Crater Lake National Park was at the top of Kristin’s bucket list for a long time. We started planning a visit, and decided to include Redwood National Park, since it’s relatively close. And we ended up enjoying Redwood more in many ways. Redwood is unique because it’s not just a national park – it also includes three California State Parks: Del Norte Coast, Jedediah Smith, and Prairie Creek. Managed collectively, they’re known as “Redwood National and State Parks.”

The primary mission of the park is to protect old-growth temperate rainforest comprised of coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). As with other parks named after one particular species, there’s so much more to see. Most of the redwood trees were logged in the past, but the park contains various “groves” which highlight remaining old-growth trees.

Our Top 5 in Redwood National & State Parks

1. Backpacking Redwood Creek & Tall Trees – We saw large trees and wildlife, and camped on the bank of Redwood Creek. Hiking through the creek was a unique experience, which made this our favorite hike in the park. Also, banana slugs.
   
   

   

2. James Irvine & Miner’s Ridge Trails with Fern Canyon – Our first real experience with large redwood trees, this trail has it all: beaches, forests, and Fern Canyon. It’s a longer hike, but worth it.
   
   

   

3. Lyons Ranch Trail – For something different in Redwood N&SP, Lyons Ranch delivered on experiencing how homesteaders lived in the area. The wide open prairies are gorgeous and we enjoyed exploring historic structures.
   
   

   

4. Kayaking the Smith River – This guided river kayaking experience allowed us to interact with rangers and exercise our arms (for a change). We navigated class I-II rapids, took in the beautiful scenery, and ate lunch on a rocky beach.
   
   

   

5. Damnation Creek Trail – A roadside trailhead leads through redwood forest to a secluded beach. And you’ll understand the name on your return route (but it’s really not that bad).
   
   

   

Things we wish we did (“Things to do next time”)

• Prairie Creek Campground & Mill Creek Campground – The two car campgrounds we didn’t stay at.
• Designated Backcountry Campgrounds – There are seven backcountry campsites in the park; we only had time to backpack in the Redwood Creek area, which has dispersed camping. I’m sure there are some other great backpacking trips!
• Dolason Prairie Trail – Located along Bald Hills Road, this long day hike was high on our priority list, but we didn’t have time. Its old-growth redwoods, history, views, and open prairies are meant to reflect the original vision for Redwood National Park. We got a taste with Lyons Ranch Trail, but would have liked to see more.
  
  

  

• Mill Creek Trail & Grove of Titans – The Grove of Titans is an area that recently became well-known for featuring some of the largest and oldest coastal redwoods. Since it’s off-trail, many unauthorized social trails have caused environmental damage. This is one of the reasons we didn’t visit. The park is hoping to construct elevated boardwalks around the area, so we hope to visit in the future.
• And many more…

Mini Adventures

On our trip to Redwood National Park, we visited several places that didn’t get a full post, but are worth mentioning.

• Lady Bird Johnson Grove – After finishing our Redwood Creek backpacking trip, we had some time. We stopped at Lady Bird Johnson Grove, hoping to learn about forest ecology and the history of the park. The lot is small, and we took the last available parking spot. The 1.1 mile loop has a printed educational guide available for $1. We heard one visitor complain to her friend that she hadn’t been told that the trail was a whole mile long, which made us laugh.
  
  

  

• Stout Grove – After checking out Boy Scout Tree Trail, we headed further down the road to Stout Grove. We had read that sunlight streams through the trees in the late afternoon. The trails around the grove are well-maintained, and you’ll probably enjoy it if its your first hike in the park. By the end of our visit, it felt a bit samey, and we didn’t see the sunlight penetrating the tree canopy. There are good photo ops, and a lot of bang for your buck if you’re short on time or prefer flat terrain.
  
  

  

Our Redwood N&SP Tips

• Bring water shoes and trekking poles if you’re planning to backpack Redwood Creek.
• Check out some of the stops in the park that are right along the road, like DeMartin Picnic Area or Lagoon Creek.
• Check out ranger programs, like kayaking (some are free).
• If you want to see Roosevelt Elk, we recommend going to Elk Meadow or Gold Bluffs Beach. We also saw a herd near the turnoff from US 101 onto Bald Hills Road.

Weather

High temperatures in the winter average in the low 50s, while the average high temperature in the summer reaches the mid-60s. We visited in July for the warmest temperatures and the least rainfall. Not surprisingly, summer is the most popular time to visit Redwood.

Visitation Statistics

As stated above, July through August is the busiest time to visit Redwood. If you can swing it, visit in June or September for cooler temperatures and fewer people. That said, we were there in July and never experienced any issues with crowds. The park is large enough that it disperses everyone well.

Redwood held steady with annual visitation in the past two decades. While many parks have seen a dramatic increase in visitors recently, Redwood hasn’t. In fact, more guests went to Redwood in the 1980s than in the 2000s.

