3 days in Redwood National Park Itinerary covering all the parks!

On the Labor Day long weekend in September 2024, my husband and I took advantage of the three-day holiday to visit Redwood National Park.

We live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and Redwoods National Park is about a 5-6 hour drive one way. This collection of parks was on my bucket list, and it was great that we were finally able to visit.

I love old-growth forests and nature, so I was very excited about this road trip, and it far exceeded my expectations. There are so many incredible things to do in Redwood National and State Parks!

We spent three amazing days road-tripping through dense forests, looking at the tallest and most magnificent trees, walking some great hiking trails in the redwoods, and driving on several scenic and some challenging roads (more on this later)!

I feel the best way to experience this National Park is to enjoy the journey and the drives through the forests, stopping when you find a peaceful spot in the redwoods for some solitude.

Although it was not all rosy! My husband had many complaints about the unpaved roads that I had planned in my itinerary 🙂 Overall, it was a memorable trip that I would do again with a bit more time to enjoy the forests.

So, let’s get into the details of how, based on my own experience, you can visit the best of Redwoods National and State Parks in three days.

About the Redwood National and State Parks

Before we dive into the itinerary, it’s important to know that Redwood National Park is not just one park, it is a collection of four National and State Parks:

1. Redwoods National Park – This park stretches along the coast, with the town of Trinidad in the south and Klamath in the North. We experienced this park by driving on the Newton B Dury Scenic Pkwy, one of the most scenic drives in this area! There are some popular hikes here, like the Lady Bird Johnson Grove and Tall Trees Grove.

2. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park – This park is below Klamath and overlaps with Redwoods National Park. The Newton B Dury Scenic Pkwy cuts through the park. This park is famous for the Fern Canyon trail (reservations needed), which was one of our favorite hikes in the region. Getting to this hike is an adventure in itself (more on this in Day 1 below).

3. Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park – This park is east of Crescent City and is one of the most beautiful parks in this region. It offers many amazing hikes, such as the Simpson-Reed Trail and the Stout Grove Memorial Trail. The unpaved Howland Hill Road cuts through the park, and we drove it, although it was very challenging. You should ask my husband who was driving it 🙂

4. Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park – This park stretches along the coast between Crescent City and Klamath, offering both towering redwoods and coastal cliffs. We passed through it while driving on Highway 101 between the two towns. The forest was foggy and beautiful. We drove on the Enderts Beach Road here and stopped at the Crescent Beach Overlook for some spectacular coastline views.

I strongly advise that you arrive at your hotel/accommodation the day before so that you have three full days to explore the region. We used the later half of Day 3 to drive back to the Bay area, but it was a very long day.

We stayed in Klamath at the beautiful historic Requa Inn which was a good central location to explore all the parks. Klamath does not have many food options, but we stayed in a cottage that had a kitchen, so we were good as we brought some prepared foods with us.

Trinidad is also a good location to stay, with several restaurants.

Important Tip: Cellphone signal was spotty or non-existent in most places, so make sure to download offline maps of the entire area on your phone. We did that, and it was very useful for navigation.

Day 1: Fern Canyon Trail at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Newton Drury Scenic Drive

On Day 1, we started early and hiked the Fern Canyon Trail at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, which was the highlight of our trip.

To reach the Fern Canyon trail, we drove on the incredibly scenic Newton B Dury Scenic Pkwy and the highly challenging unpaved Davison Road.

Before we started, we first had a nice breakfast at Requa Inn.

We did not see any food options in any of the parks, and in general, the restaurants are either in Crescent City or Trinidad, so plan accordingly. Carry enough snacks and water for the road and hikes.

Newton B Dury Scenic Pkwy

When driving between Klamath and Trinidad, I highly recommend taking the Newton B Dury Scenic Pkwy, which runs parallel to Highway 101 for around 10 miles. It is a paved two-lane road with no vehicle restrictions. Plan for around 20-30 minutes for this drive without any stops. We didn’t stop here, just drove through.

