Redwoods National and State Parks California

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been mesmerized by trees. Growing up in northern Illinois, my backyard was a forested playground where I spent countless hours exploring with my siblings — or wandering off on my own little adventures. So when I learned that the California coast is home to the tallest trees on Earth, soaring up to 370 feet (taller than the Statue of Liberty), I knew one day I had to stand among them. It was only a matter of time before visiting this park shifted from a wish to reality.

I’ve dreamed of visiting these ancient giants — some of which are between 1,000 and 2,000 years old — since high school. After an eleven-year wait, I can confidently say it was well worth it. If you’ve been following my blog, you know that along with sharing my favorite hikes, lodging options, and park highlights, I also love diving into the park’s history — uncovering what truly makes each place so special. If history and science aren’t your thing – feel free to skip down to “Spending 5 Days in Redwoods National Park” section below.

I’d like to start with something that was slightly confusing to me as I was focused on my planning phase of this road trip. The Redwoods (also called the Redwoods National and State Parks) is co managed by both the National Park Service (NPS) and California State Parks system. In the early 20th century much of what we now know as Redwoods National and State Parks was being logged heavily. Logging wiped out about 95% of the original old-growth redwoods. In the 1920s and 1930s California State Parks officially establish the State Parks known as Prairie Creek Redwoods, Del Norte Coast Redwoods, and Jedediah Smith Redwoods to protect what was left after all the logging. Following these efforts of protection the US Congress established Redwoods National Park to protect additional land and watersheds that wasn’t included in those early state parks. Shortly after the National Park Service and the California State Parks System joined forces and signed a formal cooperative management agreement where they operate now as one unit (Redwoods National and State Parks – RNSP). So yes—Redwoods National Park is actually made up of several smaller state parks, hence the combined name.

Fun fact: Together, the Redwoods National and State Parks protect 45% of all remaining old-growth redwoods in the world!

Fire in the Redwoods!

Typically when you hear the words forest and fire in the same sentence it’s not a good thing. However, the relationship between the Redwoods and Fire is not what you would expect. Redwoods are actually fire resistant trees with bark up to 12 inches thick! Redwoods bark is rich in tannin – their secret weapon to surviving for thousands of years! Tannin is a naturally occurring compound found in the bark and wood of coast redwoods and a natural defense system against insects, fungi and bacteria and can even slow down decomposition. While walking through the forest, we saw many trees that appeared dead and were heavily scarred from fire; yet, surprisingly, these trees were very much alive. When a redwood is scarred by fire it can still sprout new growth from it’s base (called basal burls) or along it’s trunk. A burl is a knobby growth of dormant buds (fun trivia fact). These buds fail to develop into branches and instead form a lumpy mass. Burls help redwoods regenerate after damage. Another reason they aren’t as easily defeated by fire is their height advantages – flames often can’t make it up to the trees canopy which is where vital foliage appears. Not only are these trees resistant to fire but they actually depend on fires for natural cleaning, nutrient recycling, opening the canopy, and disease and pest control.

“When you stand inside a hollow, fire-scarred redwood, you’re literally seeing history. That tree has not only survived fire — it has thrived because of it.”

The Dramatic Coastline (Earthquakes and Tsunamis)

Lastly, it’s impossible to ignore the dramatic geological forces at play along this coastline—earthquakes and tsunamis are all too common here. We had a slightly panicked moment while we were quietly enjoying our campsite, reading a book by the campfire – when we were startled by an alert on our phones stating “EMERGENCY ALERT – The National Weather Service has issued a TSUNAMI WARNING. A series of powerful waves and strong currents may impact coasts near you. You are in danger. Get away from coastal waters. Get to high ground or inland now. Keep away from the coast until local officials say it’s safe to return.” This alert was triggered by an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 that struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in the Pacific Ocean on July 30th, 2025.

As a Midwest granola girl now living in Colorado, I’m familiar with forest fires and tornadoes—but, to my own embarrassment, I know very little about tsunamis, and it left me feeling unsettled and nervous that evening at our campsite. Thankfully, my boyfriend talked some sense into me, and I convinced myself that if we were really in danger at our campground, someone would have come by to warn us. Seeing that nobody else seemed concerned, I reluctantly accepted our fate and fell asleep. Little did we know, an earthquake had just struck Russia—but with no cell service, we were completely in the dark until the following morning when we stopped at the visitor center.

The next evening, we learned that the park ranger was giving a talk on earthquakes and tsunamis at the campground amphitheater. Remember when I admitted my lack of knowledge on these topics? Yep—no way I was missing that talk. I’m still unsure whether this topic was planned all along or changed because of the recent alert, but either way, it couldn’t have been more fitting.

