Redwood National Park Guide

Transportation and accommodation in Redwood National Park

Redwood National Park is located in northern California. It is home to the tallest trees on Earth ( 116 meters, equivalent to a 40-story building in China, but the location is kept secret ). The average age of trees in the park is over 500 years, and some are over 2,000 years old ( the oldest tree in the world is 'probably' in Chile, and is over 5,000 years old. Because it is difficult to accurately measure the age of a tree, I use 'probably' here )

Tickets : Free - and there are no toll booths or gates, so you may be in it without knowing it.
Road/trail opening conditions : See here
Travel season : Visit all year round ( just foggy in summer and rainy in winter ), April-June for the best scenery/climate
How long to play : 3 hours to 1 day
Official website : See here
If you visit the official website, you will find that the name of the page is Redwood National and State Parks, because there are 3 state parks nearby, which are managed together with Redwood National Park. The following article actually introduces the attractions of nearby state parks! But there are no gates between parks, so there is no need to deliberately distinguish them when traveling

by tatonomusic | Lisha Riabinina

Transportation and accommodation in Redwood National Park

Redwood National Park is long and narrow, about 5 hours' drive from San Francisco.

2-day and 1-night self-driving tour :
Because the main attractions are concentrated on the south side of the park, it is most convenient to stay in Eureka, such as:
Eureka Inn, Trademark Collection by Wyndham ★★★
Location 8.6 points Facilities/Service 8.1 points Value for money 8.0 points
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Eureka ★★
Location 8.7 points Facilities/Service 9.0 points Value for money 8.1 points


5-day and 4-night circular self-driving tour :
The following is for demonstration only, please adjust according to your own preferences/pace
Day1 - Depart from San Francisco, drive for 5 hours, and stay in Eureka
Day2 - Spend 1 day to visit Redwood National Park and stay in Crescent City
at night Day3 - After driving for 3.5 hours, visit Crater Lake National Park and stay in Medford
at night Day4 - After driving for 3.5 hours, visit Lassen Volcanic National Park ( you can stop at Lake Siskiyou Beach on the way to enjoy the snow-capped mountain Mt Shasta ), and stay in Redding
at night Day5 - You can explore Lassen Volcanic National Park again in the morning and return to San Francisco in the afternoon
* If you are departing from Seattle, you can fly to Medford first.

How to Play in Redwood National Park

Most of the attractions in the park are along Highway 101:
[Can go] 1. Scenic Highway - A well-received scenic highway with trails along the road. You can arrange a 1-2 hour tour ★★★
[Choose to go] 2. Forest Suspension Bridge - Tickets are $30, suitable for family trips, and you can arrange a 2-hour tour ★★
[Choose to go] 3. Tree Hole for Cars - Tickets are $5, a check-in spot for tourists ★★
[Choose to go] 4. Scenic Highway - Average scenery, but you may see a group of elks ★★
[Must go] 5. Special Trail - Climbing the stream + a stone wall covered with ferns, you can arrange a 1.5 hour tour, and reservations are required ★★★★★
[Can go] 6. Waterfall Trail - A forest trail with a small waterfall at the end. You can arrange a 1.5 hour tour ★★★
[Recommended] 7. Popular Trail - A lush forest trail that is easy to walk on. You can arrange a 40-minute tour ★★★★
[Can go] 8. Big Tree Trail - Compared with 7, there are several taller trees. It can be arranged for 2 hours and requires reservation. ★★★

Note : There is no Internet in the park. Please download the offline map of Google Map in advance ; it is also recommended to save the map image above to your local computer.

Things to do in Redwood National Park

1. Howland Hill Road, a scenic road A highly praised scenic road

in the park 10 miles/16 kilometers long, flat, but some sections are narrow . How long to play : 1 hour ( self-driving through ) - 2 hours ( self-driving + hiking ) How to play : - You can start from Crescent City , drive to Hiouchi Visitor Center in the forest with mottled shadows, and then go back from Highway 199 - Choose the trail Grove Of Titans , 1.7 miles/2.7 kilometers round trip, 42 meters in altitude, and stroll leisurely among giant trees/mosses/ferns Recommended : ★★★ Recommended video Self-driving : HOWLAND HILL ROAD//CALIFORNIA//ONTOUR 2.0 Recommended video Grove Of Titans : Hiking CALIFORNIA: Grove Of Titans
















2. Trees of Mystery

Built in 1946, not a national/state park
There are 8 suspension bridges ( skywalks ) of different heights, cable cars, and a bunch of tree sculptures that are not very thoughtful, which is very suitable for family travel.

