Unlike other national parks in the nation, the redwoods area technically consists of the national park as well as 3 state parks: Jedediah Smith State Park, Prairie Creek State Park and Del Norte State Park. Together, these areas make up Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP).
Therefore, it can be little confusing to figure out which part of the park you are in. Specially, when it is COVID-19 era and all the visitor centers are closed and you barely can see rangers. But whichever part you are in, these dull chocolate brown color woods are worth a trip.
The redwood grows near the Pacific Ocean along the northern California coast in a more or less continuous belt about 450 miles long and 15 miles wide.
About Redwood National Park:
- Est. : October 2, 1968
- State: California (Northern), close to Oregon
- Nearest City: Crescent City
- Closest International Airport: Sacramento, San Francisco or Portland
Area history:
- Modern day native groups such as the Yurok, Tolowa, Karok, Chilula, and Wiyot all have historical ties to the region.The native people of the North Coast region have made the redwood forests and associated ecosystems their home for thousands of years.
- When gold was discovered in northwestern California in 1850, the rush was on. Thousands crowded the remote redwood region in search of riches and new lives.
- The newcomers pushed the Native people off their land, hunted them down, scorned, raped, and enslaved them. Resistance – and many of them did resist – was often met with massacres.
- To this day, the displacement of many tribes, the lack of treaty guarantees, and the absence of federal recognition of their sovereignty continue to cloud the legal rights of many Native Americans.
- Archaeological study shows Native people arrived in the area as far back as 3,000 years ago. So, whenever you are here, don’t forget to remember the genuine care takers of this area.
Into the woods:
If you don’t have enough time to explore all the areas, the park is home to some massive redwood trees and are the main attraction, I recommend driving around the park and take short hikes along the road, that’s what we did. But this park is more than world’s tallest trees. There are beautiful coastal trails, scenic overlooks, and many more.
POPULAR THINGS TO DO:
Hikes: Fern Canyon (easy to moderate), The Rockefeller Loop (easy), Tall Trees Trail (moderate, requires a free permit from the Kuchel Visitor Center), Trillium Falls (moderate), Coastal Trail – Last Chance Section (strenuous), James Irvine/Clintonia/Miner’s Ridge (moderate).
Scenic Drives: Avenue of the Giants (aka the filming site for the Forest Moon of Endor in Star Wars Return of the Jedi, flat and paved suitable for all cars, RV’s, and trailers), Coastal Drive Loop (mostly paved, but RV’s and trailers aren’t allowed), Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway (flat and paved, suitable for all vehicles, RV’s, and trailers).
Overlooks: Wedding Rock at sunset, Enderts Beach and Crescent Beach Overlook, Klamath River Overlook for possible whale sightings during certain times of the year.
Tours and Rentals: boating trips on Stone Lagoon, bike or horseback ride along Redwood Creek, a Ranger-led tide pool walk.
WHERE TO STAY:
Trinidad, Eureka and Crescent City are few towns to have accommodation options for any budget. And for the current camping information and a official map of the park don’t forget to go to www.nps.gov
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
- Pack some snacks with you because there are no restaurants inside the park.
- Most of the parks are free, but Prairie Creek Redwoods, Del Norte Coast Redwoods, and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Parks charge fees, where many trailheads are located.
- Some hikes are only accessible by dirt roads that can flood, so always check the parks’ website for current road conditions.