This was our favorite drive from the entire trip! It winds through one of the most beautiful stretches of old-growth redwoods in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

Prairie Creek Visitor Center and Elk Meadow

Towards the southern end of Newton B Dury Scenic Pkwy, we stopped at the Prairie Creek Visitor Center to pick up a park map.

Right next to the visitor center is Elk Meadow. Make sure to stop here and look for Roosevelt Elk.

When we stopped by in the morning, there was a herd of elk grazing in the meadow. There is a small trail here to see them up close, but I didn’t go too far in, as there was no fence to keep them away, just in case. Elk are wild and can be unpredictable, and it’s best to keep your distance from them.

Davison Road

Davison Road is a narrow, unpaved road that leads to the popular Fern Canyon Trail in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The road is about 7 miles long, winding through a lush forest of towering redwoods.

This drive is not for the faint of heart, and my husband hated driving it in our minivan! It is a very narrow road through the mountains with two-way traffic. We had to go very slow due to the narrow, uneven road, and it took around 30 minutes to drive the 6 miles.

The last part of it goes parallel to the beach, and while this part of the road is wider, it has potholes, so we had to go even slower.

Finally, we reached the Gold Bluffs Beach Day Use Area. There is a small parking lot here for about 10 cars.

In the last mile of Davison Road, there are three stream crossings to reach the Fern Canyon trailhead. When we reached the first stream crossing, it seemed about a foot deep, and the dip was quite a bit. We did not want to drive through it in case our car got stuck. Also, we didn’t know what to expect for the other two stream crossings ahead.

So we parked at the Gold Bluffs Beach Day Use area and walked the 1.1-mile to the Fern Canyon trailhead. The other 2 stream crossings were not that bad, and we could have driven to the trailhead.

We visited in the fall when the water levels were quite low. During spring and early summer, the streams might have a lot more water, so pass at your own risk, as you would know your car best.

Note: You need a reservation to visit the Fern Canyon Trail during the summer months, typically May 15 to September 15. Online reservations can be made here.

Fern Canyon Trail

After our adventure on Davison Road and walking the last mile, we reached the Fern Canyon Trail. Fern Canyon was our favorite hike on this entire trip.

This is one of those hikes where the scenery seems unreal — towering walls covered in lush ferns, trickling streams, and towering redwoods all around. The trail isn’t long, just around a mile, but it feels like walking through a prehistoric landscape. This is fitting, considering the movie Jurrasic Park: The Lost World was filmed here!

It is not an actual trail, it’s just walking through a stream bed between canyon walls covered with fern.

When we visited in September, the water in the stream was low, and wooden boards were placed to cross the sections with more water. There might be a lot more water in the stream during the rainy months of winter and spring, so waterproof hiking boots are a good idea.

Gold Bluffs Beach

As we were parked at the Gold Bluffs Beach Day Use parking lot, we went to the beach to check it out. It is very peaceful and secluded and has the whitest sand. There is a campground here as well, for camping next to the beach.

More things to do nearby

If you are looking for more easy hikes after the Fern Canyon, below are some other popular trails I came across during my research for our trip.

• Trillium Falls—This 2.5-loop trail leads to the small cascading Trillium Falls. We were planning to do this hike, but we ran out of time as we had to walk the extra 2 miles to get to the Fern Canyon trailhead.
• Lady Bird Johnson Grove – This is a 1.5-mile loop trail popular for old-growth redwoods. To reach the trailhead, you have to drive around 3 miles on Bald Hills Road, which is another unpaved narrow road like Davison Road. We didn’t attempt this one after Davison Road.
• Tall Trees Grove – This 3.4-mile loop trail has around 800 feet of elevation (descend and then back up). It is on the unpaved Bald Hills Road. Reservations are needed to visit Tall Trees Grove, which can be made online here.

