- Open year-round.
- Day use sunrise to sunset.
- Campground open all year.
- October-April First Come First Served
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
UPDATE (June 24, 2020) - As California State Parks begins working with locals on a phased and regionally-driven approach to increase access to state park units where compliance with state and local public health ordinances can be achieved, it is important for visitors to continue to practice physical distancing and avoid congregating with people outside their immediate household. Everyone has the responsibility to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Here are some guidelines for people visiting Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park:
What is open now?
What is currently closed at this park and throughout the State Park System?
At this park:
Are there any new visitor guidelines?
Yes, please see below:
Thank you for your patience and continued support of California State Parks as we work to limit your risk for exposure to COVID-19 in the outdoors. For more information, please visit parks.ca.gov/FlattenTheCurve.
Here are some guidelines for people visiting Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park:
What is open now?
- Parking is now available.
- Camping is now available at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. For more information about camping, visit www.parks.ca.gov/COVID19Camping. To make a reservation, visit www.ReserveCalifornia.com or call 800-444-7275. Walk-ins are allowed for unreserved sites.
What is currently closed at this park and throughout the State Park System?
At this park:
- Howland Hill Road will remain closed to vehicle traffic between Boy Scout Tree and the west gate (near the Howland Hill Outdoor School) due to ongoing road work.
- Many campgrounds across the state remain closed until further notice. Some campgrounds have started to reopen with modifications. For more information, please visit www.parks.ca.gov/COVID19Camping.
- High public-use indoor facilities, including museums and visitor centers.
- Special events and tours continue to be canceled until further notice.
Are there any new visitor guidelines?
Yes, please see below:
- Stay Local: Stay close to home. Walk or bike into the park. Parking is very limited. Do not take road trips to parks and beaches or to neighboring states.
- Stay Active: Keep walking, jogging, hiking and biking. Watch for one-way trails.
- Stay Safer at 6 Feet: Maintain a physical distance of 6 feet or more. Gatherings, picnics and parties are not allowed. Visitors will be asked to leave if there are too many people at the park, beach or on trails to allow for the required physical distance.
- Stay Clean: Be prepared. Bring soap/sanitizer and pack out all trash.
- Stay Covered: The state now requires you to wear a face covering in most indoor settings and public outdoor spaces when you cannot maintain physical distancing of six feet or more from people outside of your immediate household. For details, please visit CDPH’s guidance here. Visitors should also abide by their local county health orders.
Thank you for your patience and continued support of California State Parks as we work to limit your risk for exposure to COVID-19 in the outdoors. For more information, please visit parks.ca.gov/FlattenTheCurve.
In celebration of National Public Lands Day (NPLD), all national parks across America will waive entrance fees Saturday, September 26, 2020. As part of the larger national effort, Redwood National and State Parks will also waive the day-use entry fee into Jedediah Smith Redwoods and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Parks. Other fees, such as campground use fees, will still apply.
Phone Number
(707) 464-6101
Max. Trailer Lengths
Trailer: 21 Feet
Camper/Motorhome: 25 Feet
Park Hours
Dogs Allowed?
Yes
Except for service animals, dogs not allowed on trails.
Driving Directions to Jedediah Smith Redwoods SP
The park is located 9 miles east of Crescent City on Highway 199. See also Redwood National and State Parks HQ (Information Center) at 1111 2nd St in Crescent City.Camping and Lodging
Visitors will be able to reserve campsites and lodging six months in advance from the current date. Bookings may extend from the arrival date to the desired departure date – based on availability and the park’s maximum stay rules.
Upcoming Park Events
No events scheduled at this moment.
BOATING
Boating
Boat Ramps
Boating
Boat Ramps
OVERNIGHT FACILITIES
Family Campsites
Hike or Bike Campsites
RV Dump Station
Alternative Camping
RV Access
Family Campsites
Hike or Bike Campsites
RV Dump Station
Alternative Camping
RV Access
TRAIL USE
Bike Trails
Hiking Trails
Horseback Riding
Bike Trails
Hiking Trails
Horseback Riding
DAY-USE ACTIVITIES & FACILITIES
Historical/Cultural Site
Picnic Areas
Env. Learning/Visitor Center
Exhibits and Programs
Fishing
Guided Tours
Interpretive Exhibits
Beach Area
Family Programs
Geocaching
Historical/Cultural Site
Picnic Areas
Env. Learning/Visitor Center
Exhibits and Programs
Fishing
Guided Tours
Interpretive Exhibits
Beach Area
Family Programs
Geocaching
OTHER FACILITIES & VISITOR INFORMATION
Parking
Restrooms / Showers
Restrooms
Drinking Water Available
Parking
Restrooms / Showers
Restrooms
Drinking Water Available
Howland Hill Closure
Howland Hill Road is open from the east (Hiouchi side) gate down to Boy Scout Tree trailhead and parking area. Stout Grove is accessible via the same route. Howland Hill Road will remain closed to vehicle traffic between Boy Scout Tree and the west gate (near the Howland Hill Outdoor School) due to ongoing road work.
