Redwood Creek
Redwood National and State Parks
1111 Second Street
Crescent City, CA 95531
707-464-6101
The Redwood National and State Parks are home to some of the world’s tallest trees which are old-growth coast redwoods. They can live to be 2000 years old and grow to over 300 feet tall. Spruce, hemlock, Douglas-fir, berry bushes, and sword ferns create a canopy that towers over all visitors. The parks’ habitats include prairie/oak woodlands, mighty rivers and streams and thirty-seven miles of pristine Pacific coastline.
The cooperative management of the great forest involves three California state parks and the National Park Service. These include Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, and Redwood National Park, which comprise 45 percent of all the old-growth redwood forest remaining in California. Together these parks are a World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve, protecting resources cherished by citizens of many nations.
Mackie and I hiked the Tall Trees Trail (and linked it with Emerald Ridge) during our visit to the Redwood National Park. The hike is a four mile loop that takes you down into a gorge and right next to some of the largest trees in the world. The trip is great whether you make it a day hike or an overnight backpacking trip, but watch the trail carefully along Redwood Creek. It’s not well marked in spots (although there are usually footprints to follow).
- click to see trail photos from this backpacking trip in Redwood National Park: July 23, 1996
- click to yourhikes.com for a brief trip report of this hike to Redwood Creek: July 23, 1996
- click to see a backpacker log report of this overnight camping trip among the Redwoods: July 23, 1996
- click to view maps of hiking trails along the California coast: area map, detailed map, park map, profile map*
- click for the Other Destinations discussion forum
- click to access the guidebook 100 Classic Hikes in Northern California which has details on this destination
- click for other California hiking and backpacking books
- click for links to other outdoor books and magazines
- click here to add your hike, trip report, or feedback for this destination
- note, the * indicates these items are not linked but are awaiting development