[ROAD] Narrow and damaged park roads
Bald Hills Road has damage and lane crossings. Davison Road needs high clearance after rain. Howland Hill bans RVs, motorhomes, and trailers. Mill Creek day use is weekends only.
NP.GUIDE / FIELD GUIDE / FALL 2026
Redwood National Park
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Conditions change. Follow signs and ranger orders.
Current conditions
[WATER] Sneaker waves and tides kill
Sneaker waves run hundreds of feet up the beach in 30 seconds and have drowned visitors. Never turn your back on the ocean. Tides trap hikers. Carry a tide table, topo map, and watch.
[!] Tsunami country
This coast is the most tsunami-prone in the continental US. Shaking of 20 seconds or more means a tsunami is likely. Leave the beach for ground 50 feet above the sea. Never go watch.
[WILD] Elk charge in the fall rut
Roosevelt elk bulls weigh 1,200 pounds and charge in the fall rut through October. Cows charge in calving season. Stay 25 yards back. If charged, take cover behind a tree.
[BEAR] Black bears want your food
Store all food and scented items in lockers, closed vehicles, or bear canisters. Keep a clean camp. Never feed bears. If attacked, fight back. Report sightings to a ranger.
[CELL] No cell service in the backcountry
The backcountry has no cell service and no drive-up help. GPS misleads onto unpaved and restricted roads. Carry a printed map and follow road signs.
NPS conditions (large page)
Services by place
Major places list all five services. Seasonal services may be closed.
- Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center
Food: No Water: Unknown Toilets: Unknown Fuel: Unknown Signal: Unknown - Prairie Creek Visitor Center and Elk Prairie
Food: No Water: Unknown Toilets: Unknown Fuel: Unknown Signal: Unknown - Jedediah Smith Redwoods and Hiouchi
Food: No Water: Unknown Toilets: Unknown Fuel: Unknown Signal: Unknown
Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center ↑
Do this: Best start for first-time visitors. Get maps, conditions, and trip plans here.
- Food: No. Carry food. Services are in gateway towns.
- Water: Unknown. Carry water.
- Toilets: Unknown. Do not depend on toilets here.
- Fuel: Unknown. Fill up before you enter the parks.
- Signal: Unknown. Do not depend on signal here.
Highway 101 south of Orick. Largest center, with exhibits, bookstore, and beach access. Open 9 to 5 in summer, 9 to 4 autumn to spring.
Prairie Creek Visitor Center and Elk Prairie ↑
Do this: Elk country. Give elk 25 yards and never approach.
- Food: No. Carry food. Services are in gateway towns.
- Water: Unknown. Carry water.
- Toilets: Unknown. Do not depend on toilets here.
- Fuel: Unknown. Fill up before you enter the parks.
- Signal: Unknown. Do not depend on signal here.
South end of the Newton Drury Parkway, 6.5 miles north of Orick. Elk Prairie, trails, and groves nearby.
Jedediah Smith Redwoods and Hiouchi ↑
Do this: North groves via Howland Hill Road. Too narrow for RVs, motorhomes, and trailers.
- Food: No. Carry food. Services are in gateway towns.
- Water: Unknown. Carry water.
- Toilets: Unknown. Do not depend on toilets here.
- Fuel: Unknown. Fill up before you enter the parks.
- Signal: Unknown. Do not depend on signal here.
Hiouchi Visitor Center on Highway 199. Dress in layers and pack rain gear. Trails are slippery when wet.
Other places
- Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon — Summer visits need an online reservation plus a $12 day-use fee. Expect wet feet year-round. Food: No. Carry food. · Water: Unknown. Carry water. · Toilets: Unknown. Do not depend on toilets here. · Fuel: Unknown. Fill up before you enter the parks. · Signal: Unknown. Do not depend on signal here. Davison Road: 8 miles of single-lane gravel with 2 stream crossings. No trailers. 24-foot limit.
- Tall Trees Grove — Reserve online before you go. Allow 4 hours with the drive. No RVs over 21 feet or trailers. Food: No. Carry food. · Water: Unknown. Carry water. · Toilets: Unknown. Do not depend on toilets here. · Fuel: Unknown. Fill up before you enter the parks. · Signal: Unknown. Do not depend on signal here. Locked gate on a 6-mile dirt road. The code arrives by email. The trail drops 800 feet in the first 1.5 miles.
