located in the southern third of the parks, this family-friendly loop trail takes you under some of the tallest trees in the world and follows along a beautiful creek. There is parking, restrooms, and picnic tables located near Prairie Creek Visitor Center.

• Hike Zig Zag Loop
• Walk along flowing Prairie Creek before ascending to ridgetop views in Prairie Creek State Park.

• Watch Wild Elk
• Watch Roosevelt elk at Redwood National and State Parks

• Bike Redwoods to Beach on the Ossagon Trail Loop
• Follow a 19-mile loop through old-growth redwood forests to the Pacific coast and back. The route combines Ossagon Trail, Coastal Trail (Gold Beach Section), Davison Road and Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway.

• Bike Lost Man Creek Trail
• Lost Man Creek flows through a landscape greatly changed from the 1960s when much of this area was clearcut logged. What used to be a logging road has been converted into a hike and bike trail. Lost Man Creek trail is now a narrow single-track mountain-biking trail. The first couple of miles is in old-growth redwood groves.

• Walk the Lady Bird Johnson Grove
• An iconic redwood grove in the southern end of the parks that is easy to walk. RVs and trailers are not advised on the narrow mountain road leading to this trailhead.

• Hike to the Grove Of Titans
• A trail in the north that has an elevated metal boardwalk to protect the forest floor. Interpretive waysides explore the area's human and natural history. There is no parking for recreational vehicles or vehicles towing trailers.

• Hike the James Irvine Trail to Fern Canyon Loop
• One of the longest hikes in Redwood National and State Parks, this 12-mile loop will take you from Redwoods, through spruce forests to the ocean - and back.

• Stroll to the Big Tree Wayside
• For those short on time then this 5-minute walk will lead to some amazingly large trees.

• 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.

• Hike to Trillium Falls
• Located in the southern end of the parks this is arguably one of the best family-friendly walks. It also has plenty of parking, picnic tables and restrooms.

• Hike the Boy Scout Tree Trail
• A moderate hike with some steep grades and switchbacks.

• Hike to the Tall Trees Grove
• A half-day hike in the southern part of the parks for those ready for an adventure. A free reservation is needed. This trail is one the more strenuous hikes in Redwood National and State Parks.

• 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 online), there are two (2) stream crossings that you have to drive through, and your feet will get wet. Definitely an adventure!

• Drive the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway
• A ten mile drive through the heart of the redwoods. You have to exit HWY 101 to see the big redwoods.

• 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 you will access it. Hours can be spent on a summer's day relaxing on the banks of the Smith River.

• Go Tide Pooling at Enderts Beach
• Tidepooling at Enderts Beach will bring you experience some incredible coastlines and give you a glimpse into life at the edge of the ocean. For some, its like seeing science fiction come to life. Check the tides, and take a few hours to make the hike to the tide pools and back.

• Drive the Bald Hills Road
• Scenic drive into the high hills and open prairies of the parks. Sweeping views, and opportunities for hikes, birding, wildlife viewing, and seeing historic barns and orchards.

• Drive Howland Hill Road
• A ten-mile dirt road where the redwoods are so close they'll almost kiss your car.

A Full Day in the Redwoods

The park is long and skinny, and it can be experienced in a full day of sightseeing as you travel along HWY 101. This tour (shown from north to south) takes you to diverse places. Don't feel like you have to see every site listed. The tour provides suggestions for the best scenic drives, picnic spots, and short walks to see different redwood groves and stunning overlooks. Carefully read about each site to learn if recreational vehicles, or vehicles towing trailers are even able to get to that location.

A Full Day: North of the Klamath River

For visitors staying near Crescent City, CA. or Grants Pass, OR and want to spend less time driving. Why don't you spend your time just in the northern half of the parks? Destinations are listed from north to south down HWY 101 to the Klamath River Overlook, then finishing off with two sites in the north along Howland Hill Road. Be sure to read the details for each destination because some of them are not suitable for recreational vehicles or vehicles pulling trailers.

A Full Day: South of the Klamath River

For visitors coming through Eureka or Redding, CA and wanting to spend less time driving. Why don't you spend your time just in half of the parks? Going to ten of these recommendations could fill up a day. Tour destinations are listed from south to as far north as the Klamath River. Be sure to read the details for each destination because some of them are not suitable for recreational vehicles or vehicles pulling trailers.

Bicycling In the Redwoods

Bikes are welcome on the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, in our campgrounds, and on dirt roads like Cal Barrel Road. Miles of old logging roads have been converted into bike trails. E-bikes are not allowed on CA state park bike trails. Note that the most of our hike/bike trails do not yet fully connected to each other. The best hike/bike hub is in the south of the parks at the Elk Meadow Day Use Area. The following bike trails & roads are listed from south to north.

Driving By? Got an RV? Towing a Trailer?

This tour is for those who are very short on time. These suggestions provide a glimpse of the redwood forests we are famous for. You don't need to go to both visitor centers - nor do the Trillium Falls Trail if you are in a rush. Additionally, if you are driving a big recreational vehicle, or are towing any trailer then this tour will be the best for you. All these destinations have parking for large vehicles. This tour is listed from north to south.

Habitat Restoration Tour

This tour is in the south of the Parks. Almost two-thirds of the land now in Redwood National and State Parks was logged before becoming part of the Parks. This means over 70,000 acres of forests and rivers need restoration, and a hundred of miles of logging roads still need to be removed. Since the late 1970s, we have been working behind the scenes on habitat restoration efforts. See how today's ambitious "Redwoods Rising" habitat restoration project will improve the Parks for future generations.

Human Stories: Living Off the Land (and Water)

Since time immemorial humans have been thriving on this redwood coast. This extensive tour spans the length and width of the parks. At these sites you will hear stories from Yurok elders, you see where the Tolowa people harvest the ocean's bounty, you can hike to a 19th century historic ranch, see a 1930s' Civilian Conservation Corps cabin, learn about redwood logging, see 21st century habitat restoration, or take a stroll to a camouflaged World War II radar site. This tour is listed from south to north.

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Walking Tour

The Lady Bird Johnson Grove Nature Trail is an easy, 1.5 mile (2.4 km) round-trip hike that takes you into a historical old-growth redwood forest. Whether this is the first or last stop on your trip, this tour provides a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the redwood forest and will leave you in awe as you gaze up at the giants around you.

Tall Trees Walking Tour

Welcome to your Tall Trees adventure, where you will experience a mosaic of life as perceived through layers of time. The only restrooms here are the vault toilets near the trailhead. There are no other amenities, so ensure you have enough water and snacks for your hike. Please observe “Leave No Trace” guidelines: Pack out what you pack in. The minimum duration of this four-mile hike is two hours, but we recommend at least three! Please remember: It’s not the destination, but the journey that counts!