• Printable Visitor Guide

• Hiouchi Information Center, US Highway 199 at Hiouchi, Phone (707) 458-3209. Open from mid-June to mid-September, 9AM-5PM. Closed in the winter. Ranger-led walks, junior ranger programs, and evening campfire programs held in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, across the street. Programs occur during the summer season. Redwood National and State Parks' Junior Ranger activity newspapers are available here. Inside: Coast redwood, wildlife, and preservation history exhibits. 12-minute film on the redwoods. Outside: "Trees of the coast redwood forest" walk with waysides. Book store, picnic area, and restrooms.

• Jedediah Smith Visitor Center, US Highway 101 at Hiouchi, Phone (707) 465-2144. Open from May 20 to September 30 from 9AM-5PM. Open winters on Friday/Saturday/Sunday from 10AM to 6PM. Closed in the winter. Ranger-led walks, junior ranger programs, and evening campfire programs occur during the summer. Redwood National and State Parks' Junior Ranger activity newspapers are available here. Coast redwood, history, and wildlife exhibits. Nature museum, gift shop, campground, dump station, picnic area, and restrooms. Many trails start here.

• Crescent City Information Center, 1111 Second Street, Crescent City, Phone: (707) 465-7306. Open March - October from 9SM-5PM. Open November - February from 9AM to 4PM. Closures: Thanksgiving, December 25th, and New Year's Day. Junior Ranger activity newspapers are available here. Gift shop, picnic area, and restrooms.

• Prairie Creek Visitor Center, just off US Highway 101, along Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, Phone: (707) 465-7354. Open daily March - October from 9AM-5PM. Open W-Su November - February from 10AM-5PM. Closures: Thanksgiving, December 25th, New Year's Eve, and Easter. Ranger-led walks, junior ranger programs, and evening campfire programs held in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park during the summer season. Redwood National and State Parks' Junior Ranger activity newspapers are available here. Coast redwood forest, wildlife, and history exhibits. Video room available. Nature museum, gift shop, campground, dump station, picnic area, and restrooms. 70 miles of trails begin here.

• Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center, US Highway 101 at Orick, Phone: (707) 465-7765. Open March - October from 9AM-5PM. Open November - February from 9AM-4PM. Closures: Thanksgiving, December 25th, and New Year's Day. Patio talks and coast walks occur during the summer. Redwood National and State Parks' Junior Ranger activity newspapers are available here. Many exhibits in the visitor center on coast redwoods and watersheds: new technologies! kid friendly! Video room with many films available. Gift shop, picnic area, and restrooms.

History

American Indians made their homes in the redwood forests for thousands of years until run off by Euro-Americans. They made their homes from split redwood planks and had considerable resources in the rich forests.

Demand for lumber accelerated throughout the years. Conservation efforts started in the early 1900s, but were largely ineffectual. By the 1960s, logging had consumed nearly 90 percent of all the original redwoods. It wasn’t until 1968 that Redwood National Park was established, which secured some of the few remaining stands of uncut redwoods. In 1978, Congress added more land that included logged-over portions of Redwood Creek. Today, these lands are undergoing large-scale restoration by the Parks' resource managers. Logging continues on privately-held lands nearby and throughout the redwood region.

Landscape

Flora and fauna

The Coastal Redwoods are the world's tallest trees, exceeding 300 feet (100 meters) in height, and so, of course are the stars. Sitka Spruce and Douglas Fir trees also abound. Various other hardy plants survive in the narrow zone where land meets sea, salt-laden winds, cold fog-shrouded days, steep slopes, and sandy beaches conspire against plants. Further inland a greater range of hardwoods and shrubs are found.

The diverse ecosystems mean that creatures as different as black bears, sea stars, and bald eagles can be seen by the fortunate visitor in a single day. In addition to the more common inhabitants, many threatened and endangered species rely on the parks' old-growth forests, open prairies, estuaries, and the coastline for crucial havens of survival. Threatened and endangered species found in the park include: Bald Eagle, Brown Pelican, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Marbled Murrelet, Northern Spotted Owl, Steelhead Trout, Steller's Sea Lion, Tidewater Goby, and Western Snowy Plover.

Marine mammals such as sea lions and gray whales are among the most visible wildlife in the park. Visitors are also likely to see Roosevelt elk browsing in the prairies. Pelicans, ospreys, and gulls are frequently spotted along the coast. Tidepool creatures such as anenomes and crabs are easy to spot too.

Climate

Temperatures range from 40 to 60 degrees(F) (4 to 15 degrees C) year round along the redwood coastline. Redwoods rely on the fog that envelops the coast in the summer. Summers are mild at the coast with warmer temperatures inland, but the aforementioned fog can be a problem, often thick as pea soup and lasting for days to weeks. Early to middle spring and early autumn are a safer bet for sunny days. Winters are cool with considerable precipitation. Pack your rain gear and good walking shoes for the slippery rain forest. Wear layers to accommodate cool to warm temperatures.