Redwood National Park

Use the park page to learn about local hiking, nature, trailheads, trail and route maps, and groups that meet here. If you know something about this area. Please feel welcome to write about it here.

General Information

Trailheads

We currently do not have any record of trailheads in this park.

Routes and Trails You Can Travel

We currently do not have any record of good routes in this park.

Hiking

Pets are not allowed on the trails at the park, and the park generally has very restrictive rules about pets.

Trails

Some of the shorter trails in the park that are meant for pleasant and scenic walking are

1) Stout Grove Trail - this is about half a mile trail among colossal redwoods
thriving in the rich soils of the Smith River floodplain. There are not many plants under the redwood trees, which makes it possible to see the full stature of the 300-foot coast redwoods.

2) Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail - This is about a mile and a half long trail that is also a historic walk through old-growth redwood, Douglas fir, and tanoak trees. The trail leads to the site where
Lady Bird Johnson dedicated Redwood National Park in 1968.

3) Circle Trail - another half-mile trail beginning at the Big Tree wayside. This trail leads to Big Tree via an old-growth redwood forest. The Big Tree is one of the largest in the area.

There are also a large number of much longer trails at the park.

Climate and Weather

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History

Wildlife

There are many animals that can be spotted at the park. One such animal is the Roosevelt Elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti) which happens to be the largest subspecies of Elk in all ofNorth America. These animals were once on the verge of extinction earlier during this century, but through careful work of scientists, park officials, and law enforcement, the populations of these elk have been restored to much higher numbers.

While the elk may be spotted anywhere in the park, they tend to be most spotted in specific spots. If you want to spot the elk on your trip here, try these spots: Elk Prairie, Elk Meadow, Gold Bluffs Beach, or Bald Hills Road.

Be careful when you drive inside the park. Elk can suddenly appear on the road and cause you to have to swerve, or hit them in a collision. Adult males can weigh up to 1,200 pounds so these are pretty formidable animals. You also don't want to approach them too closely while you are in the park. They may look friendly, but they are pretty aggressive if they feel threatened and have to defend their family.

Birds

There are many different species of birds that either visit the park on their migration journeys, or live there year-round. One bird that gets a lot of attention is the Marbled Murrelet which is currently close to being extinct. These birds get their food from the Pacific Ocean by hunting for small fish there during the day. They are very sensitive to the changes of the ocean ecosystem as it directly impacts their diets.

Some of the birds that are common at Redwood forests are jays, ravens and crows. Due to the forests having been cut down and thinner than before, these birds who tend to live on edges of the forests now can hunt for food in places that were once too deep and inaccessible in the forest. It may seem like a good thing that these birds now have more places to hunt, but it hurts bird and animal populations that once found safety in the depths of the forests. The Marbled Murrelet is one such species as these birds tend to hunt for its eggs and young offspring.

Trees

While there are a number of different trees present at the park, the tree that gets the most interest here is the California Redwood. A little background about the history and biological background of the tree is that right now, the Redwood trees only grow in Northern California. These trees used to be much more prevalent throughout the world during prehistoric times. Redwoods thrive when there is an abundance of water since they need so much water to help provide nutrients to their gigantic frames.

In Northern California, the trees get much of their water from the coastal for that comes in from the Pacific Ocean. But that may be about to change. Some scientists predict that the rise in global temperature levels will cause a decrease in the fog, which might have a negative effect on the Redwoods.

Here is some information about the Giant Sequoia. This tree grows relatively fast and lives for a very long time (some over 3,000 years). It is the most massive tree in the world. The tree grows only in Northern California, on the western slopes of Sierra and Nevada Mountains in Central California. It grows to just over 311 feet (95 m) and 40 feet (12 m) wide.

Here is some information about the Coastal Redwoods. These trees are the tallest trees in
the world and tend to grow in sense forest stands along nutrient-rich river bars and flood plains,
protected from the wind. These trees get their water from coastal fog, heavy winter rains and nearby creeks. The tree grows only along the Northern California coast, and into southernmost coastal Oregon. The Coastal Redwoods can grow up to 370 feet in height, about 22 feet in width, and up to 2,000 years old.

Flowers

Some of the blooming flowers at the park, especially during Spring, are Rhododendrons and Azaleas.

Other Plants

Camping Possibilities

Camping is allowed at the park. There are two main camp sites at the park. For information about camp site availability and prices, please contact the park.

Other Information

Other popular activities at the Redwood National Park other than hiking include biking, camping, and horseback riding. Biking is possible on roads and special trails. The same is true about horseback riding.

Parking

Driving Directions

Park Map