Grove of Titans and Mill Creek Trail Closure
On November 6, 2019, construction will begin on a 1,300-foot-long elevated walkway through the Grove of Titans (Grove) in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, part of Redwood National and State Parks in Del Norte County, California. This work is the first phase of a three-year, $3.5 million project organized and implemented by California State Parks, Save the Redwoods League, Redwood Parks Conservancy, and the National Park Service. The project, first announced in November 2018, was conceived to provide environmentally sensitive access to the Grove and adjacent forest. Thousands of visitors have been finding their way on “social trails” or unofficial pathways since the location of the Grove was first shared online in 1998, which has caused considerable damage over time.
During construction, from November 2019 to May 2021, the Mill Creek Trail will be closed from Howland Hill Road to the Smith River.
The renovation project will establish official, safe access to the Grove, provide ecosystem protections for the trees, visitor services and amenities, including a new restroom facility where the Mill Creek Trail meets Howland Hill Road.
For park visitors’ safety, the area around the Grove of Titans will be fenced off and closed during construction. Any park visitors in violation of the posted closure will be subject to a citation.
Park visitors may use the nearby Boy Scout Tree, Nickerson Ranch, Little Bald Hills, or Stout Grove trails, which are accessible from Howland Hill Road. As always, please recreate safely and protect you and your loved ones, as well as your natural surroundings. Always use official, open trails and avoid walking along roadways or on the forest floor. Be sure to actively supervise children at all times. For more information go to Save the Redwoods League's Grove of Titans page.
Notice:
Del Norte Coast Redwoods, Jedediah-Smith Redwoods, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Parks are the only parks in the California State Parks system that accept the Federal Access Pass discount.
Del Norte Coast Redwoods, Jedediah-Smith Redwoods, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Parks are the only parks in the California State Parks system that accept the Federal Access Pass discount.
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is the last in a long string of redwood parks that stretch up Northern California's coast. A few miles inland from the ocean, the park is densely forested with huge ancient trees. In fact, it contains seven percent of all the old-growth redwoods left in the world. No roads or trails mark "Jed Smith's" core—just pure, primeval majesty.
The park was named for Jedediah Strong Smith, who in the 1820s became the first white man to explore the interior of northern California. The park was established in 1929 with a small parcel donated to Save the Redwoods League by the family of lumberman Frank Stout.
Today, you can fish, snorkel, or kayak in the Smith River, the longest major free-flowing river in California; take a historic drive on Howland Hill Road; enjoy a campfire program at Jedediah Smith Campground; or hike through a lush rainforest on 20 miles of trails. The 1936 film The Last of the Mohicans was filmed just upstream, in the Smith River National Recreation area.
“Thick redwood forest, banana slugs, a beautiful river, and pollywogs,” says Save the Redwoods League, which helped the state acquire more than 5,500 acres of redwoods here. “What more could you ask for?”
Redwood National and State Parks
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park’s 10,000 acres are managed cooperatively by the National Park Service and California State Parks, as are Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and Redwood National Park. A World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve, Redwood National and State Parks protect 45 percent of California’s remaining old-growth redwoods—an area almost four times the size of Manhattan Island.
Cabins
You don’t need a tent or an RV to enjoy the beautiful old growth redwoods! Jedediah Smith Redwoods Redwoods State Park offers you access to “get-away-from-it-all” rental cabins.
Four cabins, all of which are ADA accessible, are located within the Jedediah Smith Redwoods Campground within Redwood National and State Parks.
Cabins have electricity; heaters and lights. No kitchen or bathroom.
Maximum occupancy is 6 persons. Each cabin has 2 bunk beds, each with a twin over a double in size, no mattress pads. Guest need to bring their own bedding. Space for a small tent outside to accommodate an additional 2 people max.
Cabin rate includes entry for one vehicle; additional vehicles will be charged $8 per night.
No Pets
No Smoking, cooking or open flame inside the cabins. Cabins each have an outdoor Barbecue, fire pit, bear box and picnic bench.
For more information on the cabins or to make a reservation go to www.reservecalifornia.com.
*Credit Card required for check in process.
Here at the confluence of the Smith River and Mill Creek, summer temperatures range from 45 to 85 degrees, in contrast to the cool, fog-bound coast. Winter can bring 100 inches of rain and temperatures between 30 and 65 degrees; snow is rare.
Rules & Notifications
• Don’t feed wildlife and keep your camp free of all traces of food.
• Store food in an animal-proof food locker.
• Place all your garbage in an animal-proof trash can.
• Howland Hill Road is gravel and not recommended for trailers.
This park is Crumb Clean. Visitors are required to watch this short video about the impact human food has on park wildlife.
Location/ Directions
Nine miles east of Crescent City on Highway 199.
Seasons/Climate
Summer temperatures range from 45 - 85 degrees. Winter temps fluctuate from 30 - 60 degrees.
Annual rainfall can reach up to 100 inches from November through May.