What Is Open or Closed During COVID-19

Status of Redwood National and State Parks: February 22, 2023

Current Park Status: Open
All visitor centers are open to full capacity.

Due to HIGH COVID-19 Community Transmission Rates in Del Norte County, mask wearing is now required in all federal facilities within Del Norte County. This applies to everyone in those facilities, regardless of vaccination status.

Face Masks Optional:
Thomas H Kuchel Visitor Center.
Prairie Creek Visitor Center.


Permits or reservations are required for the following:
Tall Trees Trail, backcountry camping, and frontcountry camping (developed campgrounds)
Please see below for more information.

 

July 29, 2022: The National Park Service (NPS) is working service-wide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, access to Redwood National and State Park is as follows:

Open: Our outdoor areas, retail spaces and visitor centers have no limits on capacity.

Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for general trip planning information. You can also see our top ten travel tips with Plan Like A Park Ranger

When recreating, please follow local area health orders and recreate responsibly. The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We will continue to monitor all park functions to ensure that visitors adhere to CDC guidance for mitigating risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19 and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health.

Redwood National and State Parks is in two counties. Del Norte County is north of the Klamath River. Humboldt County is south of the Klamath River.

• Del Norte County Covid19 status
• Humboldt County Covid19 status

The health and wellbeing of visitors and park employees remains our top priority. We continue to work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public areas and workspaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, partners, and volunteers. Our operations will be flexible, continually evaluated and adjusted as necessary to ensure public health and safety.

Details about park alerts, temporary closures, and seasonal conditions is found on the Current Conditions page

 

What is Currently Open and Closed in Redwood National and State Parks:

What is Open

Visitor Information:
Retail, information, and restroom facilities are available at the following locations:

Hiouchi Visitor Center
Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center
Prairie Creek Visitor Center
Crescent City Information Center
Jedediah Smith Campground Visitor Center (closed in winter)

Camping:
Jedediah Smith Campground
Elk Prairie Campground
Gold Bluffs Beach Campground
Mill Creek Campground (closed in winter)

For campground reservations, please visit ReserveCalifornia.

Backcountry Camping Sites:
Online applications for backcountry camping permits are available.

Trails:
All Redwood National and State Park trails
For Tall Trees Trail permits, please see Tall Trees Online Permits

Scenic Drives:
Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway
Coastal Drive
Bald Hills Road
Howland Hill Road
Klamath Overlook

Find out what the Current Conditions are in the parks. (Weather, air quality, facilities, road and trail conditions).

What is Closed

Campgrounds:
Mill Creek: closed in winter

Visitor Centers:
Jedediah Smith Redwoods Visitor Center: closed in winter

Overlooks or Parking:
N/A

Roads:
N/A

Find out what the Current Conditions are in the parks. (Weather, air quality, facilities, road and trail conditions).

State Park Status

Three State Parks lie within Redwood National and State Parks. For the most up-to-date information regarding State Park closures and status, please see the following websites:

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
Del Norte Redwoods State Park
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Status of Events, Permits, Outdoor Schools, and Cooperating Associations

For operational status of our park partner, please visit Redwood Parks Conservancy.

Commercial Use Authorizations will need to be approved for county business certification.

 

What to Expect Before Arriving:

Maps and Brochures Are Available

In response to guidance from the State Health Department and to support the nation’s effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Redwood National and State Parks may temporarily limit indoor services at the park. The following buildings and facilities are open with no restrictions:

• Hiouchi Visitor Center, Prairie Creek Visitor Center, Jedediah Smith Visitor Center, Crescent City Info Center, and Kuchel Visitor Center

The visitor centers are busy in summer - wait times for services may be long. Park maps and restroom facilities are available. Park ranger information services at visitor centers are currently available. Self service orientation and self service information is also available. Avoid the lines and Plan Like a Park Ranger.

Backcountry Camps and Tall Trees Permits are Online Only

Apply for Backcountry Camping and Tall Trees Grove Permits

On-line permits must be acquired at least 24 hours in advance.
Pets are not permitted on trails or in the backcountry.

Developed Campgrounds

For more information, see:
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park campground is first come, first served in the winter.
Del Norte Redwoods State Park campground is open, but expect two-hour road delays to get to the campground.
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park two campgrounds have year-round reservations.

To make a campground reservation, please go to ReserveCalifornia.

Recreate Responsibly

Redwood National and State Parks offer countless recreational opportunities for you to enjoy. With your help, these special places can be treasured by everyone while preserving them for future generations.

Protecting You: More than 300 million people visit national parks each year, as well as the communities living in or around them.

Protecting Us: Tens of thousands of NPS employees, plus volunteers, partners, and others, provide services for the safety and enjoyment of parks, including emergency assistance, facilities such as restrooms and visitor centers, transportation, and sales.

Protecting America’s Treasures: National parks are home to some of the nation’s most treasured and irreplaceable resources, including wildlife, scenery, and historic places.

The NPS encourages you to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and follow Leave No Trace principles when you visit.

• Know before you go. Visit NPS.gov/findapark for current park conditions and availability of restrooms and other facilities. Make a plan, follow the 10 Essentials, and if you are sick, stay home.
• Keep it with you. If you brought it, take it with you. Trash pickup and restroom facilities will continue to be limited in many park areas . Follow Leave No Trace principles.
• Keep it inclusive. Be an active part of making our nation’s parks and public lands safe and welcoming for all identities and abilities.

 

Please Recreate Responsibly In The Redwoods

Take Care of Yourself - and Others
Visitors should follow CDC recommendations about when and where to wear masks.

Pack it in, pack it out
Use trash bins or take your trash home.

Plan ahead
If your planned trail or area is crowded, please try a less crowded area. Avoid stress and FOMO while visiting here by Planning Like A Park Ranger.

 

Leave No Trace ethics are always important to follow. During this pandemic, national parks across the USA are stressing the importance of these ethics - no matter the place a person might be recreating at.

 

NPS / Steve Krause

Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP) is an unusual partnership of three California state parks and one national park. The way that RNSP operates, requires masks in visitor centers, or opens / closes areas and facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic follow local, state and federal guidance. This unique partnership means that even though the public is experiencing RNSP as one destination, they way the public can recreate in RNSP during COVID-19 means different things in different geographical parts of RNSP.

We know this can be confusing if you are in Redwood National and State Parks - or thinking about how you can visit us. This webpage will convey the best and current information about what is open. However, visitors are responsible for following the state, or federal laws that govern the particular location (within the boundaries of RNSP) that they are visiting.