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Redwood National Park
Redwood National Park protects old growth coast redwoods, some of the world's tallest trees. Less well known are the prairies and oak woodlands and the coastal and marine ecosystems. Three California state parks and the National Park Service unit represent a cooperative management effort of the National Park Service and the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park was established on August 13, 1923; Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park on October 26, 1925; and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park on June 3, 1929. Redwood National Park was established in 1968 and enlarged in 1978. Together these parks are a World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve protecting resources cherished by citizens of many nations. Use the menu below to quickly access information on this park:
Visitation Visitation is highest in June, July, August, and September and lowest in January. 475,033 visits to federal lands Location Del Norte County and Humboldt County, California Address Redwood National and State Parks Telephone (707) 464-6101 Operating Hours & Seasons Redwood Information Center Daily, year-round 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day
Summers are generally mild. Fog is often encountered near the coastline, with sunny, warmer weather more common inland. Winters are generally cool with considerable precipitation. Wear layers of clothing to accommodate cool to warm temperatures
and good walking shoes. Rain protection should be included at any
time of year. Directions Redwood National and State Parks are situated along a long, narrow stretch of northern California coast, nearly abutting Oregon. From the north, travel south 28 miles along U.S. 101 from Brookings, Oregon to headquarters in Crescent City, California. Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is 4 miles northeast of Crescent City off Highway 199. Nearby Lake Earl State Park Project provides an excellent coastal wildlife refuge. From the northeast, use Highway 199 from Grants Pass, Oregon. It is 80 miles to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and another 4 miles to U.S. 101 at the north end of Crescent City. Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park is 4 miles south of Crescent City along U.S. 101. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is 25 miles south of Crescent City along Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, a scenic alternate off U.S. 101. From the south, travel north from San Francisco along U.S. 101 for 310 miles to Redwood Information Center, 2 miles west of Orick. Transportation To Park: Visitors can make arrangements to fly into the Eureka-Arcata Airport, located in McKinleyville, 28 miles south of Redwood Information Center, or into the Crescent City Airport. Car rentals are available at either location. Greyhound Bus Lines passes through the park two times each day traveling north and south. The Redwood Coast Transit system provides access to some trailheads near Crescent City. Distance Chart Los Angeles to Eureka 659 miles In Park: Once in the park foot, horse, and bicycle trails expand the travel possibilities. Fees, Costs & Rates There are no entrance fees for Redwood National Park sites. Golden Eagle Passport The Golden Eagle Passport is an entrance pass to any national park, monument, historical site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge that charges an entrance fee. It is a great convenience for those who plan on visiting several different areas that charge special fees. It is valid for one year from the purchase date. A Golden Eagle Passport may be purchased for $50 at any National Park Service entrance fee area or by mail. To order by mail, send check or money order (no cash, please) to: National Park Service Where entry is by private vehicle, the Golden Eagle Passport will admit the passholder as well as any passengers. Where entry by private vehicle is not possible, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents. The Golden Eagle Passport will not reduce use fees, such as those for camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or cave tours. It covers entrance fees only. Golden Age Passport The Golden Age Passport is a lifetime entrance pass for those United States residents 62 years or older. These may be purchased at any National Park Service entrance fee area for a one-time processing fee of $10. The Golden Age Passport cannot be purchased by mail or telephone. Proof of age and citizenship or permanent residence must be shown at the time of purchase. The Golden Age Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. When entrance is not via private vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder as well as children, spouse, and parents. The Golden Age Pass grants a 50 percent discount to the holder on any federal use fees charged for things such as camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or tours. It does not, however, reduce the price of special recreation permit fees or fees for concessions.
