Redwood National Park

Redwood trees remind me of ancient times: Times when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, times before humans even existed. In fact, the redwood trees we see today have ancestors that did thrive in these ancient times.

The only location on the planet with conditions fit for these behemoths is on California’s coastline in Redwood National Park and several California state parks that dot the coastline. The National Park Service and California State Parks jointly manage these areas, protecting them against development and destruction.

Read on for some interesting facts about the redwood trees themselves, what makes them special and why they are worth preserving, as well as to get tips for planning your next trip to Redwood National Park!

One obvious factor that makes the redwoods special is their sheer size. These trees can get as big as 367 feet high and 22 feet wide at their base. That’s about as tall as a 35-story skyscraper!

Redwoods are also ancient: They can reach ages of 2,000 years and regularly reach 600 years. As mentioned earlier in this article, the redwoods ancestors existed millions of years ago during the Jurassic age. The present-day variety goes back as far as 20 million years ago.

One of my favorite facts about the redwoods is that you can’t find them anywhere aside from California’s coast due to the particular conditions of that area. The cool, moist air that comes in off the Pacific Ocean keeps the trees continually damp, even during summer droughts. In addition, because these trees have populated this area for millions of years, the soils in the forest floor offer the perfect mixture of nutrients for them to thrive.

A healthy redwood forest includes a variety of other species, including Douglas firs, western hemlocks, tanoaks, madrones, ferns, mosses, and mushrooms—creating optimum soil conditions. When the redwoods themselves die and fall to the forest floor, they also add nutrients back to the soil, keeping the cycle going. That’s why logging is so detrimental to this area’s health, as it disrupts this natural cycle.

Due to their unique and ancient conditions, the redwood forests need to be protected, which is why the Redwood National Park and state parks were established.

This park is broken up into sections and is not continuous, so it can be difficult to plan a multiple day, continuous backpacking trip as well. I recommend renting a car and hopping around to different parts of the park, both north and south, for the best experience.

A tip: Even though this park is in California, it can get cold and damp. This was a rude awakening for me when I visited, and resulted in several nights of me cozying up in my sleeping bag in my tent at 6pm because I was not dressed appropriately for the weather. Make sure your backpack includes warm clothes for a more temperate climate.

Lady Bird Johnson Grove

This is a very popular 1.5-mile loop trail accessible from Highway 101. Guided park ranger tours are available every day from the parking lot and walk you through the rich history of this beautiful old-growth forest. It’s one of the last since the logging boom of the 1960s took down many of the redwoods. This is an easy hike and takes most visitors around 30 minutes to complete. It’s available year-round.

Redwood National and State Parks not only consist of the redwood forests, but they also include some sections of beautiful California coastline. Hike the Gold Bluffs Beach trail, an easy 1 mile loop trail along the Pacific Ocean, to experience stunning views of the water and a break from the forest. The hike is relatively easy and short, only taking an average of 20 minutes or so for hikers to complete.

During my trip to the Redwoods, I stayed at the campground at Gold Bluffs and enjoyed the sunshine and open air to dry out my clothes and camping gear.

The redwoods have captivated people’s imaginations for decades, as they were the setting for scenes in many popular films, including The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time.

In Star Wars specifically, scenes on the forest moon Endor were filmed in the redwoods. The speeder bike chase sequence was filmed from the back of a truck driving down the Avenue of the Giants, specifically passing through Cheatham Grove.

Sadly, beyond this scene, there is not a lot of detail on where the Endor scenes specifically took place within the redwoods. It’s speculated much of the filming took place on private land where the redwoods have since been cut down.

There are many lodging options to accommodate your visit to Redwood National Park. There are eight basic cabins available within the parks – four in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park and four in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. They tend to book up very quickly, so try to make reservations well in advance!

For those seeking a more rustic experience, there are many campgrounds and camping options within the national and state parks. There are four developed campgrounds within the parks with accommodations for tent and RV campers. A full list of campgrounds and amenities at each can be found at the National Park Services website, but reservations must be made at the state of California's reservations website. Reservations are highly encouraged as these campsites tend to fill up fast in the summer months.

Finally, there are a few designated backcountry campsites for those wishing to hike in. A permit is required to camp in the backcountry.