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Wilderness Info

Please enjoy my site about the wilderness.

Backpacking is great fun but you have to remember to bring all these items before you go.

FOOD

Bring plenty of high energy food. Don't waste your money on fancy energy bars though. Chocolate bars and granola bars are just as good and they taste better too.

FIRE STARTER

Pocket lighters are cheap and light, and fire is very important on a cold winter night. Bring at least three of them just in case one or two stop working. If your lighter gets jammed with snow it may not work until you remove the snow and dry it, so make sure your lighters are in a place where they don't get directly exposed to snow. Don't use matches, they run out quite quickly, and once they get wet they'll never work again.

LAMP

If you don't have a dependable light source you could get into very big trouble if you start running late and the sun starts going down. It's a good idea to bring an extra flash light with you too. Make sure that both flash lights have good batteries and that they both use the same type of batteries.

STRING

There's no reason not to bring some string, it weighs close to nothing and has a million uses.

WATER

A lot of people are switching to those hydration systems that have a bag of water with a hose that you drink out of, I would never trust my life on that, too many things that can break. Just use a sturdy plastic bottle such as a plastic US Army canteen or similar, they cost around 1 dollar and are absolutely perfect.

STOVE

If you are in an emergency you need a stove that will work under any conditions and never runs out of fuel. This disqualifies all gas or liquid fuel stoves no matter how good they are since they do run out of fuel. This leaves only wood stoves. Stoves with electric fans are also out since they run out of batteries and will not work under any conditions. The only commercially available stove that is light enough for backpacking left (as far as I know) is the Trailstove.

Kill animals with a deadfall trap.

This is the most simple type of trap you can make but it's very deadly, it will kill or cripple an animal easily. Don't do this unless it's a life and death situation.

Find a heavy log that can be lifted up on one side.

Put a round rock on the ground under one edge of the log.

Find a good strong stick that can support the log.

Find a smaller stick to hold the bait.

Put one edge of the bait stick on the round rock, lift the log up and support it with the strong stick. The bait stick should be wedged between the strong stick and the round rock and with the other end suspended in the air under the log.

Carefully put the bait on the bait stick and walk away.

Redwood National and State Parks

Crescent City, CA

Redwood National and State Parks are home to some of the world's tallest trees: old-growth coast redwoods. They can live to be 2000 years old and grow to over 300 feet tall. Spruce, hemlock, Douglas-fir, berry bushes, and sword ferns create a multiple canopied understory that towers over all visitors. The parks' mosaic of habitats include prairie/oak woodlands, mighty rivers and streams, and 37 miles of pristine Pacific coastline. Cultural landscapes reflect American Indian history. The more recent logging history has led to much restoration of these parks.

Three California state parks and the National Park Service unit represent a cooperative management effort of the National Park Service and California Department of Parks and Recreation. They are Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, and Redwood National Park, comprising 45 percent of all the old-growth redwood forest remaining in California.

Together these parks are a World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve, protecting resources cherished by citizens of many nations.

Press the blue IN DEPTH button for Redwood National and State Parks' extended web pages including information on trip planning, frequently asked questions, area history, cultural and natural resources, kid's games, maps, photo gallery, employment, government documents, and current events.

CONTACTS

Email - REDW_Information@nps.gov

Fax- 707-464-1812

Write to
Redwood National and State Parks
1111 Second Street
Crescent City, CA 95531

Phone
Headquarters - 707-464-6101

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
Redwood is accessible year round. In the summer, redwoods along coastal roads and trails stand amidst life-giving fog. Travel a few miles inland to find sunshine. The winter brings much needed rain and occasional sunshine. The rain varies from torrential downpours to a light mist.

Heavy rains can lead to road closures; check at a visitor center to find out the estimated open date.

Getting There
PLANE - Crescent City Airport, 202 Dale Rupert Road, Crescent City, (707) 464-7311, United Express. Eureka-Arcata Airport, Arcata, United Express, 1-800-241-6522 or Horizon, 1-800-547-7660.

CAR - Redwood National and State Parks are along US Highways 101 and 199. From 101, access additional park sites via the Bald Hills Road, Davison Road, Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, Coastal Drive, Requa Road, and Enderts Beach Road (south to north). From 199, take South Fork Road to Howland Hill Road.

Press the blue IN DEPTH button and select Maps to find a regional map of the area.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - Greyhound Bus Lines, 1-800-231-2222. Redwood Coast Transit travels from Crescent City to Klamath, (707) 464-9314.