The Golden Access Passport is a free entrance pass to any national park, monument, historic site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge for those who are blind or permanently disabled. The Golden Access passport may be obtained at any National Park Service entrance fee area. Proof of a medically determined disability and eligibility for receiving benefits under federal law is necessary at purchase. The Golden Access Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. Where entrance is not by vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents. The Golden Access Passport also provides a 50 percent discount on any federal use fees charged for services and facilities. It does not cover special recreation permit fees or fees charged for concessions. All passes described above are non-transferable. Camping: There are no camping fees for Redwood National Park hike-in sites. Facilities & Opportunities Information Centers National Park: Campgrounds Elk Prairie Picnic Areas Numerous areas park-wide. Trails National Park: Weather, Elevations Temperatures average low of 45¡F and high of 61¡F Headquarters Information Centers National Park Information Centers are located in Crescent City, Orick, and Hiouchi. State Park Information Centers are located in Prairie Creek Redwoods and Jedediah Smith Redwoods. The Hiouchi and Jedediah Smith Redwoods centers are open in the summer only. Roads and Trails Over 200 miles of well-marked trails explore the various habitats of Redwood National and State Parks. A variety of paved and gravel roads provide access. Programs and Activities Regularly scheduled ranger-guided programs are available during the summer. Environmental education programs and conferences are offered during the spring and fall on a reservation system only at Howland Hill Outdoor Education School at (707) 464-6101 Ext. 5065, or Wolf Creek Outdoor School at (707) 822-7611 ext. 5266. In-depth, full-day summer field seminars are given in the park by research scientists for a $25 to $40 fee. Call (707) 464-6101 ext. 5267 for further information. Lodging and Camping Facilities There are no campgrounds in Redwood National Park. They can be found in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, DelNorte Coast Redwoods State Park, and Prairie creek Redwoods State Park. Walk-in (Primitive) Campsites in Redwood National Park are found at Little Bald Hills, Nickel Creek, DeMartin, and Flint Ridge. Redwood Hostel (AYH) offers lodging within Redwood National Park. Call (707) 482-8265, or Email at Redwood hostel@Mail.telis.org Additional lodging can be found outside the park in Crescent City, Eureka and Arcata. The towns of Hiouchi, Orick, Klamath, Requa, and Trinidad have, at most, a few motels each. Food and Supplies Food and other supplies are available in and near Redwood National and State Parks. Other Concessions, NPS-Managed Facilities and Opportunities Redwood Natural History Association and North Coast Redwoods Interpretive Association operate bookstores at five locations in Redwood National and State Parks. Redwood Hostel (AYH) offers lodging within Redwood National Park. Accessibility All information centers are physically accessible to wheelchair users. Wheelchairs are not available. TDD phones are not available. Recommended Activities Redwood Information Center and Crescent City Information Center are open throughout the year to help plan your trip. Driving scenic roads and walking trails are recommended. During the summer, participate in a variety of ranger-guided programs. Reservations & Permits Backpackers along the Redwood Creek Trail must secure a free permit at any information center within Redwood National and State Parks. Animal-proof food canisters are available to borrow free-of-charge at Redwood Information Center. Basic Visit Recommendations Visit Redwood Information Center in Orick, National and State Park Headquarters and Visitor Center in Crescent City, Hiouchi Information Center on U.S. 199, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park Information Centers. All are within the cooperative park system. Redwood Information Center: Open daily, year-round 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day Prairie Creek Information Center: Daily, summer: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; daily, winter: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day Crescent City Information Center: Daily, year-round 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day Hiouchi Information Center: Daily, summer 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jedediah Smith Information Center: Daily, summer: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; winter, as staffing allows; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. See Klamath Overlook. Walk Ladybird Johnson Grove, Tall Trees Grove, Big Tree, Yurok Loop, or Enderts Beach. Backpack along Redwood Creek or Coastal Trail. Current hiking information and Maps are available at any of the five information centers/visitor centers located in the parks. Special Events & Programs
Roads and trails can become impassable during wind and rainstorms from fallen trees and flooding, particularly during the winter months. Redwood Creek Trail is impassable during high water; it is available during most of the summer and early fall. Adjacent Visitor Attractions Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Patricks Point State Park, Humboldt Lagoons State Park, Klamath Tour-Through Tree, Trees of Mystery, Undersea World. For information on local attractions, contact the Chambers of Commerce of Orick at (707) 488- 2885 or Crescent City at (707) 464-3174 or (800) 343-8300. Additional Information For information contact: Facts About Redwood National & State Parks Leadership
Date of Establishment
Acreage
Designations
Budgets
Cooperating Associations
Concessionaires
Major Resources
World's Tallest Known Tree
Major Rivers and Streams
Camping South Backpack camping is allowed on the gravel bar of Redwood Creek past the first foot bridge all the way up to .25 mile on either side of Tall Trees Grove. Permits must be obtained from the Redwood Information Center near Orick. Bear precautions for Redwood Creek: place all food and scented items, such as toothpaste, in the trunk of the car overnight or hang items 200 feet from the tent, from a branch 15 feet up a tree, 10 feet out, and 5 feet below the branch. Also, bear-proof canisters are available to borrow from Redwood Information Center. Secure all valuables before leaving your vehicle at the trailhead. Call (707) 488-3461 for more information. North Campers must park in the parking lot and walk .25 to .50 mile to campsites. No fees. All have sites with fire rings and toilets. Use metal food caches where available. Call (707) 464-6101. Bear precautions for all campgrounds: Place all food and scented items, such as toothpaste, in the trunk of your car or in metal food caches where available or hang 200 feet from your tent off a branch 15 feet up a tree 10 feet out and 5 feet below the branch. Bear-proof canisters are available to borrow from information centers.
