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 — 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–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.