Backcountry Camping and Permits

• Plan Your Trip With Park Brochures

• Know The Current Conditions

• Looking For The Best Walk Or Hike?

• Visitor Centers: Start Your Visit Here

 

As we resume operations and increase access to the parks during COVID19, backcountry permit operations and overnight recreational opportunities will be different . More details will be coming.

If you want to stay overnight at any backcountry site, you will need to get a backcountry permit. These are free, and issued in-person at Hiouchi Visitor Center or Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center no sooner than 24-hours ahead of time. For our staff to provide quality safety and trip information, backcountry permits will not be issued less than 30-minutes before the visitor centers close.

For those who like to get away, a trail to themselves, a starlit sky at night, or the lullaby crashing waves - Redwood National and State Parks offers you more than 200 miles (322km) of extraordinary backcountry trails and seven designated backcountry campsites. Whether on foot, bicycle, or horseback, you'll traverse a wide variety of natural habitats, including old-growth redwood forests, oak woodlands, beaches, prairies, streams, and marshes.

Trip Planning Is In Your Hands

First, read about and understand the pros and cons of our seven backcountry camping areas. Grab the backcountry trip planner (PDF) and find out what redwood backcountry experience might work best for you. A good backcountry trip begins with YOU doing good research. Did you know you will be hiking or camping where bears and mountain lions are common?

Then, with your camping options in mind, request a free a backcountry permit. In normal conditions, these are given in-person up to 24-hours in advance from either the Hiouchi or Kuchel Visitor Centers. Reservations over the phone are not permitted. Permits are limited, and are issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

Your best resources for planning a backcountry adventure:

• Description and maps of our backcountry sites.
• The Backcountry Trip Planner (PDF)
• Redwood National and State Parks maps
• A backcountry mileage chart (PDF)
• A topographic map. Our partner, Redwood Parks Conservancy sells many great hiking maps.
• Know the risks and potential hazards
• Check the current conditions in the parks.

 

While specific regulations apply to those on bicycles and horseback, all backcountry users should adhere to Redwood National & State Park regulations. All of us are encouraged to follow Leave No Trace guidelines to minimize our impacts on the environment. Leave No Trace is rooted in scientific studies and common sense.