Backpacking Opportunities for backpacking are diverse in Redwood National and State Parks. Two popular overnight trails are Redwood Creek Trail and the Coastal Trail. The Redwood Creek Trail, which provides access to the Tall Trees Grove and the "Emerald Mile" is the only trail in the national park that requires a backcountry permit. The 8.2-mile trail is fully accessible only during the summer months when water levels permit fording the creek on temporary bridges. Camping is permitted along the gravel bars except within .25 mile of the Tall Trees Grove. Free permits are obtained on a first-come, first-served basis from the Redwood Information Center near Orick. Fires must be built only on the gravel bars, using only dead and down wood. The Coastal Trail runs the length of the national and state parks. It has six sections, which range in length from 4 to 6 miles. A wide variety of scenery is available: ancient redwood forests, open prairies, high bluffs overlooking the ocean, sandy beaches, and mixed deciduous/coniferous forests. Camping is permitted along the trail only in established campsites which are available on a first-come, first-served basis, except for Butler Creek Primitive Camp in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, which requires a permit from the park office. Hiker-biker campsites are available year-round at Prairie Creek and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park Campgrounds, and during the summer months at Mill Creek Campground in Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park. A $1 fee is charged. Reservations are not required. All water obtained from creeks should be purified by heating at a full boil for at least two minutes, filtering, using purification tablets, or other approved methods. Leashed dogs are permitted out of developed areas only on the Endert's Beach Trail, the beach adjacent to Freshwater Lagoon and Redwood Information Center, and along Crescent Beach. You must keep your dog on a leash to protect park wildlife as well as other park visitors. Groceries are available in Orick, Klamath, Crescent City, Hiouchi, and Gasquet. All packed-in food must be cached in the storage bins at the campsites or hung from trees (when camping along Redwood Creek), to prevent attracting bears. Bear-proof food canisters may be borrowed free of charge at Redwood Information Center for backpack trips along Redwood Creek. There are also many trails in the surrounding Six Rivers and other National Forests. Detailed information on these trails is available at Six Rivers National Forest Ranger Station in Gasquet. The mailing address is: Six Rivers National Forest Current hiking information and maps are available at any of the five information centers/visitor centers located in Hiouchi, Crescent City, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, or Orick. If you have further questions, feel free to write for more information (Redwood National and State Parks, 1111 Second Street, Crescent City, CA 95531) or call (707) 464-6101. Trails of Redwood National and State Parks A wealth of trails exists in Redwood National and State Parks. There are 56 miles of foot trails in the national park and 108 in the state parks; 16 miles of national park trails and 40 of state parks are available to bicycles and 41 miles of national park trail are available to horses. Backpacking is also an option. A short stroll along the Wetlands Boardwalk at Redwood Information Center allows for good bird-watching. Automobile Tours in Redwood National and State Parks Scenic Roads (Paved)
Scenic Roads (Mixed)
Scenic Roads (Unpaved)
Other Points of Interest
Road Conditions For up-to-date road conditions, call toll-free 1-800-427-7623 (1-800-GAS- ROAD) 24 hours a day. In California, dial this number on a touch-tone telephone and enter the highway route number followed by a pound (#) sign. Drive-Through Trees Many travelers seek the "drive-through" tree. Although there are none in Redwood National and State Parks, three exist in the area. All are coast redwoods and are located along Highway 101. Each charges admission. Listed from north to south, they are:
Wetlands A wetland can be a pond, marsh, lake, or any place that holds water for a relatively long time. Wetlands are influenced by factors such as the amount of rainfall and the ocean tides. These areas are essential to the survival of nearly three-quarters of North America's bird species. Since they are used for drinking water, food, nesting, and resting places along bird migration routes, it is important to preserve as much of this habitat as possible. Currently, wetlands are disappearing at a rate of nearly half a million acres per year, due primarily to poor farming practices, commercial development, and pollution from pesticide runoff. As they disappear, so do the species which depend on them. Wetlands are used by a variety of wildlife in