After Day 1, if you are looking for dinner restaurants, Trinidad is about 30 miles south and has several restaurants. Trinidad Bay Eatery was on my list of recommended restaurants. We went back to our cottage and ate there as we had a kitchen.

Day 2: Trees of Mystery, Jeddidah Smith Redwoods State Park, Crescent City

On Day 2, we went North of Klamath towards Crescent City and explored Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and its trails.

We also explored Crescent City and the Battery Point Lighthouse.

Trees of Mystery

On our way to Jeddidah Smith Redwoods State Park, we stopped at Trees of Mystery. This attraction is hard to miss while driving on 101, with the 40+ foot-tall statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Ox in the parking lot.

This is a paid attraction and we paid $30 per adult. I felt it was a beautiful, well-preserved forest with several attractions that were worthy of the price.

We walked through a well-maintained forest trail with several unique trees to reach the redwood canopy trail.

The Redwood Canopy Trail with suspension bridges was really fun to walk on among tall redwoods.

After we exited the canopy trail, we boarded the Skytrail gondola that took us up the mountain between redwoods. There is a challenging hike down if you are up for it, we just took the gondola back down.

There are several more nice trails with redwood artwork depicting the tales of Paul Bunyan and a cute ‘I love you’ photo op here.

You can spend the whole day here, but at a minimum, plan for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Tip: Go at opening time or towards the end of the day at closing time. We reached at 9 AM when it opened and the forest and trails was so much more peaceful. When we were leaving around 11 AM, it was a lot more crowded.

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

After Trees of Mystery, we went to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. I think this was my favorite state park of all. It has the most impressive dense old growth redwood forests.

The park offers many beautiful hikes through redwood groves, such as the Simpson Reed Trail, Stout Grove Memorial Trail, and the Grove Of Titans Trail. The Smith River flows through the park, and during the summer months, there is a wooden footbridge on the river.

We did a loop drive through the park, going east from Crescent City on Hwy 199 and then coming back west via the unpaved Howland Hill Road.

Simpson Reed Trail

Our first stop in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park while going east on Hwy 199 was the Simpson Reed Trail. This is an easy 1-mile flat loop through a beautiful redwood grove with ferns and creeks.

Tip: Parking is extremely limited, but the park ranger told us that we could park further up Walker Road on the side as long as we didn’t block the road.

Hiouchi Visitor Center

The Hiouchi Visitor Center is a good stop to get information about upcoming programs and trail conditions.

Plus, it’s a good restroom stop. Most trailheads in the Redwood National and State Parks have vault-style restrooms, so make sure to stop at Visitor Centers for restrooms with running water.

A little east of Hiouchi Visitor Center, we found the sign for the Redwood National and State Parks. We saw several more along Highway 101, but this is where we clicked our picture with the sign.

Stout Grove Memorial Trail

The Stout Grove Memorial Trail is a short 0.5-mile loop through a breathtaking grove of massive old-growth redwoods. This is where we saw the most impressive fallen trees, which may be why it’s called a Memorial Trail.

Getting to the trail was another story. The parking lot here is very small, and the ranger at the visitor center told us we could park at the Jedediah Smith Campground Day Use Area and reach the Stout Grove trail by crossing the summer footbridge on Smith River.

Well, as it was the long weekend, we didn’t want to take risks with the parking, so we did as the ranger suggested. That made the half-mile trail much longer for us. We walked the entire length of the campground, crossed the footbridge, and finally were able to walk the Stout Grove trail.

The Smith River is really beautiful, and the footbridge during the summer months adds to the adventure.

Howland Hill Road

Stout Grove Memorial Trail is on the east end of Howland Hill Road. Do you remember the unpaved Davison Road from Day 1? Howland Hill Road is a similarly narrow, unpaved road that winds through the heart of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, offering some of the best close-up views of towering old-growth redwoods.

