Redwood National Park in northwestern California holds some of the tallest living things on Earth — trees up to 380 feet, many of them 500 to 700 years old. But here's the twist that catches most visitors out: the national park is only one quarter of the Redwood National and State Parks complex. Several of the most famous redwood sights, like Fern Canyon and the Grove of the Titans, actually sit in the neighbouring state parks of Jedediah Smith, Del Norte Coast and Prairie Creek. Together, the four parks protect roughly half of the world's remaining old-growth coastal redwoods — remarkable considering logging wiped out nearly 90% of these forests by the early 20th century.
The good news is that the national park's highlights cluster along one road, Bald Hills Road, so you can cover the essentials in half a day and still have time for a state park in the afternoon.
Start early at the Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail, a flat 1.4-mile loop through both old-growth and second-growth redwoods. It's the most popular trail in the park, and the small parking lot fills by midday — one visitor in September nabbed one of the last spaces at noon. Arriving early or late means sharing the giants with fewer people.
Next, a quick stop at Redwood Creek Overlook for a panoramic view over miles of forest canopy. Honest verdict: it's pleasant but can't compete with standing inside a grove. It's better known as a sunset spot, so save it for evening if you're passing by.
Then pick your afternoon hike. The standout is Tall Trees Grove, a 3.5-to-4.5-mile round trip with a steady downhill walk through what many consider the park's most impressive forest, ending at a grove of past and present record-holders for the world's tallest tree. The catch — and the charm — is the permit. Access requires a free online reservation; you're emailed a gate code the day before to unlock the access road. The permit caps numbers, making this the quietest big-tree experience in the national park. If you'd rather skip the permit and the climb, the Trillium Falls Trail is a solid alternative: a moderate walk through old-growth forest to a small waterfall, best done as a half-mile out-and-back rather than the full loop, since the scenery thins out afterwards.
Practicalities: the park sits about two hours south of the Oregon border, with Klamath, Crescent City and Eureka as the most convenient bases. Half a day covers the national park's highlights; a full day lets you add a state park. Budget the extra time if you can — the state parks hold some of the region's true icons, and driving Howland Hill Road or the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway is a far more scenic affair than Bald Hills Road, which is functional rather than spectacular.
This corner of California suits travellers who like their wonders with a bit of effort: a reserved gate code, a downhill trail, fallen logs to climb over — and the reward of standing alone beneath trees that were saplings when the Roman Empire still existed.