addition to waterfowl. Signs such as "leftovers" of bone and fur from a raccoon's last meal, tracks from a passing bobcat, or chewed sticks from the occasional beaver visit all hint at the variety of wildlife found here. Freshwater Lagoon Spit Freshwater Lagoon Spit is located within Redwood National and State Parks. Through a lease agreement with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the National Park Service is managing day and overnight use on Freshwater Lagoon Spit. Caltrans maintains U.S. Highway 101. Redwood National and State Park Ranger or Campground Hosts are on-duty at Freshwater Lagoon Spit daily. If you need assistance, please contact a National Park Service or state park ranger, a campground host, or come by Redwood Information Center, just north of the camping area. Camping Camping is allowed in a designated area on the ocean side of U.S. 101. Please park parallel to and at least 30 feet west of the paved edge of the U.S. 101. RV camping is not allowed on the beach. All tents must be south of the southernmost beach access road, near information board G, or placed on the hard-packed dirt where vehicles park. Tents must be off all vegetation. Donations to Redwood National and State Parks will help defray some of the expenses of managing Freshwater Lagoon Spit, as fees are not charged. Donations may be deposited in the cylinders located on each information board. Camping is limited to 15 nights at one time, 30 nights in a calendar year. After 15 nights, you must vacate your campsite for at least 24 hours before returning. You are responsible for keeping track of your 15 and 30 night stays. Motor homes and trailers-please do not park in the area set aside for tenters just north of the southernmost day use area. Check-out time is 2 p.m. after your last night. Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. No generators after 10 p.m. Things to See and Do Activity schedules for Redwood National and State Parks are posted at each information board and at Redwood Information Center. Ranger-led walks and talks along with evening programs are offered during the summer at the national and state parks. Check the information boards, or talk to a Ranger or Campground Host for dates and times. Take a walk on the beach, perhaps north to the mouth of Redwood Creek. Note the plants growing in the dunes just above the wave slope. They have adapted to live in salt spray, drifting sand, cold winds, and hot sun. They provide spectacular bursts of color in the spring. Help them survive by not walking on the vegetation. Freshwater Lagoon offers fishing, boating, and other water sports. Overnight camping is not allowed on the Freshwater Lagoon side of U.S. 101. A required California State fishing license may be purchased in Orick. Picnic areas are located at the south end of Freshwater Lagoon Spit and at the Redwood Creek Picnic Area at the north end of Freshwater Lagoon Spit. Off-Road Vehicles Off-road vehicles are allowed on the sand at the three posted access areas and at or below mean high tide (on the wave slope) on the beach. No vehicles are allowed in the dunes or on any vegetation. All ORVs and ATVs must conform with federal and California code. Helmets, registration, adult supervision of juveniles, no passengers, and a 15-mile per hour speed limit are some of the regulations. A handout is available from Rangers, Campground Hosts, or at the Redwood Information Center. For Your Safety
If a thousand-year old coast redwood could talk, imagine the stories it would tell. From its seedling beginnings to its years as a forest patriarch, generations of humans have passed by - Native Americans, trappers, settlers, farmers, gold miners, loggers, dairymen, fishermen and canners, the armed forces of two world wars, and concerned conservationists. Thousands of sunrises have come and gone. And still the redwood lives on, connecting us to all the generations it has known. The earliest were the Native Americans. As their ancestors had before them, the Yurok, Tolowa, and Chilula lived in villages along streams and on the coast. Though the three groups spoke different languages, their cultures were similar. Most numerous were the Yuroks, who maintained 55 villages along the Klamath River and portions of the coast - from present day Trinidad, north to False Klamath Cove. The Tolowa territory included the Smith River and the California coast from False Klamath Cove northward. The Chilula built most of their settlements in the Redwood Creek Basin. The redwood region provided timber for their frame houses, canoes, and implements, along with abundant food and supplies from natural sources. Acorns were a staple and were supplemented by fish (mostly salmon), which they took either with fill nets of seines. There was a plentiful supply of shellfish as well as deer, and the occasional stranding of a whale provided a serendipitous