Well, we didn’t have time to look up from the road to see the trees, as navigating the road was very challenging. I could sense that my husband was not a happy driver on this drive 🙂

The road was 10 miles long and took us an hour. If I had to do it again, I would have gone back from Stout Grove trailhead towards Hwy 199 and not drive the full length of Howland Hill Road.

Well, we made it to the other side and were so happy to be done driving on this road. There are some popular trails on Howland Hill Road, like Grove of Titans and Boy Scout Tree Trail, if you are up for longer hikes.

Battery Point Lighthouse

It was evening when we reached Crescent City after exploring Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. We stopped at Battery Point Lighthouse to take a picture from afar, as I had read that you can only visit the Lighthouse during low tide when the water level is low enough to cross.

To our excitement, it was low tide that evening, and the rocky path to the Lighthouse was available. There were a lot of people there, tide-pooling and visiting the Lighthouse.

The Lighthouse building itself was closed, but we sat there for some time, looking at the ocean and sea stacks. We also saw some seals sitting on rocks.

Dinner in Crescent City

Afterward, we ate at Seascape Brewery in Crescent City, and the pizzas were good here. This restaurant was huge compared to the small town and seemed like a popular hangout for locals. Families were chilling on the front lawn, enjoying the long weekend.

Crescent Beach Overlook

On our way back to Klamath, we drove on Enderts Beach Rd to Crescent Beach Overlook. This drive is part of the Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park.

It’s a short paved drive off Hwy 101 to reach the overlook, which I think is a must-see. There is a nice wooden platform here with sweeping views of the long and secluded Crescent Beach and the ocean.

We spent some time here looking at the peaceful views, this is a great place to watch the sunset over the ocean.

There is a trail here that goes down to the beach, but we didn’t try it as we had our fill of hiking for the day!

Day 3: Avenue of the Giants Drive, Sue-Meg State Park, Trinidad

On Day 3, we started our drive back to the Bay area and had some stops planned for the day.

First, we stopped at the small but beautiful Sue-Meg State Park north of Trinidad before having brunch in Trinidad. Then, on our way back home, we drove the Avenue of the Giants scenic drive and did some hikes there.

Technically, none of these are part of the Redwood National and State Parks, but if you are going back south toward San Francisco, these would be good stops along the way.

If you are coming from the north, i.e., from Oregon, you can still spend a day doing these or go back to any of the Redwood National and State Parks for more hikes.

Sue-Meg State Park

Sue-Meg State Park is a small one-mile square park with excellent coastal trails and ocean views.

It is popular for the Wedding Rock Overlook and trail, hiking along the perimeter of the Rim Trail, exploring Agate Beach, tide pooling, and visiting the newly reconstructed Sumeg Village, which offers insight into the local Native American heritage.

There is a $8 fee to enter, and there are several parking lots at trailheads. We had a long day ahead of us, so went to the Wedding Rock Overlook and the Sumeg Village.

There is a trail that goes all the way up to the Wedding Rock, which is steep and has stone steps. The overlook trail is short and easy, and the views from the overlook are really great. If staying in Trinidad, this would be another great place for watching the sunset.

Lunch in Trinidad

After our quick stop at Sue-Meg, we went to Beachcombers Cafe in Trinidad. It’s a really cool place with great coffee and sandwiches! The outdoor seating was nice. Another option is Trinidad Eatery, which is a few blocks down the road.

Avenue of the Giants Drive

The Avenue of the Giants is a 31-mile scenic drive through the heart of Humboldt Redwoods State Park, with some of the tallest and oldest redwoods in the world.

This paved road runs parallel to Highway 101, with plenty of spots to pull over and walk among the towering trees, explore short trails, or visit quiet picnic areas.

This drive had its own appeal, with some really giant redwood trees growing right along the side of the road.

We explored the stops below in the order of north to south and spent around 3 hours on this drive.

The Grieg-French-Bell Grove—This was the prettiest grove in all of the state parks, mainly due to the beautiful ground cover of redwood sorrel. It is a must-visit if you are on this road; it is only a 0.5-mile loop.

