Where to Stay in Redwood National and State Parks

When I visited the Redwood National Park, the trip planning was a learning experience. Redwood National Park is not just one park, it is a collection of four national and state parks – Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and Redwood National Park.

I was a bit surprised to see how scattered all the state parks are between the coastal cities of Cresent City in the north and Trinidad in the south. It was quite a drive to get from one park to another.

I did a lot of research on the ideal location to stay for our 3 day Redwood National Park trip to minimize driving time.

We chose to stay at the Historic Requa Inn in Klamath as it was centrally located between the parks to the north and south.

Although I absolutely loved where we stayed, after our trip, I realized that Cresent City and Trinidad could also be good base locations depending on whether you are coming from Oregon or California.

So, let’s get into the details of the best places to stay when visiting the Redwoods in Northern California!

Klamath

Klamath in California is one of the most convenient places to stay if you’re planning to explore all the state parks in the north and the south.

This small town sits right along the Klamath River and is just a 40-minute drive to both Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park in the north and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (where the Fern Canyon hike is) in the south.

The only disadvantage is that the accommodation and restaurant options are extremely limited here.

Pros and cons of staying in Klamath

• Pros: Centrally located to all parks
• Cons: Limited accommodation and food options

Historic Requa Inn

The Historic Requa Inn is in Klamath, and this is where we stayed. The main Inn is for adults only, but they have some cottages that can accommodate families.

We stayed in the Requa Cottage, which was cozy with a living area, a full kitchen, and a loft with a king bed and queen bed. Although it was just me and my husband, it could easily accommodate a group of 4. The cover photo is the exterior of our cottage with a picnic table and fire pit.

Their Requa House unit up the hill can accommodate a group of 10 people.

The inn offers cooked-to-order breakfast (extra charge), and it was great. We had a kitchen in the cottage and some prepared foods with us, so we were able to manage our dinners.

The inn is small, so it sells out fast. If this is where you are planning to stay, then I would recommend booking your stay early on.

Holiday Inn Express Klamath

If Requa Inn is sold out for your dates, a decent option in Klamath is the Holiday Inn Express Klamath, which has free breakfast. It offers the same central location as Requa Inn, just basic accommodation. This was my second choice, but luckily, I was able to book at Requa Inn.

Trinidad

Trinidad is around a 50-minute drive south of Klamath. After the trip, I realized that for folks coming from California like me, staying in Trinidad would make the initial drive shorter.

Let me explain – It took us 6.5 hours to drive from the San Francisco Bay Area to Klamath, but if we were staying in Trinidad, it would have only taken us 5.5 hours to reach here. It would have added more time the next day to visit the parks in the north, but that’s only an hour one-way.

So, if you are visiting from San Francisco, Sacramento, or anywhere from the south, Trinidad can be a good base. After a busy day hiking and exploring, you can relax in this coastal town and have a nice dinner at one of its restaurants.

We stopped at Trinidad on our way back home and ate at Beachcombers Cafe, which had really good coffee and sandwiches. There are several other nice restaurants here, like Trinidad Eatery and Larrupin’ Cafe. It felt like a great, safe town to walk around.

Pros and cons of staying in Trinidad

• Pros: More accommodation and restaurant options, closer to Prairie Creek State Park and California cities
• Cons: An hour’s drive to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park in the north

Below are some of my recommendations for staying in Trinidad:

View Crest Lodge offers cozy 1- and 2-bedroom cottages nestled in a forest setting. Each cottage comes with a full kitchen, perfect for preparing quick meals. This lodging is located just north of Trinidad, close to Sue-Meg State Park. I looked into staying here for our trip, but it was fully booked for our dates.

Trinidad Bay Bed and Breakfast is ideally located in town, just a short walk from local restaurants, Trinidad Harbor, and Trinidad State Beach. A stay here also includes a delicious, freshly prepared 3-course breakfast!

Lost Whale Inn Oceanfront B&B is a charming boutique hotel featuring eight beautifully designed rooms. Guests enjoy a seven-course breakfast and evening appetizers with wine. The property also offers a spa and access to oceanfront trails. This looks like a great place to stay for a romantic getaway for couples.

Crescent City

Crescent City is around a 30-minute drive north of Klamath. It is only 10 minutes from the west entrance of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.

I feel Crescent City is a good base for folks coming from the north, i.e., from Oregon, as it is only about 30 minutes from Brookings, Oregon.

We stopped at Cresent City for dinner on our way back after exploring Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. We ate at Seascape Brewery (great pizzas!) and then checked out the Battery Point Lighthouse.

While Cresent City is a great coastal city, the hotels here are quite basic, and in my research, I didn’t find many with good recent reviews.

Pros and cons of staying in Crescent City

• Pros: More accommodation and restaurant options, closer to Jeddidah Smith Park and Oregon.
• Cons: Most accommodations are basic, and it is an hour’s drive to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park and Fern Canyon hike in the south.

Below are a couple of decent options that I found when I was researching for my own trip:

Oceanview Inn is conveniently located in town, within walking distance of restaurants and the Battery Point Lighthouse, and offers free breakfast.

Best Western Plus Northwoods Inn is a decent option as well. It offers free breakfast and is in a prime location near local dining options.

Eureka and Arcata

Eureka and Arcata are further south of Trinidad, and I feel staying there would be too far to explore the parks in the north, like Jeddidah Smith State Park, which I believe is one of the best parks in the area.

Also, when we drove past Eureka on Hwy 101, it didn’t look very appealing or safe to me, so I wouldn’t recommend it. Trinidad, Klamath, or Crescent City are better options.

Campgrounds

Although I am not a fan of camping, camping in Redwood National and State Parks is an option for those who want a more immersive experience with the redwoods.

There are several great campgrounds, each in different sections of the state parks.

Jedediah Smith Campground: Situated along the Smith River, this campground offers a peaceful riverside setting. It’s a great spot for those wanting to experience the redwood groves and hiking trails of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and the scenic Howland Hill Road. We parked in the day-use area of this campground to access the Stout Memorial Grove trail.

Elk Prairie Campground: Located in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, this campground is surrounded by towering redwoods and offers a forest setting. You might even spot Roosevelt elk grazing nearby. When we were going to the Fern Canyon trail, we stopped at the Elk Meadow, which is close to the campground, and saw a herd of elk!

Gold Bluffs Beach Campground: This campground is in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, right on Gold Bluffs Beach and next to the Fern Canyon trailhead. To reach this campground, you have to drive on the unpaved and windy Davison Road. We parked here at the day-use area for the Fern Canyon hike.

Mill Creek Campground: Near Crescent City, this large, forested campground is in Del Norte Redwoods State Park.

Final Takeaways: Where to stay when visiting Redwood National Park

No matter which town you choose to stay when visiting Redwood National and State Parks, I am sure you will have an amazing experience as the entire area between Trinidad and Cresent City is filled with amazing redwood groves and forests waiting to be explored.

Up next, check my list of things to do in Redwood National and State Parks from our visit!