feast. To add variety the hunters occasionally harpooned seals and sea lions, which they attracted by wriggling their disguised bodies and imitating the animals' barking. Sporadic contact with Spanish and English maritime explorers began in the mid-1500s when ships of these expanding empires sailed past the Humboldt coast. A long lull ensued, and it was not until the late 1800s that Spanish, English and Russians came in any number, stopping only occasionally to trade for food and furs. And other than Fort Ross, the Russians small colony to the south, they built no permanent settlements. In April 1828, the famed explorer and mountaineer, Jedediah Smith, left California's central valley with a party of 20 men and 300 horses and mules. He was determined to reach the Pacific, and hoped to get there by following the Trinity River downstream. At first, the party made good progress, and by May 19, the ocean was in sight. They pitched camp atop a high ridge covered with fir, spruce, and redwood, in or near the area of present-day Ganns Prairie (near Orick). The rest of the trip was not as easy. The men found the forest here impenetrable and in trying to find an easier route to the sea, they were forced to retrace their steps to the Klamath River. The party spent another 10 days beating through a maze of undergrowth, all the while bedeviled by both fog and rain. The alternate route had been little easier, but on June 20, 1828, they crossed the Klamath River. It was 1849 before the next known white man appeared on the scene. Dr. Josiah Gregg, scientist, traveler, and author, led a party of seven men down the Trinity River, headed for the coast. Like Jed Smith before him, Gregg underestimated the difficulty of the trek. His 10-day food supply was not adequate for the four-week journey. Gregg died during the expedition, but surviving members of the party led new adventurers into the Humboldt Bay region, and boom towns began springing up. One day in April 1850, J.K. Johnson scooped up a few grains of sand while strolling along the beach north of his home in Trinidad. The sand had a tantalizing appearance. Johnson rushed home to have the sample assayed and to reprovision for a return trip to the beach. To his dismay, he found that the tide had obliterated the location. But it wasn't long before the presence of gold was confirmed at Gold Bluffs Beach. Copper and silver mining fill other brief pages in the regions history. In the meantime, the industry that was to dominate the entire economy of the redwood region, and to drastically alter the face of that region, was founded. It was logging. The first lumbering operations were recorded in 1850. No redwood was cut commercially in either Humboldt or Del Norte Counties, however, until 1855. The earlier timbermen had not only been confounded by the size of the trees, but had lacked equipment large enough to cut, transport or mill it. For the redwoods, the respite was short-lived. In a few years, thousands of board feet of redwood timber were making their way to ports around the world. By the turn of the century, one logging company alone was harvesting 8.5 million board feet every year, and it owned more than 8,700 acres of forest land. By 1929, the rate of cutting increased to about 500 million board feet annually. The huge size of the trees triggered a revolution in logging technology, especially in the methods of cutting, transporting and milling. Sometimes it took two choppers an entire week to fell a single redwood. After the tree was felled, teams of bark peelers went to work, and the logs were then dragged to mills by oxen, horses or mules. As the tempo of logging increased, other changes took place. Logging roads were cut, coastal roads were built, and farmers and merchants began to clear and settle the forests. Little, if any, thought was given to the effect that logging and related activities were having on the environment. The supply of trees seemed limitless. By the middle of the 20th century, bulldozers, power saws, and modern trucks began replacing hand axes and animal teams. The public became increasingly concerned. The earliest formal effort to preserve virgin redwood forests dates back to 1852, when California legislator Henry A. Crabb introduced a bill proposing a state redwood park. But it was not until 1902 that such conservation efforts finally bore fruit. That was the year the California State Legislature established Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County. In 1908, philanthropist and Congressman William Kent donated Muir Woods, near San Francisco, to the federal government. Designated as a national monument, it was the first involvement of federal government in coast redwood preservation. The most dynamic single moving force behind the eventual establishment of a Redwood National Park, however, was the founding in 1918 of the Save-the-Redwoods