- Klamath River Overlook — Whale and seabird stop. No motorhomes, RVs, or trailers. The lot is very small. Water: Unknown. Carry water. · Toilets: Unknown. Do not depend on toilets here. · Signal: Unknown. Do not depend on signal here. Prime gray whale migration viewing. A steep quarter-mile trail leads to wider views.
- Enderts Beach and Crescent Overlook — Tidepool stop. Check tide times first. Never turn your back on the ocean. Water: Unknown. Carry water. · Toilets: Unknown. Do not depend on toilets here. · Signal: Unknown. Do not depend on signal here. 1-mile walk to Enderts Beach from Crescent Beach Overlook. Trailers not advised.
Drive times
Summer estimates without long stops. Traffic, wildlife, weather, and road work can cause delays.
Crescent City to Jedediah Smith
Crescent City → east on US-199, 9 miles → Hiouchi → Howland Hill Road, 10 miles through old growth
Stout Grove and Boy Scout Tree sit off Howland Hill. North trailheads have almost no RV or trailer parking.
Kuchel to Prairie Creek
Kuchel Visitor Center → Highway 101 north past Orick → Newton Drury Parkway → Prairie Creek Visitor Center
The center sits 6.5 miles north of Orick. Elk Prairie and trailheads line the parkway. First Saturday monthly October to May is hike-and-bike, no cars.
Orick to Fern Canyon
Highway 101, 3 miles north of Orick → Davison Road east, 8 miles of single-lane gravel → Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon
No trailers. 24-foot limit. Two stream crossings stay wet year-round. High clearance after rain. Summer needs an online reservation plus $12.
San Francisco to the parks
San Francisco → north 325 miles, about 6 hours → parks span 50 miles of coast, Crescent City to south of Orick
No entrance stations. Stop at a visitor center first. GPS misleads. Carry a printed map.
Help
Emergency: call 911. Tell the dispatcher your location, direction of travel, vehicle, and problem.
Park information: 707-464-6101
This independent guide is not the National Park Service and is not an emergency service.
Permits
Park entry (no entrance fee)
Redwood National Park is free with no entrance stations. State day-use areas charge fees and honor federal passes. The only kiosk is at Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon.
Tall Trees reservations
Free online reservations year-round, up to 180 days ahead and no later than 24 hours before. Day-before half-day slots open 8 am and 1 pm. The gate code arrives by email.
Fern Canyon reservations
May 15 to September 15, reserve online day-before or earlier. Never day-of. Plus a $12 day-use fee at the kiosk. Walkers from Prairie Creek and campers are exempt.
Campground reservations
Four developed campgrounds, $35 per night. Reserve on ReserveCalifornia no later than 2 days before arrival. Jedediah Smith, Prairie Creek, and Gold Bluffs Beach stay open year-round.
Backcountry camping permits
Free online permits for all 7 backcountry camps, up to 160 days ahead and 24 hours before. Little Bald Hills, DeMartin, Flint Ridge, Gold Bluffs, Elam, and 44 Camp are open. Redwood Creek dispersed camping is closed October 15 to April 1.
Short hikes
Distances are one way unless marked as a loop. Check trail closures.
- Jedediah Smith Redwoods and Hiouchi / Stout Grove Loop: 0.5-mile loop. Easy flat loop in ancient forest after the initial descent. Summer bridge removed. Enter off Howland Hill Road.
- Jedediah Smith Redwoods and Hiouchi / Simpson-Reed Trail: 1-mile loop. Easy barrier-free loop under 1,000-year-old redwoods. Walker Road off US-199. Limited parking.
- Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon / Fern Canyon Loop: 0.7-mile loop. Wade ankle to knee deep past 30-foot fern walls. Feet get wet year-round. Summer needs a reservation.
- Tall Trees Grove / Tall Trees Trail: 4.5 miles roundtrip. Strenuous 800-foot descent into the grove. Locked gate. Code emailed with reservation. Allow 4 hours with the drive.
All park guides · Planning pages · Park statistics · Closures and alerts