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Redwood National and State Parks

, California

NPCA REGION: Pacific Regional Office

Acreage: 112,512.05

Category: National Park

Date Established: 10/02/1968

More Info: http://www.nps.gov/redw

They take your breath away.

You knew they’d be tall. But this? This is unreal.

The first time you step into Redwood National and State Parks, you’ll find yourself at a loss for words. The sudden silence of the forest envelops you. You want to tiptoe to avoid making any noise.

The sheer girth of the trees astounds you. Your fingers disappear into the ridges of the bark. You look up, and become dizzy trying to determine where the tree ends and heaven begins.

Hard to believe these giant trees almost disappeared a hundred years ago. Harvested to build homes for settlers in the West, redwood forests were decimated by the early 1900s.

Redwood National and State Parks are the result of efforts by a few visionary conservationists to protect these coastal forests and the surrounding ecosystem.

Here, you can take scenic drives or hikes through the giant redwoods, wander open prairie, come upon a grazing elk, and watch for whales from the Pacific shore.

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Comments

I have been a employee at Redwood for 24 great years in fire management. Not only are the redwoods awesome but an area called the Bald Hills in the southeast part of the park I think is the best. Covering 4,500 acres of oak woodlands and prairies, the Bald Hills are a Historic Cultural Landscape. Bald Hills road, paved for the first 10 miles then turns to dirt, takes you into the heart of a diverse landscape full of wildlife. Sadly your tax dollars (stimulus money) will pay for the paving of the remainder 20 miles of this wild road. The cost is 56 million. Humboldt County will need to bulldoze through a mile of a beautiful oak woodland to " make the road safer". This is a waste of our money.

Submitted by johnnymac at: January 4, 2010

The redwood parks are incredible. I recently visited the Olympic National Park, which is also very nice, but it does not have the grandeur of the redwoods. There is one webpage on redwoods, that is virtually a Nexus for information: www.mdvaden.com/grove_of_titans.shtml It probably includes or links to more than half of anything people would typically be searching for about the redwoods.

Submitted by Redwood Empire Hiker at: December 18, 2009

you need more facts about the park... i am doin a project on the natonal parks and the only thing i could find was the acerage and the time it was introduced. It was a helpful site that makes me want to learn more and maybe take a trip to see the giants..... thanks again

Submitted by person at: November 7, 2009

cool park

Submitted by Anonymous at: September 23, 2009

I lived most of my life in Northern California. I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay area.My grandFather had a ranch in the Humboldt mountains where I spent most every summer growing up as well as many years of my life. The Redwoods mean home to me and the winding roads down thru the Redwood Groves is my favorite place to be in the whole world. I can just close my eyes and smell the trees right now. I spent almost 50 years with in a few minutes of at least one redwood tree and much of my life surrounded by the trees. I have been in Maine now for almost 20 years and while it is absolutely gorgeous it is missing Redwood trees. The coast line in Maine is gorgeous although it does not make up for the Golden Gate recreational area. However when I go to bed at night I actually dream of Redwoods as they are my image of home. I was so glad when the Parks were established up and down the Redwood Highway to protect the old growth trees and keep the area free from development of any kind. I watched the clear cutting of most of the California mountains growing up. I remember sometime in the 1950's seeing our swimming hole on the Bear river turn in to a logging run to the coast and feeling like Northern California was dying. The Federal and State Parks came in and saved the area for my grandchildren and their Grandchildren. Thank you for saving these ageless beauties from destruction. The Redwood highway with all of the parks full of healthy trees will always be my home.

Submitted by Home at: February 28, 2009

This was a great place to visit on the pacific coast. The "Big Tree" was probably the biggest Redwood that i saw all trip. And I saw a TON of redwood groves. Fern Canyon was another really cool stop. It makes one feel like he is back a few million years. Being a forester in Pennsylvania, I think this is a must do for anyone involved in natural resources.

Submitted by firenrain at: November 11, 2008

The spendor of walking amongst these trees is indescribable! Once visiting, I turned around, went home & packed, and moved to Northern California to enjoy the rest of my life in this environment. Seeing the changes is making me sign petitions and vote accordingly - we must protect the trees!

Submitted by luvallwolves at: June 10, 2008