Immortal Tree – A famous redwood tree over 1000 years old that has survived lightning, fire, and logging attempts. Quick stop with parking, and there is a nice store here to buy redwood items.

Mattole Road and Big Trees Day Use Area—As if we had not had our fill of narrow, windy roads, we drove a bit on Mattole Road until the Big Trees Day Use area. This road has some of the oldest redwood forests, which are well-preserved. The Big Trees trail was undergoing construction, so we didn’t explore much here. There was a footbridge over the creek here to see the Giant Tree.

Founders Grove Nature Loop Trail—This must be one of the most popular groves on Avenue of Giants, as it was the most crowded but also the most impressive. The trail is a 0.5-mile loop with many unique trees and the incredible fallen Dyerville Giant.

Chimney Tree – A hollow redwood tree that survived a fire. You can enter the tree through a cute red door to see a unique hollow trunk all the way to the top. The tree is still living with a lot of growth around the trunk. This is a quick stop from the parking lot.

The Shrine Drive Thru Tree paid attraction is on this drive. We didn’t drive through this one as we had previously been through the one at Leggett. Also, honestly, I don’t get the hype of driving your car through a tree trunk.

We ate at Avenue Cafe, which was okay—nothing great. If I had to do it again, I would pack food and have a picnic in one of the picnic areas in the redwood groves. There is also a large picnic area at the Visitor Center with restrooms.

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After filling our hearts with redwood forests, we made the long 5-hour drive back to the San Francisco Bay Area.

Where to stay for Redwoods National Park

Redwood National and State Parks are spread out between the towns of Crescent City and Trinidad, so you can make either of those your base and drive to all the parks. We stayed in Klamath, but I have also listed some good options in Trinidad and Crescent City.

Historic Requa Inn in Klamath

We stayed at the Historic Requa Inn in Klamath in a cozy cottage with a full kitchen, a king bed and a queen bed. It can easily accommodate a group of 4.

The location worked perfectly for exploring the redwood parks to the north and south of Klamath. The inn offers made-to-order breakfast (extra charge), which was great.

The Inn is historic and adults-only, but its cottages can accommodate families. The largest cottage, Requa House, sleeps 10 and is at the top of the hill with a beautiful view of the ocean. It was just a short walk uphill from our cottage.

Trinidad

After visiting Trinidad, I felt it was a good location to stay if you are coming from the south. Next time we might choose to stay here. Some great options that I had short-listed for our stay are listed below.

View Crest Lodge has a collection of cottages with 1 or 2 bedrooms in a forest setting. The cottages have full kitchens, which would be handy to fix quick meals. This accommodation is north of Trinidad near Sue-Meg State Park. I had checked here for our trip but it was sold out for our dates.

Trinidad Bay Bed and Breakfast is in a great location right in the town and within walking distance to restaurants, Trinidad Harbor, and Trinidad State Beach. The stay here includes a freshly cooked 3-course breakfast!

Lost Whale Inn Oceanfront B&B is a boutique hotel with eight beautifully appointed rooms. Your stay includes a seven-course breakfast and evening appetizers with wine. The property has a spa and ocean trails. This would be a great romantic getaway hotel for a couple!

Crescent City

I found Crescent City to have more hotels than Trinidad, but most of them were low-key or had bad reviews about the cleanliness or staff. These are a few options that had decent reviews during my research.

Oceanview Inn is in a great location in town and within walking distance of plenty of restaurants and Battery Point Lighthouse. Includes free breakfast.

Best Western Plus Northwoods Inn is a good option with free breakfast and at a convenient location in town next to restaurants.

➡️ Check my detailed blog about where to stay when visiting Redwood National Park.

Travel Tips for Visiting Redwoods National Park

Below are some tips for your visit to the redwoods based on our travel experience:

When is the best time to visit Redwood Nationals Park?