The park is located near the meeting point of three tectonic plates (see image above)—the Pacific Plate, Gorda Plate, and North American Plate—known as the Mendocino Triple Junction. This area, just south of Eureka, California, is one of the most seismically active regions in North America. The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a fault line that runs from Northern California all the way up to British Columbia, Canada. Along this fault line lives the Juan de Fuca Plate (which includes the Gorda Plate near California). This is where the Juan de Fuca Plate slips beneath the North American Plate—a process that builds immense tension and occasionally unleashes powerful earthquakes. Because these quakes can occur offshore, tsunamis are a real risk for visitors to this National Park. Low-lying areas, like Gold Bluffs Beach and Crescent Beach, are especially vulnerable. In fact, after our recent alert, campers were evacuated from Gold Bluffs Beach Campground, with some redirected to our campsite at Prairie Creek—so we were safe when the alert went off. Although this assurance came a day late – it was still appreciated! These earthquakes can trigger tsunami waves very quickly, so it’s always important to be prepared to move to high ground.

On average, Cascadia megathrust quakes happen every 300–600 years. Since the last one was in 1700, we are within the window for the next. That doesn’t mean it will happen tomorrow — but it could.

The Northern California coast is breathtaking and inspiring, yet it can turn perilous in an instant if caught in the path of a natural event. Nature demands respect.

Spending 5 Days in Redwoods National Park

RNSP (Redwoods National and State Parks) as previously stated has been a bucket-list destination for me for quite some time so I knew I wanted to get plenty of time to explore and relax among these giant trees! Everyone experiences the park in their own way, depending on what they hope to see or do—but I highly recommend dedicating at least three days to fully appreciate its beauty. There are five visitor centers within the park—Hiouchi Visitor Center, Jedediah Smith Visitor Center, Crescent City Information Center, Prairie Creek Visitor Center, and Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center—which all provide excellent resources and information. After speaking with a park ranger, she strongly recommended visiting the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center, which sits right on the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, we missed this stop on our much-anticipated drive into the park, as we were eager to reach our campsite after our seven-hour drive from San Francisco

There is no entrance fee for RNSP, excluding Gold Bluffs State Park and Fern Canyon, and most hikes are fully accessible without entering fee areas. So if you don’t have a National Parks Pass—no worries!

Camping in RNSP:

There are four campgrounds inside the park, all managed by the California State Parks System: Jedediah Smith, Prairie Creek, Gold Bluffs Beach—which are open year-round—and Mill Creek, which is open during the summer. We stayed two nights at Prairie Creek and three nights at Mill Creek, and both were amazing, surrounded by redwoods in every direction. That said, we especially fell in love with our campsite at Mill Creek

Hiking Among the Redwoods

Hiking in this ancient forest felt like stepping into a daydream—something you can only truly understand by experiencing it for yourself. You can’t fully grasp the presence of these giants until you’re surrounded by them in every direction. Man, if these trees could talk! Every trail we explored was unique, quaint, and immense all at once, and hiking here was such a lovely experience. The park felt surprisingly laid back, never overly crowded, and since the redwoods are the main attraction (and truly everywhere), each hike felt like the best hike ever. Of course, there are some more popular trails like Fern Canyon (which requires a reservation permit) and the Boy Scout Tree Trail, but even those felt more relaxed compared to hikes in other national parks.

I’ll admit—I can get caught up in over-planning my hikes before a trip, which sometimes makes the experience feel a little too scripted. But this time, I kept just a few trails in mind and let each day unfold naturally. It was such a refreshing change, and it reminded me that sometimes, getting off the beaten path is exactly what you need. Looking for some hiking inspiration? Here are a few of the trails we explored!

Eating & Coffee:

I love checking out new coffee shops when I travel, and Paragon Coffee House in Crescent City definitely delivered—both with amazing coffee and an adorable atmosphere. We ended up visiting 2–3 times during our short five-day stay, and by the end of the trip, it felt like we were regulars. Saying goodbye was harder than I expected.

Even though we were tent camping inside the park and cooked most of our meals over the campfire, we ventured into Crescent City a couple of times for lunch after a morning of hiking and exploring. We ate at SeaQuake Brewing twice – because when you find a spot with great food, drinks, and atmosphere, why not go back? I highly recommend stopping at both Paragon Coffee House and SeaQuake Brewing if you find yourself in Crescent City with an empty stomach and a caffeine craving 🙂

Thinking of your next National Park Adventure? Don’t wait – contact me today to help piece your adventure together and seize the day! Follow me on Instagram: @ HighDesertHorizons