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Three Steps to Securing Your Backcountry Camping Permit
Backcountry camping in Redwood National and State Parks offers a unique opportunity to experience the park’s remote beauty. However, careful planning is essential to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip. Follow these three steps to secure your permit and prepare for your backcountry stay.
Backcountry permits are required year-round and can only be reserved online. If you need assistance with making a reservation, please stop by a park visitor center.
Before applying for a backcountry camping permit, we ask that you research each backcountry site to make sure you are making the right choice that will meet your needs, interest, physical abilities, and time-frame. You can only camp at the specific place and date for where your permit is issued. Be sure to learn about and follow Leave No Trace practices while in the park. See if there are any fire restrictions in place.
Detailed information about our backcounty campsites:
Note: Please check the Current Conditions page under the Backcountry Sites section for closures of backcountry sites
*If you would like to park at the Tall Trees Trailhead to access the gravel bar or 44 Camp, you need to reserve a Tall Trees All-day parking permit in addition to the backcountry permit. Book multiple all-day Tall Trees Permits by selecting 'Add a Time' during the application process.
Permits are only issued online. Permits will not be issued in park visitor centers and often fill up in the summer. Plan ahead in order to have the best chance to secure a permit.
Permits can be reserved same-day before 1pm and up to 180 days in advance.
Book multiple days by selecting your date and choosing 'Add a time'.
Maximum group size* - Group size per backcountry permit and individual backcountry site is eight (8) people. Parties of more than eight (8) people will need to separate into smaller groups and have multiple permits under different names. *Redwood Creek Gravel Bar permits are issued for 4 people at a time. You may travel in groups of up to eight (8) people but you must apply for seperate permits. This is in order to stay within the capactiy limits of the gravel bar while allowing the most people to recreate.
More than one vehicle - If you are going to have more than one vehicle or have others join you with more vehicles each vehicle needs to be registered for backcountry parking. Please enter all of the vehicles and their information on the application.
Reserve a Permit - Permits are being issued by our non-profit partner, Redwood Parks Conservancy.
Step 3: Take your Permit to the Park
Check your junk / spam folders for an email from Redwood National and State Parks.
Be sure to bring your permit with you when hiking to / from, or staying at your backcountry camp. As normal, our Law Enforcement Rangers may ask to see your backcountry permit. Another option is to save the backcountry permit's files onto a hand-held device. Be aware that cell coverage is poor at Redwood National and State Parks, and you might not be able to open up any emails about your permit while in the backcountry.
Backcountry Camping Regulations
Camping is limited to the designated campsites and to eight (8) persons per site. Camping outside designated campsites or more than eight (8) persons per site is prohibited.
Group sites are limited to twenty (20) persons.
All backcountry camping requires a permit and is done so by online reservation only. Backcountry camping without a permit is prohibited.
Backcountry horse camping requires a permit and is only allowed at Little Bald Hills Camp and Elam Camp. Backcountry horse camping without a permit is prohibited.
Saving a campsite for another party is prohibited.
Campsite overnight stay limits are 5 consecutive nights and 15 nights in a calendar year. Camping in the same site over 5 consecutive nights and 15 nights in a calendar year is prohibited.
Campers and all tents and other camping equipment must vacate at least 14 days between each multi-day (2-5 days) stay.
In all areas within the park, all food, lawfully taken fish, garbage and equipment used to store food (e.g., ice chests) must be stored in one of the following ways:
Inside a vehicle with all doors, windows and trunk lids closed, OR
Inside a camping unit that is constructed of solid non-pliable material, OR
Suspended at least 10 feet above the ground and 4 feet horizontally from a post, tree trunk or other object (Note: Climbing of trees is prohibited), OR
Inside a building, OR
Inside a commercially available portable bear-resistant food storage container that is specifically designed and constructed to prevent access by bears and other wildlife, OR
In developed campgrounds, inside a food storage locker where provided.
For purposes of this section, food is defined as items to be consumed, drinks, pet food, toiletries and soaps. Garbage is defined as food wastes, empty food containers, trash and recyclables.
This restriction does not apply to food that is being transported, consumed or prepared for consumption
The lighting or maintaining of fires is generally prohibited, except as authorized in the following designated areas and/or receptacles, and under the conditions noted:
All fires are prohibited during periods of very high or extreme fire danger as posted according to the park’s Fire Management Plan.
Campfires are permitted in park-provided grills or designated sites in all campgrounds, picnic areas and backcountry campsites. Holders of a valid backcountry camping permit for Redwood Creek may build a fire only on the gravel bars, per conditions of the permit.
Moving a grill or fire ring from its original location is prohibited.
Where grills are provided, all burning material must be fully contained within the grill.
The burning of trash or food waste is prohibited within the park.
Fires may be built on beach wave slopes, but not on vegetation
The following animals are designated as pack animals for purposes of transporting equipment:
Horses, ponies, mules, burros, goats, yaks, and llamas
The use of horses or pack animals is allowed on the following trails, routes or areas:
The Mill Creek and Rellim Ridge Horse Trails and the Little Bald Hills trail in Del Norte County.
The established and marked Orick Horse trails on the west side of Redwood Creek and within the streambed of Redwood Creek up to the first footbridge/trail crossing of Redwood Creek.
Crescent, Gold Bluff, Hidden (Humboldt County) and Freshwater Beaches.
Other conditions concerning the use of horses or pack animals:
A horse or pack animal may not graze or otherwise eat park vegetation.
A horse or pack animal must be picketed, properly tied to a hitching post or within a corral when unattended overnight.