Late Spring, Summer, and Fall are the best times to visit Redwood National Park.

Spring is when the forests are the most lush and green, but the trails can be muddy, and there can be rainy days.

Summer is when the parks are the most crowded, and the best trails, like Fern Canyon, need reservations. We went on Labor Day weekend, which was around the end of the summer season. Compared to other California National Parks, I think redwoods are so far up north that they still feel less crowded even in summer.

Fall would have the least crowds, and though it won’t be that green and lush, you might also find dry trails.

Winter is usually cold and rainy, and some of the unpaved narrow roads might be hard to navigate in the rain.

How many days do you need to explore Redwood National and State Parks?

I think three days were perfect to explore the highlights of each of the parks and we drove on most scenic drives and hiked some of the best trails. Four days might be even better and you can explore some more hikes.

How to get there?

Redwood National Park and the State Parks are on the very northern end of the California coast between Crescent City and Trinidad. Highway 101 is the freeway that connects all of these parks. If you are driving from California or Oregon, you will need a car.

If you are flying in, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Portland are the major airports in the region. Redwood National Park is around a 5.5-6 hour drive from either San Francisco, Sacramento, or Portland.

You will need a car to explore the collection of National and State Parks, and you should be comfortable driving on windy coastal and mountain roads.

Is Redwoods National Park worth visiting?

If you love forests, unique trees, nature, or hiking, then you will love Redwoods National Park. It felt like a whole different world with just these huge and majestic trees and none of the usual touristy stuff.

I felt so small and humble standing beneath these tall giants that have been standing for thousands of years. Even though the Redwood National and State Parks are a bit of a drive to get to, I feel they are totally worth visiting!

Where do you need reservations?

You will need reservations to visit the Fern Canyon trail from May 15th to September 15th, which you can get online here. Tall Trees Grove also needs reservations which are available here.

If you are planning to camp at any of the campgrounds, then you will need prior reservations.

Is it free to visit Redwood National Park?

Yes, visiting Redwood National and State Parks is free. We did not need to pay the National Park entrance fee.

Hiking the Fern Canyon requires a $12 fee, but it is waived if you have the ‘America the Beautiful’ annual pass, which we did.

Which are the best hikes in Redwoods National Park?

While best is subjective, as everyone enjoys hikes differently, I believe Fern Canyon is one of the best hikes here. It is unique, with fern-covered canyon walls and walking through the stream. Stout Grove Memorial Trail in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is my favorite, too.

What to pack for Redwoods National Park trip?

The weather in this area is usually towards the colder side due to coast and the tall redwoods blocking the sun. It was also foggy in the mornings when we visited, which added to the beauty of the forests.

My best advice would be to dress in layers so that you can adapt based on the weather. Here is what I suggest you should pack for your trip:

• Layered clothes – full hiking pants, lightweight t-shirts
• A hoodie or sweater
• Waterproof jacket in case it rains
• Beanie (I never go anywhere without mine!)
• Good walking shoes
• Waterproof hiking boots for Fern Canyon Trail
• Hiking poles (if you like to use them on uneven trails)
• Plenty of water
• Snacks and lunch – There is no food to purchase in the parks. The closest restaurants are in Crescent City or Trinidad.
• Camera (or, if you are like me, just your phone)
• First-aid kit and any medications

Final Takeaways: Redwoods National and State Parks Itinerary

Visiting the Redwood National and State Parks was every bit as amazing as I had imagined. My husband and I love forests and trees, and we also love hiking in nature, so it was the best way to spend our long weekend.

Although three days were not enough to see everything, my itinerary covered a lot, and we got to see all the parks and main trails. We definitely want to come back in the future and spend more time in the region exploring the forests.

Read my detailed blogs about some of the places we explored in our Redwoods trip:

• Incredible Fern Canyon hike in Redwood National Park
• Avenue of the Giants: Scenic Redwoods Drive
• My visit to Stout Grove in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park