Read on for what I believe to be the 5 Best Hikes in the Redwoods!

They don’t call these giants for nothin’. I kid you not, I’ve never felt so small than I did hiking in the Redwood forest. And it was amazing. I spent three days experiencing the magic of both the Redwood National Park and Redwood State Parks and somehow managed to narrow down the list to what I think are the 5 best hikes in the Redwoods.

Did you know the Redwoods is comprised of not one park but four?! Yup, we have Redwood National Park, and three additional state parks (Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park) where you can walk among giants. I recommend visiting ALL OF THEM.

I know, I know, you’re probably like, once you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all, right? WRONG! Well, in a sense. Each trail has something a little different to offer, and most are short little strolls, which makes it easy to do multiple in a day!

Karl Knapp Trail: Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

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Table of Contents

A Brief Redwoods History

Once upon a time, there were over 2 million acres of old-growth coastal Redwood forests in northwestern California was home to over 2 million acres of old growth coastal redwood forests that many Natives called home, that is, until gold was discovered in 1850, which displaced the Native communities. Then logging devastated 95% of beautiful Redwood trees. 95%. Let that sink in.

A little mathing tells us only 5% of the 2 million Redwoods remain and California’s national and state parks have 45% of them (about 131,983 acres), largely because of the pushback loggers received, leading to the eventual establishment of Redwood National Park in 1968.

Mahan Plaque Trail: Avenue of the Giants

When’s the Best Time to Visit the Redwoods?

Summer is peak season, and for that reason alone I recommend going in fall or winter! The good news is, the climate is very mild (around 40-60ºF year round) and doesn’t see much change aside from a dry season and a wet season.

Summer will no doubt be much drier than any other time of the year, but that’s also when the parks see the most traction. It can get crazyyyy, and if you’re someone who likes a little alone time in nature, avoid, avoid, avoid.

September-November is the sweet spot, in my opinion, as long as you’re okay with a little rain! Everything will be green beyond your belief, the crowds will be few, and your nature time umatched. Throw on that raincoat and some water-resistant boots and you’ll be golden–and because you’re walking beneath the largest trees on Earth, their massive limbs will provide you with a natural umbrella!

I ended up visiting in January and loved it. Note: I did get veryyyy wet on certain hikes, even with the Redwoods as our natural umbrella, and we had to forego fern canyon because it was flooded, but we had entire trails to ourselves and I couldn’t believe the color of green that encompassed us with every step. Plus, a little moody fog made the forest seem even more magical in my opinion!

Where to Stay When Visiting the Redwoods

Camping

My plan was to camp the entire time, but a massive storm blew through and flooded the campgrounds so I had to pivot halfway through and stay at a last-minute hotel. If the weather’s forgiving, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from ranging from coastal oasis’ to among the Redwoods themselves! Here are some I’d recommend:

Sue-Meg State Park
- This is more than just a campground. If you decide to spend a night or two here, make sure you work a little local exploration into the itinerary. There are tide pools, cool rock formations, and the sandy Agate Beach just a walk from your campsite. In summer, you can witness a traditional ceremony at Sumêg Village or take a hike led by a docent or professional naturalist. My favorite spot for sure. 124 sites. Open year round. $35/night
Gold Bluffs Campground (Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park)
- Situated among sand dunes with Fern Canyon just a short 5-minute drive away, Gold Bluffs Campground has a tight circle of sites and is a gem of a location. 25 sites. Open year round. $35/night

Elk Prairie Campground (Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park)
- Camp in Redwoods National Park at Elk Praire Campground, and you might even wake up to bull elk casually grazing outside your tent! I kid you not, the signs that say “Elk Habitat” do not lie. I’ve never seen so many massive elk in my entire life. Not to mention, one of my favorite hikes starts from this parking lot: Karl Knapp! There are 76 sites and 4 cabins. Open year round. $35/night
Mill Creek Campground (Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park)
- 145 campsites are carefully placed among Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park’s friendly giants. Maximum RV length is 28 feet or 24 feet for a trailer (no hookups). Open May-September. $35/night.
Jedediah Smith Campground (Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park)
- This area has one of my all-time favorite drives. There are 86 sites and the maximum RV length is 25 feet or 21 feet for a trailer (no hookups). This campground is open all year, but is only reservable May-October 1.
Wild Camping
- There’s a ton of national forest land out here, which means wild camping is another awesome option! All you need is a National Forest Pass and you’re golden. Check out apps like iOverlander, Free Campsites, and Campendium to find dispersed campsites near you!

Unique Rentals

Luffenholtz Surfside Cabin: Waterfront getaway with a hot tub and epic views. Need I say more?
Treehouse in Trinidad Friends… this house is literally built on top of a massive stump, and it’s cool as all get out too. The “Shower Grotto” is IN A REDWOOD STUMP! I mean, it doesn’t get more Redwood-y than that. If you get to stay here, please tell me how it is.
Seagull’s Bluff: Waterfront a-frame? Say less.
Serenity Redwood Retreat: This McKinleyville cabin is surrounded by Redwoods and has a cedar sauna to warm up in after a drizzly day outdoors!
Surf Sanctuary Retreat: Modern, cozy, and close to Tall Trees Grove.

