Visiting Redwood National Park: Best Hikes, Campgrounds & Things to Do

I visited the redwoods during my Highway 101 road trip from Seattle to San Francisco, and honestly this was one of the most memorable parts of the entire trip.

Driving into the forest feels completely different from the coastline. One minute you’re driving along the ocean, and the next you’re surrounded by massive trees that are hundreds of feet tall.

In this guide I’ll share the hikes I personally checked out, along with campgrounds and places to stay nearby if you’re planning to spend a night or two in the area.

🥾 Hikes I Tried in the Redwoods

There are a lot of trails in Redwood National and State Parks, but these are the ones I looked into or personally experienced during the trip.

Big Tree Wayside

📍 Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
Distance: 0.3 miles round trip
Elevation gain: almost none
Difficulty: very easy

This is probably the quickest stop you can make to see a giant redwood tree.

It’s basically a very short walk from the parking area to a massive tree called the Big Tree. If you’re short on time but still want to stand next to a huge redwood, this is a good place to stop.

You don’t need hiking gear or anything — it’s more of a quick scenic stop than a real hike.

Karl Knapp Trail

📍 Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Distance: 3.2 miles round trip
Elevation gain: around 300 ft
Difficulty: easy to moderate

This was one of my favorite trails in the redwoods.
The trail goes through dense forest with giant trees and lots of ferns everywhere. It feels really quiet compared to some of the more famous trails.

If you want a hike that lets you actually spend some time inside the forest without huge crowds, this one is a great option.

Zig Zag #2 Trail

📍 Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Distance: around 1.5 miles depending on the route
Elevation gain: about 150 ft
Difficulty: easy

The Zig Zag trails are smaller forest paths that connect different parts of Prairie Creek.

It’s not one of the famous hikes, but that’s actually what makes it nice. It’s usually quieter, and it’s a great place if you just want to walk through the forest without doing a long hike.

Boy Scout Tree Trail

📍 Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Distance: 5.5 miles round trip
Elevation gain: about 800 ft
Difficulty: moderate

If you’re looking for a proper redwood hiking experience, this is one of the best trails.
The trail goes deep into old-growth forest and eventually leads to the Boy Scout Tree, which is an enormous double-trunk redwood.
It’s a longer hike compared to the others on this list, but if you have the time it’s definitely worth doing.

Grove of Titans Trail

📍 Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Distance: 1.5 miles round trip
Elevation gain: around 200 ft
Difficulty: easy

This trail takes you to one of the most famous groves of giant redwoods.
Parts of the trail include wooden boardwalks, which were added to protect the forest floor. It’s a pretty easy hike and a great way to see some really massive trees without hiking all day.

Fern Canyon Trail

📍 Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Distance: 1 mile loop
Elevation gain: minimal
Difficulty: easy

Fern Canyon is one of the most unique places in the redwoods. The canyon walls are covered in thick green ferns, and a small creek runs through the middle of the trail.

Fun fact: parts of Jurassic Park 2 were filmed here.
Many travelers consider this one of the most memorable spots in the entire park.

Tall Trees Grove Trail

📍 Redwood National Park

Distance: 3–4 miles round trip
Elevation gain: about 800 ft
Difficulty: moderate

This trail leads to a grove that contains some of the tallest trees in the world.
Important note:
You need a free permit and gate code to access the trailhead road.

Because of the permit system, this area stays much quieter than other parts of the park.