Redwood National Park
Probably the most known of any park containing redwoods is the National Park. This park was dedicated in 1968 and was expanded 10 years later. The park now contains 131,968 acres, 19,640 of which is old-growth forest, meaning it has not been logged. These old-growth areas are quite special considering 96 percent of original old-growth stands have been logged. There is no fee for entering the National Park. For more information, call (707) 464-6101.
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
A major tributary consisting of the Smith River and Mill Creek runs through this park, which makes most of it water shed land. There are approximately 20 miles of trails that hikers may enjoy. The park was created in 1929 and its rivers have always been known for its King Salmon and Steelhead Trout. The campground is open year-round but day use and overnight fees apply. For more information, call (707) 458-3018.
Del Norte Redwoods State Park
If you enjoy walking trails along the coast, then this may be a park you want to visit. There is about 8 miles of shoreline in this park, a few mile of which are sandy beach. Created in 1929, this park is made up of about 50 percent old-growth redwoods. Fog is quite common in this park, as it is with several others as well. All that fog helps contribute to the moisture the trees need. Campgrounds are open from the beginning of May until the end of September. For more information, call (707) 465-2146.
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
This park is a designated World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve. The understory of vegetation beneath the canopy is extremely dense and lush due to all the moisture from fog and precipitation. There are six campgrounds which are open year-round and 75 miles of trails and 10 miles of beach to meander on. For more information, call (707) 465-7347.
Humboldt Redwoods State Park
The first Memorial Grove of redwoods was dedicated in this park in 1921 by the Save the Redwoods League. This is one of the larger state parks at 53,000 acres, nearly a third of which is old-growth forest, including Rockefeller Forest which is the largest old-growth forest in the world today. Throughout the park, there are more than 100 miles of trails open year-round and more than 250 camp sites which are open seasonally. For more information, call the park visitor center at (707) 946-2263.
Other Parks
There are many other parks such Big Basin Red Woods State Park and Hendy Woods State Park. There are also ones in Big Sur, the San Francisco Bay area, Mendocino and Sonoma counties and along the northern coast which contain logged forests which are dominantly redwoods. Be prepared for rain in any of these parks from November to May.
