Redwood National Park

Redwood National Park is among the best places to see old-growth redwood forests. You can easily start your visit at the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center, located about 19 miles (31 miles) north of Trinidad along the California coast, and follow the Redwood Highway (US Highway 101) and Bald Hills Road inland to the Lady Bird Johnson Grove, a tranquil grove of redwoods and Douglas fir trees named after the conservation-minded former first lady. (The national park has no formal entrance station.)

• Redwood National Park is always free to enter, though some areas in the state parks have day-use fees.

• Weather in the park can be unpredictable; dress in layers and be prepared for damp weather even in summer.

• Cell phone service is limited in many areas of the park, so plan accordingly.

• The visitor centers and many public areas within the park are accessible to visitors with mobility needs. Wheelchairs and beach wheelchairs are available.

• Campgrounds are well developed and require reservations; backcountry backpacking requires permits and fees.

• Practice Leave No Trace principles: Properly dispose of all waste, leave what you find, and never feed or approach wildlife.

Redwood National Park is accessible by car via US Highway 101, which runs through the heart of the park. The Redwood Coast Transit bus route #20 runs from Arcata to the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center. Alternatively, visitors can take Amtrak trains to nearby stations in Arcata and rent a car for the remainder of the journey.

Redwood National Park is always open, and has damp, cool weather year-round, though summer brings slightly warmer temps and less rain (though potentially more fog). The visitor center keeps seasonal hours daily in summer from 9am to 5pm, and is open from 9am to 4pm during the rest of the year. It’s closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

Naturalists “discovered” Hyperion, said to be the world’s tallest tree, in Redwood National Park in 2006, near a different tree that was formerly the tallest on record. While Hyperion is taller than the Statue of Liberty, it’s thinner, and not necessarily more impressive than other redwoods found within the park. It’s also off limits to hikers, who are encouraged to visit maintained trails to protect the forest ecosystem.