Like all mammals in our parks, bears are wild. Inviting them into your picnic or camp – on purpose or accidentally – can result in damage to your equipment, you, or the bear. Bears are memory retentive and quickly grow accustomed to human foods. Wildlife managers may have to destroy bears that repeatedly visit areas where they encounter people.

Be aware of the following:

Bears can be dangerous
Use the campground bearproof lockers for food, garbage, and all items with scent
Keep a clean camp at all times
Never feed bears
If a bear approaches or stands up, wave your arms and shout - DO NOT RUN!
Please report any sightings to a park ranger
Remember: A fed bear is a dead bear

Cougars, or mountain lions, are large, seldom seen inhabitants of RNSP. Like any wild animal, they can be dangerous. No attacks on humans have occurred in the parks, but mountain lion sightings have increased in recent years.

The following suggestions are recommended in lion country:

Do not hike alone
Keep children in sight; do not let them run ahead of you on the trail
Keep a clean camp
Be alert to your surroundings
Report all lion sightings to a ranger immediately

If you meet a lion...

Do NOT run!
Do NOT crouch or bend over!
Stand up and face the lion
Pick up young children
Appear large; wave your arms or jacket
Slowly back away

If a lion attacks...

Do NOT turn your back or take your eyes off it
Shout loudly
Fight back aggressively

The most often seen land mammal at RNSP is the Roosevelt elk. Bulls of this largest subspecies of North American elk can weigh as much as 1,200 pounds and are aggressive in guarding their cow elk harems. They are wild animals and can be dangerous. NEVER APPROACH THEM!

These parks are natural environments; the wild animals, plants, streams, and other natural features, as well as certain weather conditions that occur here can be hazardous. Coastal areas present hazards associated with cold ocean waters, heavy surf, strong currents, and tsunamis.

Be aware of the following while in the parks:

Ticks that carry Lyme disease occur in the area. Stay on trails, check clothing, wear light colors to easily spot a tick, tuck pant legs into socks and shirt into pants, inspect your head and body after a hike.

Poison oak can be identified with the saying "Leaves of three, let them be". Contact with poison oak leaves can cause an itchy skin rash, so wash thoroughly if you brush against it. Stay on trails!

Tides can be dangerous, so check a tide chart and keep an eye on the surf for "sneaker" waves. A sneaker wave is a wave that is larger than it appears.

Tsunamis are caused by earthquakes beneath the ocean floor and can cause waves up to 100 feet (33 m) high to surge inland. If you feel a strong earthquake move to higher ground – at least 100 feet (33 m) above shoreline – and wait for an official "all clear" on the radio.

In an emergency, call 911. For more information, call Redwood National and State Parks at (707) 464-6101, press 0.