Our Itinerary

We started our exploration of the park in the south, and worked our way north. Our planned itinerary worked out well, but there are countless ways to plan your trip.

Our Experiences

• South Districts (Redwood NP & Prairie Creek)
  • Lyons Ranch Trail
  • Gold Bluffs Campground
  • James Irvine-Miner’s Ridge Trail with Fern Canyon
  • Backpacking Redwood Creek & Tall Trees
• North Districts (Jedediah Smith & Del Norte Coast)
  • Jedediah Smith Campground
  • Kayaking the Smith River
  • Damnation Trail
  • Boy Scout Tree Trail
• Redwood Accommodations & Restaurants

Interactive Map

Paper Maps

• North Redwood National and State Parks Map (Redwood Hikes Press)
• South Redwood National and State Parks Map (Redwood Hikes Press)
• Redwood National and State Parks Map (National Geographic Trails Illustrated)
• National Park Service Maps
  • Redwood National & State Parks Map (NPS)
  • Redwood National & State Parks Map – Northern Half (NPS)
  • Redwood National & State Parks Map – Southern Half (NPS)

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There are no restaurants or lodging (aside from campgrounds) in Redwood National & State Parks. In 2010, Redwood Hostel, previously the only lodging in the park, closed. And in 2019, the hostel building is set to be demolished. Crescent City is near the northern part of the park, and Klamath and Orick are to the south. Even further south are the towns of Arcata and Eureka.

Restaurants in Crescent City

When visiting a park, I often drag my wife to nearby breweries. If I like the beer enough, I’ll buy a pint glass souvenir. In this case, I had SeaQuake Brewing in Crescent City in mind. We decided to visit after our Redwood Creek backpacking trip, so we were starving. I got pizza with a chocolate porter and Kristin got fresh fish tacos. I enjoyed my pizza a lot, but Kristin thought the fish tacos were dry and desperately needed a sauce. The beer was good, but didn’t wow me. We did enjoy the casual atmosphere there.

A couple days later, I convinced Kristin to go back to SeaQuake. I really wanted to like it – enough to get a pint glass. This time, I got a 9.2 burger with parmesan fries and Kristin got a Thai chicken salad. This time we both liked our food. Kristin’s salad had an assortment of vegetables, crunchy noodles, and spicy peanut dressing. I got two half pints of beer, a blonde ale and coastal pale ale, which were okay, but felt forgettable. So we left, me without a pint glass. The place was packed both times and we had to wait, so maybe I’m missing something.

We went to Perlita’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant for dinner one night, while staying at Jedediah Smith Campground. Kristin ordered a torta with pork al pastor, guacamole, mayo, onion, lettuce, and tomato, which she loved. It looked like a simple sandwich, but its sweet and spicy flavors and variety of textures made it great.

I got a chimichanga platter, but thought it was one-note and nothing special. Service was a bit strange, as different servers kept coming by our table, but they were friendly. When Kristin mentioned her dairy allergy, they were very accommodating.

For breakfast the next morning, we went to Hiouchi Cafe, which is only three minutes from Jedediah Smith Campground. The waitress was friendly as she took our order. I ordered Grandma’s French Toast, which piqued my interest as a cinnamon lover. It was good but basic – and it needed more cinnamon! My bacon was kinda rubbery too.

Kristin’s dairy allergy prevented her from ordering the breakfast meals, so she ordered eggs, sausage, hash browns, avocado, and tomatoes a la carte. Some items looked okay, but the avocado was very brown, and she was surprised they served it that way. I wanted to like Hiouchi Cafe – it sounded tasty and was highly rated. But for $30, what we got wasn’t worth it.

Restaurants in Orick

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Snack Shack. This outdoor roadside joint is located in Orick, California, near Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center and the southern section of the park. With limited parking and picnic benches, some of which are shaded by umbrellas, it was one of our favorite restaurants of the trip.

Snack Shack mainly serves burgers, hotdogs, and burritos. As we ordered, a Redwood Park Ranger picked up her order, so we figured it must be good! I got the Baby Bigfoot Burger: bacon, caramelized onions, mushrooms, and pepper jack cheese. And tots. And a chocolate milkshake.

Kristin got the Hawaiian Burger, which came with pineapple and bbq sauce, and a huge order of fries. Our meal was a bit greasy, but so tasty. The milkshake was rich, thick, smooth, and chocolatey. While Snack Shack has a seemingly “fast food” vibe, our food took a while to arrive.

Snack Shack is open until 7pm, and we wished it was open later. Also, there’s no restroom, so plan ahead. There aren’t many places to eat near southern Redwood N&SP, so we highly recommend it if you’re looking for some casual-yet-delicious roadside burgers.

Accommodations Near the Park

For campgrounds in the park, check out Gold Bluffs Beach Campground and Jedediah Smith Campground.