League. Under the direction of John C. Merriam, a University of California paleontologist and later president of Carnegie Institute, and Newton B. Drury, who became the fourth director of the National Park Service, the League initiated a drive to raise private funds to buy privately owned redwood groves for public preservation. A national depression and World War II intervened, but the work went on, and the league continued to help expand and protect California redwood state parks - grove by grove. Through the efforts of the Sierra Club and the Save-the-Redwoods League, the idea for a national park gained new momentum in 1961. Aided by a $64,000 grant from the National Geographic Society, the National Park Service conducted a survey to locate the remaining old-growth redwoods and to determine an appropriate site for a park. The report, released in 1964, stirred widespread public attention. From the original 2 million acres of primeval coast redwood forest only about 300,000 acres remained, and of that, only 50,000 acres were protected within the California redwood state parks. After considering various proposals, Congress authorized the establishment of Redwood National Park, and President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the historic act into law in 1968 - the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Save-the Redwoods League. The original boundary, however, did not include enough land to insure adequate watershed protection for Redwood Creek. On March 27, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed the Redwood National Park Expansion Act. The passage of this legislation indicated that Congress realized the damaging effects that certain land-use practices which occur outside a park could have on park resources. The act added 48,000 acres to the existing park, mainly within the Redwood Creek watershed. It also provided for a massive rehabilitation of damaged lands. Even though the virgin groves along Redwood Creek would never again be as wide-reaching as in the days before Europeans arrived, at least now some future loss might be avoided. Redwood National Park was established in 1968 and expanded in 1978. Both of these congressional acts were in response to public interest in protecting some of the remaining virgin redwood lands form the direct and indirect effects of timber harvesting.
Redwood AYH-Hostel offers the only lodging in the state and national parks. Reserve with a credit card 48 hours in advance or send one nights deposit two weeks in advance. Call the hostel for more information about group rates, reservations, cancellations and refunds (707) 482-8265. Campground reservations are usually necessary in summer. Make them through PARKNET, P.O. Box 9029, Clearwater, FL 34618, or call (800) 444-7275. The nearest group campgrounds are Jedediah Smith Redwoods and Patrick's Point state parks. Redwood National Park backcountry sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Camping is permitted only in established sites with the exception of the Redwood Creek Trail where camping is permitted along the gravel bars (not within .25 mile of the Tall Trees Grove). Backpackers and campers along the Redwood Creek Trail must secure a free permit at any information center within Redwood National and State Parks. Butler Creek Primitive Camp in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park requires a permit from the park office. Hiker-biker campsites are available year-round at Prairie Creek and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park Campgrounds and during the summer months at Mill Creek Campground in Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park. A $1 fee is charged. Reservations are not required. Return to National Parks Directory
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Redwood
National Park contains the tallest living things on earth, evergreen
trees that grow to 350 feet. The park was established specifically
to protect these trees, because it is only here and in Oregon that
they now survive. Descendants of the giant evergreens that grew
during the age of the dinosaurs, redwoods thrived in moist temperate
regions of the world. They take 400 years to mature and some of
the survivors are more than 2,000 years old. Their thick, sapless
bark protects them from fire, but landslides and wind can topple
old trees. Native peoples used fallen redwood trees to build canoes
and houses. Commercial logging began during the gold rush era. Logging
of redwoods continues and is debated by the timber industry and
environmentalists. The trees stand as majestic reminders of the
slow evolution of nature. Redwood National and State Parks represent
a cooperative management effort of the National Park Service and
the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
Climate
& Recommended Clothing
Golden
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