Opening hours : 9am - 4pm
Tickets : 30 US dollars for adults, 15 US dollars for children.
Duration : 2 hours
Official website : See here | Park map
Recommended : ★★
Address : Free parking 15500 US-101, Klamath, CA 95548
Recommended video : Visiting Trees Of Mystery Review




3. Klamath Tour Thru Tree

A small car can pass through the tree hole, not belonging to the national/state park
It can be understood as a tourist trap, but "I'm here..."

Tickets : $5
Duration : 10 minutes
Recommended : ★★
Address : Klamath Tour Thru Tree 430 CA-169, Klamath, CA


Recommended videos : THE REDWOODS | Klamath CA | Trees of Mystery | Tour-Through Tree

4. Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway  

Newton B. Drury is a 10-mile long forest road with average scenery , not as good as the Howland Hill Road mentioned above . For reference, see the video here . However, there is a visitor center , Prairie Creek Visitor Center , on the road. There is often a group of elk wandering on the lawn next to the visitor center( the probability of seeing them is highest in the morning and evening ), which is very suitable

for taking photos:30 minutes
Recommended : ★★
Address : Remember to enter the scenic road from Exit 765 or Exit 753 of HWY 101.


Photography by David Hertle

Recommended video : 8 EPIC Things To Do In Redwood National Park



5. Fern Canyon Loop, a special trail

There are stone walls covered with a lot of ferns, and you need to go up the stream, which is very surreal . If this trail is a restaurant, it can be rated as Michelin 2 stars ( worth a detour ) or even 3 stars ( worth a special trip ). From May to September, you need a permit to enter, and the rules/website are here ( winter visit is not recommended because: the ground water will increase significantly + the wooden planks for walking will be removed + the road may be temporarily closed + some ferns will turn yellow, please refer to this article )

How long to play : 1.5 hours
How to play :
- The trail is 1.1 miles/1.8 kilometers long, with an elevation gain of 39 meters. The difficulty is low, and the latest information can be found here
- There is water on the trail. If you choose the route carefully, you can keep your shoes from getting wet, but it is recommended to wear waterproof hiking shoes
. Recommendation : ★★★★★
Address : Coastal Trail and Fern Canyon Loop Trail , parking costs $12, and is free with the national park annual pass
. Fun fact : Ferns have a history of hundreds of millions of years and reproduce through spores ( no flowering/fruiting ). Herbivorous dinosaurs used to feed on them.
Recommended video : Fern Canyon Loop Trail - Redwood National & State Parks

6. Trillium Falls Trail  

Similar to Lady Bird Johnson Trail, but with a longer walking distance, higher elevation, and a small waterfall at the end, some students find it less cost-effective .

Duration : 1.5 hours
How to play : The trail is 2.6 miles/4.3 kilometers long, with an elevation gain of 137 meters. It is moderately difficult. The latest information is here .
Recommended : ★★★
Address : Elk Meadow Picnic Area 258 Davidson Rd, Orick, CA
Recommended video : Hiking to Trillium Falls | Hidden Among the Redwoods




7. Popular trail Lady Bird Johnson Trail 

The most popular trail in the park, very suitable for viewing the forest ( the trail is short, the trees are many and tall enough ), and no reservation is required

. Duration : 40 minutes
. How to play : The trail is 1.4 miles/2.4 kilometers long, with an elevation gain of 31 meters. The difficulty is low. The latest information can be found here .
Recommendation : ★★★★
Address : Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail Bald Hills Rd, Orick, CA
Recommended video : Northern California Adventure 2- Lady Bird Johnson Grove

8. Tall Trees Groves Trail 

The scenery is similar to Lady Bird Johnson Trail, but there are several taller trees on the trail You must apply for a free permit online
at least 24 hours in advance . There are only 50 places available each day ( there are railings on the road to the parking lot, and you need to enter the 4-digit password to enter; it is not supported to apply at the visitor center on site ) How long to play : 2 hours How to play : The trail is 3.2 miles/5.8 kilometers long, with an altitude increase of 238 meters. The difficulty is medium ( downhill first, then uphill ). The latest information can be found here Recommended : ★★★ Address : Tall Trees Grove Trailhead Parking Tall Trees Access Rd, McKinleyville, CA Recommended video : Redwoods Tall Trees Trail and Fern Canyon Hike

◉ Appendix - The difference between redwood and redwood
Redwood = Redwood, redwood = Giant SequoiaRedwood
can grow taller, redwood can grow thicker, you can also refer to the guide to Sequoia National Park

by Maria Jose Oyarzun | James Lee




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Thank you for reading, I wish you all a happy time!
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