Redwood National and State Parks

Redwood National and State Parks is a cooperative management partnership between the National Park Service and California State Parks that together protect 139,000 acres of the Pacific coast and the tallest trees on earth, the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). Hyperion, the world's tallest known tree at 380.3 ft, lives in the park (its location is undisclosed); other named giants in publicly accessible groves regularly exceed 350 ft. The park is well off the interstate grid; the practical access from I-5 is Exit 55 in Grants Pass, Oregon, then 90 mi west on US-199 to Crescent City, California. Park entry is free, but the famous Tall Trees Grove requires a free permit (limited daily release at recreation.gov). Cooperatively managed state parks within the unit charge their own day-use fees ($8/vehicle).

• Cooperative management with California State Parks since 1994 to 139,000 combined acres
• Coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) are the tallest trees on earth, Hyperion is 380.3 ft
• Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1980) and International Biosphere Reserve (1983)
• NPS portion: free entry. Cooperatively-managed state parks: $8/vehicle day-use fee
• About 500,000 visitors per year

• Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail (1.5 mi loop, accessible from Bald Hills Rd)
• Tall Trees Grove (free permit required)
• Stout Memorial Grove (Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park)
• Howland Hill Road (gravel, narrow, classic old-growth drive)
• Fern Canyon (used in Jurassic Park 2, vehicle access closes seasonally)

Best months: June through October, drier weather, lower fog, easier access on unpaved spurs.

Closures: No seasonal closures of US-101 or US-199. Davison Rd to Fern Canyon closes November to April. The Tall Trees Grove access road closes when wet.

Notes: Coastal fog is the climate signature; redwoods get up to 30% of their water from fog drip. Summer mornings are routinely socked in until 10-11 AM.