Redwood National Park Camping: The Four Campgrounds and Backcountry Sites

Redwood National and State Parks protect 45 percent of California's remaining old-growth redwoods, and there's only one way to spend the night inside them: camping. There are no hotels or lodges in the parks. Four developed campgrounds, all run by California State Parks, sit in the three state parks that share the land with the national park, from the Smith River near Crescent City to the beach at Gold Bluffs. Each costs $35 a night, and in summer you'll want a reservation.

Redwood campgrounds at a glance

Every campground has drinking water, flush toilets and food storage lockers. Only Jedediah Smith and Mill Creek have dump stations, and none has hookups.

Best campgrounds in Redwood National Park

• Old-growth redwoods by a river: Jedediah Smith, the northernmost, in a grove on the banks of the wild and scenic Smith River, with swimming, fishing, trails and four cabins.
• Elk and trails: Elk Prairie, in the heart of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, 6 miles north of Orick, where Roosevelt elk graze; over 70 miles of hiking and biking trails, seasonal ranger programs and four cabins.
• The beach: Gold Bluffs Beach, on a wild stretch of the Pacific with grazing elk and easy access to Fern Canyon, reached by Davison Road, 3 miles north of Orick, a narrow, single-lane dirt road.
• The most sites in summer: Mill Creek, 145 sites under maples and young redwoods, with access to Mill Creek, 7 miles south of Crescent City and 2 miles east of Highway 101.

Booking and fees

• Reserve on ReserveCalifornia or at 1-800-444-7275. Reservations are strongly recommended in summer, and at Elk Prairie they're essential from May to October. Tip from the park: search by the campground's name ("Jedediah Smith"), not "Redwoods".
• Sites open for booking six months ahead, and reservations must be made at least 48 hours before arrival.
• From early October to mid-May, Elk Prairie and Gold Bluffs Beach are first come, first served; Jedediah Smith is first come in winter (California State Parks says November to April). At Jedediah Smith and Elk Prairie, check at the campground kiosk. Mill Creek is closed in winter.
• $35 a night at all four. California State Parks' Disabled Discount pass and the federal Senior and Access passes cut it to $17.50; the Distinguished Veteran pass makes it free. Show the pass at check-in; the federal annual pass gets no camping discount.
• No entrance fee for the national park or the state park roads. Driving to Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon carries a state park fee (waived with an America the Beautiful pass), and a permit is required for the Gold Bluffs Beach day-use area and the Fern Canyon trailhead from May 15 to September 15. The state parks charge an $8 vehicle day-use fee at their developed campground entrances.

RVs and trailers

Many campsites were built before the 1940s, and the parks strictly enforce RV and trailer limits:

• Mill Creek: RVs up to 28 feet, trailers up to 24.
• Elk Prairie: RVs up to 27 feet, trailers up to 24.
• Jedediah Smith: RVs up to 25 feet, trailers up to 21.
• Gold Bluffs Beach: Davison Road limits vehicles to 8 feet wide and 24 feet long; RVs aren't advised and trailers are prohibited.

There are no hookups anywhere; dump stations are at Jedediah Smith (all year) and Mill Creek (in season).

Campground rules

• No hammocks or ropes on trees: they strip the bark.
• Food storage: food, drinks, pet food, toiletries, ice chests and garbage must go in the food locker at your site (or a closed vehicle), never left out.
• Campfires only in the grills and fire rings provided; all fires are banned during very high or extreme fire danger. Beach fires are allowed on the wave slope, not on vegetation.
• Dogs are allowed in campgrounds but not on trails (except service animals).

Backcountry camping

• Seven designated backcountry camps lie along the parks' 200 miles of trails, from redwood forest to the coast.
• A free permit is required for every overnight stay, requested online up to 160 days ahead and at least 24 hours before your trip. The exception is the Gold Bluffs Beach backcountry, at $5 per person a night.
• 8 people per site (20 at group sites); 5 consecutive nights and 15 nights a year at most, with 14 days between multi-night stays.
• Redwood Creek is the only area where dispersed camping is allowed, with a backcountry permit; campfires there are allowed only on the gravel bars.
• Horse camping only at Little Bald Hills and Elam camps, with a permit.
• On the Redwood Creek Trail, the 44 Creek bridge is closed after an inspection found damage; alternative routes to 44 Camp add at least 3.5 miles.
• Caltrans is drilling near the DeMartin Trail and Campground this fall and winter, sometimes around the clock; the trail and campground stay open.

Before you go

• Expect delays on Highway 101: there are multiple construction stops between Orick and Crescent City.
• Parts of the Mill Creek Acquisition in Del Norte Coast Redwoods are closed for road construction and forest rehabilitation; check the park's closure map.
• Gold Bluffs Beach access can be limited in winter by road conditions on the dirt road in.
• No hotels in the parks: if the campgrounds are full, lodging is in the towns nearby.

For more of the coast, see Mendocino camping, Big Sur camping and our California camping guide.