Weather & Climate
Temperatures range from 40-60 degrees year round along the redwood coastline. Redwoods rely on the fog that envelops the coast in the summer. Summers are mild with warmer temperatures inland. Winters are cool with considerable precipitation. Call (707) 443-7062 for current weather conditions. Always pack your rain gear and good walking shoes for the slippery rain forest. Wear layers to accommodate cool to warm temperatures.

Accessibility
All visitor centers are physically accessible to wheelchair users. Wheelchairs are not available. TDD phones are not available. Other accessible areas include Crescent Beach, Crescent Beach Overlook, Mill Creek campground, Lagoon Creek, Klamath River Overlook, High Bluff Overlook, Big Tree Wayside, Lost Man Creek, and Dolason Prairie.

Getting Around
Drive to Redwood National and State Parks' many sites. Nearly 200 miles of walking and hiking trails await you. Horses are welcome on Little Bald Hills Trail, Mill Creek Horse Trails, and Orick Horse Trails. Bicycle on designated trails only: Lost Man Creek Trail, Last Chance Section of the Coastal Trail, Little Bald Hills Trail, and Ossagon Trail Loop. Pick up a Visitor Guide or stop by one of the five visitor centers and talk to a ranger about rules and regulations. *NOTE* There is no longer a shuttle bus that operates anywhere in the parks.

FEES/PERMITS

Entrance Fee
REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK
Free!

STATE PARKS - JEDEDIAH SMITH, DEL NORTE COAST, & PRAIRIE CREEK REDWOODS
$2.00 for Day
The three California state parks, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park established on August 13, 1923; Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, established on October 26, 1925; and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park established on June 3, 1929 offer a variety of options.

CAMPING

Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park
Open from April 1 to September 30
Camping within the redwood forest - what a life! Mill Creek campground is located 7 miles south of Crescent City, CA on US Highway 101. Sites: 145 RV or tents, trailer length up to 27 feet, RVs up to 31 feet. Amenities include showers, restrooms, four loop trails, hiker/biker sites, dump station, fire pits, no hookups, handicap access, ranger-led walks, junior ranger and evening campfire programs. Fees for camping and dayuse. Reservation number listed below. For international calls, use 916-638-5883.
For More Information on this campground please call 1-800-444-7275

Freswater Lagoon Spit Overnight Use Area
Open All Year
As of January 1, 2001, Freshwater Lagoon Spit Overnight Use Area is a FEE AREA. The Use Area is an extended gravel pullout along the west side of Highway 101 and adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, located one mile south of Orick, CA. Vehicle fees are $10.00 per night. Bicyclists and hikers are $3.00 per person per night. Camping vehicles park parallel more than 30 feet from the edge of Highway 101. Tent camping is located at the southern-most vehicle access point. Amenities include fire pits, chemical toilets, and a picnic area with grills. For information call, (707) 464-6101 ext. 5002 or 5051. No fees for dayuse. No reservations.

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
Open All Year
Camp amidst towering old-growth coast redwoods! Jedediah Smith campground is located on Highway 199 at Hiouchi, CA. Sites: 106 RV or tent sites, RV length up to 36 feet, trailers up to 31 feet. Facilites/amenities include nature center, bookstore, no hookups, showers, restrooms, river sites, picnic area, many miles of trails, hiker/biker sites, dump station, fire pits, handicap access, ranger-led walks, junior ranger and young naturalists programs, and evening campfire programs. There is a group site for 50. For site-specific information, call (707)464-6101 ext. 5113. Fees for camping and dayuse. Reservation number listed below. For international calls, use 916-638-5883.
For More Information on this campground please call 1-800-444-7275

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
Open All Year
Camp along the windswept Pacific Ocean with the coast redwood forest as a backdrop. To reach Gold Bluffs Beach campground travel three miles north of Orick, CA on US Highway 101, the turn west on Davison Road and continue for four miles (gravel road). Sites: 25 RV or 29 tents, trailers prohibited, RV length up to 24 feet and 8 feet wide. Amenities include solar showers, restrooms, access to over 70 miles of trails, Fern Canyon, hiker/biker sites, fire pits, no hookups, ranger-led walks, junior ranger and evening campfire programs. Fees for camping and dayuse. No reservations.