Lighthouse Inn in Crescent City is relatively affordable, and conveniently located along highway 101. Close to the park, and at just over $100 a night, our standard room was actually quite large. Our bed was a bit springy, which made it hard to sleep. The hotel was clean, and staff was friendly.

Breakfast consisted of basics: bagels, oatmeal, hard boiled eggs, cereal, and cake (breakfast of champions). There was no hot food, unless you toasted some bread, but it got us going in the morning. They had a washer and dryer, so we took the opportunity to clean our clothes ($1.50 a load). Some of the nautical themed decor in the hotel wasn’t quite our taste, but it was an affordable place to stay.

Places

• SeaQuake Brewing | 400 Front St, Crescent City, CA 95531
• Perlita’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant | 297 US-101, Crescent City, CA 95531
• Hiouchi Cafe | 2095 Hwy 199, Hiouchi, CA 95531
• Snack Shack | 120779 US-101, Orick, CA 95555
• Lighthouse Inn | 681 Highway 101 South, Crescent City, CA 95531

Interactive Map

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After checking out of Jedediah Smith Campground, we drove along route 101 to a trail with an awkward name. Damnation Creek Trail is in Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, part of Redwood National & State Parks. It’s a well-known hike, and considered one of the best in the park. The trail descends 2.1 miles through redwood trees, and across Damnation Creek, to a coastal rocky beach. It’s both a diverse and difficult hike.

Descending Damnation Creek Trail

When we arrived at the small parking area along route 101 around 1pm, there were only a few spots available. As we started on the trail, we saw a sign that warned that the trail dropped 1000 feet. After an initial ascent of about 100 feet, we began a steady descent. And since this trail is an out-and-back, we would have to hike back up.

Soon Damnation Creek Trail intersected with the Coastal Trail, and we started descending more steeply. A sign near the intersection read “bridge failure,” and referred to a bridge near the end of the trail. We had spoken to a NPS intern, who told us that hikers had been crossing the bridge, even though the NPS didn’t recommend it.

We hit some switchbacks and descended into fog. The redwoods become more sparse as we headed toward the coast, and we could see the ocean peeking through the trees. The trail is very narrow, steep, and wet in spots – so some sections of the trail are eroded.

The Coast

As we neared the coast, we arrived at a wooden bridge with orange plastic webbing. Was this the bridge that was closed? We weren’t sure, since it didn’t appear to be blocked off. I thought about turning around and going back the way we came, but we decided to cross one at a time instead. The creek was just a few feet below…but this may have been a bad life decision. The trail led through tall grass and wildflowers to a view of the ocean, where we took photos of the coast shrouded in heavy fog.

Precariously steep steps carved into the side of the hill led to a stream, and finally a rocky beach. We explored and took photos, particularly of the rocks in the ocean, which reminded us of Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, Oregon. Under the viewpoint we had come from, there was a small passageway that led to the south side of the beach.

It was time for a late lunch, so we found a spot with a great view. The other groups of beach-goers slowly disappeared, and we eventually had some solitude to relax and enjoy the beach. As we ate, the fog lifted and the weather became hot and sunny.

Ascending Damnation Creek Trail

You might be saying the name of the trail as you ascend the steep incline. The return hike was difficult for us at first, but once we got past the eroded, narrow part of the trail, it was just a moderate uphill hike. As we hiked up, we passed a sign saying we were leaving a tsunami zone…good to know!

We had hoped to hike some other trails in the park, but were pretty tired. Our consolation prize was heading back into Crescent City for dinner. On the way, we discussed how much we had enjoyed the varied terrain and plant life along Damnation Creek Trail. It turned out to be one of our favorites – despite its elevation gain and quirky name.

Damnation Creek Trail

Date: July 22, 2017
Type: Out and back hike
Total Distance: 4.2 miles (6.8 km) round trip
Cumulative Elevation Gain/Loss: 1694 feet (516 m)
Time: 4 hours, which includes lunch and photo breaks
Trail Markings: Trail signs at intersections
Difficulty: Strenuous
Crowds: Moderate
Water: Beach access, and some streams near the coast
Highlights: Ocean, rocky beach, streams, large trees, wildlife
Note: Please check with NPS before you hike this route regarding the bridge closure
Directions to Damnation Creek Trailhead: Google Maps Directions

Trail Directions

• Mile 0.0 – From the parking lot, take Damnation Creek Trail. The trail will ascend briefly before descending.
• Mile 0.5 – At the intersection with the Coastal Trail, keep right on Damnation Creek Trail.
• Mile 0.6 – Damnation Creek Trail intersects with the Coastal Trail again. Follow the sign for Damnation Creek Trail.
• Mile 2.1 – Hopefully you made it to the coast! Enjoy, then head back the way you came.
• Mile 4.2 – Back at the parking lot.

Places

• Damnation Creek Trailhead

Maps

• Damnation Creek Trail Map (KTNP)

Elevation Graph

Interactive Map

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