Redwood National and State Parks is a cooperative union of federal and state park lands preserving the tallest trees in the world. Situated approximately half way between Portland, Oregon and San Francisco, California on the California coast, the parks preserve 133,000 acres of coastal redwoods, or about 5% of the original coastal redwood forests that had once existed in the area. In 1966, before the parks were established while the conservation campaign to save them was being waged, Republican gubernatorial candidate Ronald Reagan mocked the redwood advocates before a lumber industry group famously quipping "A tree is a tree. How many more do you need to look at?" Because the conservationists prevailed, we have the opportunity to see many more trees that we would not have otherwise in the miles of trails available in Redwoods National and State Parks.
Getting There
The nearest airport to the park with commercial air service is Jack McNamara Field, seven miles west of the parks in Crescent City. Another is about 15 miles south of the southernmost edge of the park in McKinleyville. All other airports require drives of more than 50 miles to reach the parks. The parks are along US 101, so those making the trip out of driving the scenic Pacific Coast Highway should most definitely make a stop out of RNSP.
Where to Stay
The ideal location to stay is the Redwood Parks Lodge Company's Elk Meadow Cabins. Centrally located just outside the park boundary, access to the park is as easy as walking outside your cabin and heading by foot or bicycle down a trail into the park. The cabins are also near the popular Lady Bird Johnson Grove of redwoods. There are only 6 cabins and each are 2 or 3 bedrooms. They run from $200 to 250 a night depending on the time of year, so can be a real bargain if sharing a cabin with your travelling companions or family. Further north on the Klamath River just a mile upriver from the mouth is the Historic Requa Inn, serving the area's visitors since the late 1880's. The current building was constructed in 1914. Rates run from $90 to $180, but the 12 unit Inn does not accept pets or children under the age of 8. Numerous other hotels, B&Bs and vacation rentals exist near the park from Crescent City northwest of the park to Trinidad, McKinleyville and Eureka south of the park. There is no lodging in the park other than camping. There are four campgrounds in the park, three in the redwood forests and one along the coast. Management of the camps is by the state. During the high season from June through August, reservations are recommended though some sites are set aside on a first come, first serve basis. Reseverations are handles by phone or on the web at ReserveAmerica. Backcountry camping is permitted in 8 sites in the parks. Campers are limited to 5 consecutive nights in the park and 15 nights total within a calendar year.
About the Parks
Redwoods National and State Parks is an interesting blend of federal and state management. It consists of Redwoods National Park on the federal side and three California state parks: Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The state parks are much older than the national parks, so ironically the state parks actually have better preserved old growth stands of redwoods than the national park land, where choice stands and groves had some of their best specimens logged before the park's establishment. However, the age of the state parks also means they are more developed than the national park, coming from a time before saving wilderness was a priority. The trails in the state parks also follow the roads fairly closely, so if you are seeking to escape the noise and bustle sounds of civilization, the trails in the national park give a more quiet, tranquil experience.
The parks preserve some of the tallest trees in the world. Coastal redwoods grow to unbelievable heights because of the condensation of coastal fog on the trees runs down providing additional water for the tree's development.
The park also can receive over 100 inches of precipitation a year. The tallest trees also tend to be concentrated in the valleys where streams provide a steady flow of the life giving and sustaining liquid. The Hyperion tree is not just the tallest tree in the park, but the tallest in the world. At 379 feet tall, it is the tallest living thing on earth, but its ability to survive is so delicate that the exact location of the tree is kept secret to prevent visitors from trampling on and damaging the root system of the 700 plus year old giant. Hyperion may be tall, but the largest tree by volume in the parks is the Lost Monarch in the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. It is "only" 321 feet tall, but is 26 feet in diameter. Its total volume is estimated at 42,500 cubic feet, however this pales compared to the estimates of some of the trees that existed before logging took place, with some trees estimating to have been over 55,000 cubic feet in volume.
Hiking
One of the most popular hikes in the park is the easy 1.4 mile short hike on the loop trail at the Lady Bird Johnson Grove in the national park.
Most of the trail is an old logging road that goes through a very nice stand of trees. The forest is also replete with ferns, rhododendrons and trillium. The 2.5 mile Trillium Falls Trail goes through an old growth area along Highway 101 past the 10 foot high Trillium Falls.
Another popular trail that provides some great photographic oppotunities is the Mill Creek Trail in Jedediah Smith Redwoods SP. It is 2.6 miles long and has some inclined sections, but is not particularly steep. It is the place for fall foliage in the parks with its maples. Along Mill Creek, visitors can spot salmon, cutthroat trout and steelheads (fishing requires a satte fishing permit). In the fall when the berries are ripening, visitors can collect the morsels at a limit of one gallon per day.
The Mill Creek Trail should not be confused with the Mill Creek Nature Loop Trail, which is in Del Norte Coast Redwoods SP and is also worthy of hiking. It is a one mile loop through the forest. Along the way, interpretive markers teach visitors about the redwoods, the forest life cycle and other plants that grow here. The trails system is just confined to the forests. The parks also have many that follow along the coast, either on beaches at the coastline oe along the cliffs that rim some parts of the coast. Caution is ofcourse heavily advised on these elevated areas as some of the cliff faces are not stable. One of the best of these hikes is the Cresent Beach Trail. It is an easy 3.5 mile level trail along the beath that passes by forst and prairie areas. It is not uncommon to see elk grazing in the prairie lands.
Scenic Driving
Driving Highway 101 through the park isn't the only scenic drive through the park, though it is obviously the most popular since its the main thoroughfare through the parks. The Bald Hills Road is quite scenic. It takes you to Redwood Creek Overlook where you can get a birds eye view over one of the valleys and the trees in it.
It is a popular place to get photographs of the fog filtering through the trees from the Pacific Ocean only 5 miles away. During wildflower season, lupines and other wildflowers fill the prairie hillsides along the roads.
The Requa Road takes up up to an overlook 650 feet high above the Pacific Ocean with spectacular views of the mouth of the Klamath River.
The Howland Hill Road is a mostly unpaved drive with several turnouts through old growth areas in Jedediah Smith. For beach lovers, the Enderts Beach Road provides stunning coast landscapes and views.
Photo Credits: , Martin Swett, #2 Son/John, Miguel Vieira, Matthew High, Steve Whis. All images republished in accordance with the terms of the Creative Commons license under which they were originally published and released. Some rights reserved.