Map

5 Best Hikes in the Redwoods

1) Karl Knapp/Prarie Creek to Foothill Trail (Elk Prairie State Park)

Venture out on this 2.4-mile (94’ elevation) loop trail to find a little excitement around every bend.

You’ll get to cross three bridges, walk through a Redwood tree, and see the “Big Tree” on your way back to the lot, measuring in at 286’ high, 74.5’ around, and thought to be about 150 years old. Sheeesh! Bonus points if you find the gnome.

2) Mahan Plaque Trail

I’m in love with this short 1-mile trail, and I’m not 100% sure if it’s because the Mahan Plaque Trail was my first Redwoods hike, or if it really is as magical as I remember it. This trail is on the Avenue of the Giants and you’ll need to park in a pullout to access it. I’d recommend downloading your AllTrails map and following it very closely–there are a variety of spur trails leading in all different directions and it’s very easy to get lost. Speaking from experience, ha!

The thing that blew my mind the most (aside from the sheer size of these Redwood giants) was how spacious it felt in that forest. So… clean. There are low-lying ferns and ground cover and then nothing until the Redwoods’ branches start, which is often well above my head. There’s nothing like it. You’ll have to experience to believe it!

3) Stout Memorial Grove

0.6 miles of beauty and some of the oldest trees around, dating back to about 2000 years!!! Holy f*&#! You also get to drive the most INCREDIBLE road to get there.

The road was honestly one of my favorite parts of my entire Redwoods experience. If you don’t do the trail, at least do the drive. Trust me. I’m talking a winding gravel road through impressive Redwoods (I really appreciated the natural road vs paved like the Avenue of the Giants) with plenty of hiking opportunities along the way.

Stout Memorial Grove is a wonderful stroll with a fern and sorrel understory typical of many Redwood forests–these plants can survive on a lot of moisture and low light since the Redwoods block most of those UV rays!

4) Tall Trees Grove

This is the longest hike on this list, and it’s still only 4.6 miles round trip (3.6 according to AllTrails). Tall Trees Grove has some of the oldest and tallest trees in the world, and it’s a little more open than other grove’s, so if you squint, you might be able to see all the way to the top! The first mile leads you 780’ down to the river, which means, yup, you’ve gotta make that up on the way back to the car, which is why the trail is rated moderate-strenuous. There are no obstacles or technical sections, it’s just a little steep in place, but it’s worth it!

You’ll walk through a tunnel carved into a Redwood on the way down. At the bottom you’ll find the loop that leads you past some impressive trees. The trail eventually rounds a bend and parallels the river, leading you into a completely different landscape, still with a fern-covered forest floor, but with moss-covered trees of a different type. A little change of scenery was honestly pretty nice!

Note: This hike requires a permit. It’s free, but you’ll need to reserve your spot 24-48 hours in advance to receive a code via email to allow access to the gated Tall Trees Access Road. Plan at least 4 hours for this entire adventure. RV’s over 21’ in length will not fit in the small parking area.

5) Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail

Ever wanted to stand inside of a live Redwood? The Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail has plenty of opportunities to do so. Fun fact: Redwoods actually need forest fires to help release seeds from their cones, and when these fires blow through, they sometimes burn the center of the tree, resulting in the perfect little Lost Boys fort. And the trees freaking survive. Wild, right?

Anyways, this hike has a ton of hollowed out forts to check out. If I had kids, this is where I’d take them. It’s a natural playground! It also starts out with a cool bridge–fun little added bonus!

6) Fern Canyon

This has been on my list for SO LONG! It looks magical to say the least. I mean, who doesn’t want to walk up a riverbed surrounded by ferns? It’s so cool that Jurassic Park 2: Lost Worlds (1997) and the BBC series Walking with Dinosaurs (2000) both filmed here. Unfortunately, a storm blew in with a coastal flood warning, and since this trail literally leads you up a river, we knew it would be flooded, and decided to save it for another time to be safe.

Reservations are free and required to hike the 1.1-mile loop May 15-September 15. Advanced reservations open 6 months before May 15, or you can try to snag one at 8 a.m. the day before you wish to visit. Bring your reservation to the park and expect to pay a day-use fee of $12 (cash or check only!), or if you have an America the Beautiful Pass, California State Park Annual Pass, or Poppy Pass, those work too! Be prepared to drive through two creek crossing and get your feet wet!

Bring a change of socks and shoes and have fun!!!

Leave No Trace

Always remember to leave no trace–pack out what you pack in, leave what you find, prepare for every adventure, and respect the outdoors and each other every step of the way. Learn more about how to leave no trace here.

And if you do decide to venture out, drop a comment below or shoot me an email to tell me how it went!

Happy adventuring!

5 of the Best Hikes in the Redwoods