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
Open All Year
Camp in the heart of an old-growth redwood forest. Elk Prairie campground is located 50 miles north of Eureka, CA on the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway just off US Highway 101. Sites: 75 RV or tents, trailer length up to 24 feet, RVs up to 27 feet. Facilities/amenities include nature center, bookstore, no hookups, showers, restrooms, picnic area, over 70 miles of trails, hiker/biker sites, dump station, fire pits, handicap access, ranger-led walks, junior ranger and evening campfire programs. For site-specific information, call (707)464-6101 ext. 5301. Fees for camping and dayuse. Reservation number listed below. For international calls, use 916-638-5883.
For More Information on this campground please call 1-800-444-7275

LODGING

DeMartin Redwood Youth Hostel
Open All Year
Hostel offers inexpensive shared lodging inside the parks. Contact them at 14480 Highway 101, Klamath, CA 95548 http://www.norcalhostels.org
For More Information on this lodging please call (707) 482-8265

FACILITIES

Visitor Centers
CRESCENT CITY INFORMATION CENTER
Open All Year 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone - (707) 464-6101 ext. 5064
Location - 1111 Second Street, Crescent City, CA
Closures - Sundays in the winter; Thanksgiving, December 25th, and New Year's Day
Special Programs - Redwood National and State Parks' Junior Ranger activity newspapers are available here.
Available Facilities - Gift shop, picnic area, and restrooms.

HIOUCHI INFORMATION CENTER
Open from mid-June to mid-September 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone - (707) 464-6101 ext. 5067
Location - On US Highway 199 at Hiouchi, CA
Closures - in the winter
Special Programs - Ranger-led walks, junior ranger and young naturalist 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.
Exhibits - Coast redwood and wildlife exhibits inside. "Trees of the coast redwood forest" walk with waysides outside.
Available Facilities - Gift shop, picnic area, and restrooms.

JEDEDIAH SMITH VISITOR CENTER
Open from May 20 to September 30 - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone - (707) 464-6101 ext. 5113
Location - On US Highway 101 at Hiouchi, CA
Closures - in the winter
Special Programs - Ranger-led walks, junior ranger and young naturalist programs, and evening campfire programs occur during the summer. Redwood National and State Parks' Junior Ranger activity newspapers are available here.
Exhibits - Coast redwood, history, and wildlife
Available Facilities - Nature museum, gift shop, campground, dump station, picnic area, and restrooms.

PRAIRIE CREEK VISITOR CENTER
Open All Year
Open from March 1 to October 31 - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Open from November 1 to February 28 - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Phone - (707) 464-6101 ext. 5300
Location - Just off US Highway 101, along Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway
Closures - Thanksgiving, December 25th, New Year's Eve, and Easter
Special Programs - Ranger-led walks, junior ranger 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.
Exhibits - Coast redwood forest, wildlife, and history; video room
Available Facilities - Nature museum, gift shop, campground, dump station, picnic area, and restrooms.

REDWOOD INFORMATION CENTER
Open All Year 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone - (707) 464-6101 ext. 5265
Location - Along US Highway 101 at Orick, CA
Closures - Thanksgiving, December 25th, and New Year's Day
Special Programs - Patio talks and coast walks occur during the summer. Redwood National and State Parks' Junior Ranger activity newspapers are available here.
Exhibits - Coast redwood display. Video room with many films available.
Available Facilities - Gift shop, picnic area, and restrooms.

Some content donated by Hikercentral.com and the National Park Service

FOOD		Bring plenty of high energy food. Don't waste your money on fancy energy bars though. Chocolate bars and granola bars are just as good and they taste better too.
FIRE STARTER		Pocket lighters are cheap and light, and fire is very important on a cold winter night. Bring at least three of them just in case one or two stop working. If your lighter gets jammed with snow it may not work until you remove the snow and dry it, so make sure your lighters are in a place where they don't get directly exposed to snow. Don't use matches, they run out quite quickly, and once they get wet they'll never work again.
LAMP		If you don't have a dependable light source you could get into very big trouble if you start running late and the sun starts going down. It's a good idea to bring an extra flash light with you too. Make sure that both flash lights have good batteries and that they both use the same type of batteries.
STRING		There's no reason not to bring some string, it weighs close to nothing and has a million uses.
WATER		A lot of people are switching to those hydration systems that have a bag of water with a hose that you drink out of, I would never trust my life on that, too many things that can break. Just use a sturdy plastic bottle such as a plastic US Army canteen or similar, they cost around 1 dollar and are absolutely perfect.
STOVE		If you are in an emergency you need a stove that will work under any conditions and never runs out of fuel. This disqualifies all gas or liquid fuel stoves no matter how good they are since they do run out of fuel. This leaves only wood stoves. Stoves with electric fans are also out since they run out of batteries and will not work under any conditions. The only commercially available stove that is light enough for backpacking left (as far as I know) is the Trailstove.