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Redwood National and State Parks
Backcountry
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Seeing a park by automobile isn't for everybody. For those who crave quiet hours on the trail, a starlit sky at night, and sleeping to the sound of crashing waves, the parks have much to offer. - RNSP contains nearly 200 miles (320 km) of walking and hiking trails.
- These trails traverse a wide variety of natural habitats: old-growth redwood forests, mixed evergreen forests, coastal scrub, prairies, streams, marshes, and unspoiled beaches.
- Backpackers stay in designated campsites except along the Redwood Creek gravel bars.
- You can camp along Redwood Creek's gravel bars beyond the first seasonal bridge and no closer than within 1/4 mile of Tall Trees Grove.
- Enjoy the forest or ocean for 5 consecutive days; 15 in a calendar year.
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Permits: - Be sure to obtain a permit for camping along Redwood Creek from the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center.
- Backpackers can collect up to 50 pounds of dead and down wood per day per campsite, except at Miners Ridge and Ossagon Creek.
- Obtain permits and pay fee for Miners Ridge and Ossagon Creek camps at the Prairie Creek entrance station.
- Fires are permitted only in designated fire pits and on Redwood Creek gravel bars.
- Proper food storage when camping in bear country is required by law - be bear aware!
- Practice outdoor ethics.
- Pets, firearms, motorized vehicles, and hunting are prohibited on park trails.
- Mushroom gathering or possession is illegal.
- Overnight stay limited to five consecutive days, 15 days in a calendar year.
- 8 people per site maximum, and on Redwood Creek gravel bars, parties must be spaced 1/4-mile apart.
- Bear proof food storage canisters are available at the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center.
- Make sure to stop by a visitor center for trail conditions, water levels, and tick/poison oak information.
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NORTHERN SECTION
Little Bald Hills Camp (5 sites, horses and bikes allowed)
- Location: Redwood National Park
- Trailhead: Marked trailhead is on short access road off Howland Hill Road
- Mileage to campground: 3.3
- Difficulty Level: Strenuous, gradual 1,800 foot rise in elevation
- Description: Fire pits, bear proof lockers, toilet, picnic tables, non-potable water spigot, horse trough, and corral. No fee or permit required. Bring drinking water. Climb through old-growth forest to open prairies fringed by fir and pine trees.
Nickel Creek Camp (5 sites)
- Location: Redwood National Park
- Trailhead: Marked north access is at the end of Enderts Beach Road off Hwy 101. Marked south access is on east side of Hwy 101 at mile marker 15.6
- Mileage to campground: 0.5 from north access; 6 from south access
- Difficulty Level: North access is a steep quick descent. South access starts level and ends with a steep descent to the camping area.
- Description: Picnic tables, fire pits, bear proof lockers, and toilet. Located ¼-mile (½-km) from the ocean alongside a stream, this campsite features a lush coastal environment and the beauty of nearby Enderts Beach. Purify water from the stream before drinking. No fee or permit required.
DeMartin Camp (10 sites)
- Location: Redwood National Park
- Trailhead: Marked north access is on east side of Hwy 101 at mile marker 15.6. Marked south access is at Redwood Hostel off Hwy 101.
- Mileage to campground: From north access, 3.4. From south access, 3.5.
- Difficulty Level: Moderate, some steep grades and switchbacks.
- Description: Picnic tables, bear proof food lockers, fire pits, and toilet. No fee or permit required. Bring your own water. The camp offers ocean vistas from a high bluff.
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| Coastal Trail, DeMartin camp |
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Coastal Trail, Flint Ridge
SOUTHERN SECTION
Flint Ridge (11 sites)
- Location: Redwood National Park
- Trailhead: Marked west access is on the Coastal Drive. Marked east access is across from the Old Douglas Memorial Bridge site at junction of Alder Camp and Klamath Beach Road.
- Mileage to Campground: From west access, 0.25. From east access, 4.5
- Difficulty Level: East access is strenuous and climbs approximately 800 feet.
- Description: Picnic tables, bear proof lockers, fire pits, and toilet. No fee or permit required. Bring your own water. This quiet section of the parks features outstanding wildlife viewing and one of the finest old-growth redwood stands.
Ossagon Creek camp
Ossagon Creek (3 sites, bikes allowed)
- Location: Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
- Trailhead: Hikers: There are several different access points for this camp. Inquire at any visitor center for trail recommendations and current conditions. Bicyclists: Access is only from mile marker 132.9 on Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway.
- Mileage to campground: Hikers: Depending on which access you choose, mileages range from 1.7 to over 15 miles round trip. Bicyclists: 1.7 miles
- Difficulty Level: Moderate hike, some steep grades with switchbacks.
- Description: Three sites are available with picnic tables, bear proof lockers, and fire pits. Purify water from the nearby creek before drinking. Obtain permit and pay fee at the Prairie Creek entrance station.
- Parking: Overnight parking for trail access is available only at the Prairie Creek Visitor Center. Overnight parking is not allowed on the Newton B. Drury Scenic parkway.
Miners Ridge
- Location: Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
- Trailhead: Numerous access points are possible. Check with rangers at any visitor center for current trail conditions and recommendations.
- Mileage to Campground: Mileages vary depending on which access you choose.
- Difficulty Level: Moderate, non-level grades, not steep.
- Description: Picnic tables, bear proof lockers, fire pits, toilet, and potable water spigot. Obtain permit and pay fee at Prairie Creek entrance station. This camp sits dramatically on a bluff above Gold Bluffs Beach.
- Parking: Overnight parking for trail access is available only at the Prairie Creek Visitor Center.
Elam (Horses allowed, 3 sites) and 44 Camps (4 sites)
- Location: Redwood National Park
- Trailhead: Orick Rodeo Grounds
- Mileage to campground: Loops of 3 hours (seven miles, 11 km), 7 hours (14 miles, 21 km), 2-day (20 miles, 29 km) and 3-day (32 miles, 50 km) are your options from the Orick Horse Trail. Elam Camp is on the two shorter loops. 44 Camp is on the two longer loops, and is open to backpackers only until further notice.
- Difficulty Level: Strenuous, numerous steep grades.
- Description: Both located in the Redwood Creek area, these two camps feature four loop possibilities. Elam has picnic tables, bear proof lockers, fire pits, toilet, non-potable water, and a corral. No more than 12 stock animals are permitted. At 44-Camp, no water is available. There are picnic tables, bear proof lockers, fire pits, and a toilet. Free permit required.
Redwood Creek (Dispersed)
- Location: Redwood National Park
- Trailhead: Marked trailhead and parking area is on Bald Hills Road off Hwy 101.
- Mileage: 8
- Difficulty Level: Moderate, some steep grades.
- Description: Located along a stretch of Redwood Creek, the gravel bars offer the only area in the parks where dispersed camping is permitted. Dispersed camping is allowed anywhere on the gravel bars between the first seasonal bridge and no closer than ¼-mile (½-km) of the Tall Trees Grove. Be sure to obtain a permit for camping at the Kuchel Visitor Center.
- Winter Camping: (December - May) Redwood Creek runs high and fast during the winter with unexpected flows and rising water. Gravel bars are rarely available for camping. Foot bridges across the creek are removed in September and are not installed for the summer until late May. Check at the visitor centers before planning your trip for current conditions.
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