Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is a state park, located in Humboldt County, California, near the town of Orick and 50 miles north of Eureka. The 14,000 acre park is a coastal sanctuary for old-growth Coast Redwood trees.
Fifty miles north of Eureka, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park protects sandy beaches and open meadows grazed by magnificent herds of Roosevelt elk. Ferns cascade down canyon walls. Lush stands of the world's tallest living tree species, the coast redwood, stand in primeval majesty.
Visitors can stay at either Elk Prairie or Gold Bluffs Beach campgrounds and explore the park via three scenic drives, 75 miles of hiking trails, and a 19-mile bike loop. Traverse self-guided nature trails, as well as the Revelation Trail (designed to emphasize the use of the five senses) and the Redwood Access Trail, (designed for people with physical limitations.) Many visitors take the gentle walk to Fern Canyon, which was used as a backdrop for the movie Jurassic Park. Most of the park is dedicated to the enjoyment and protection of coast redwoods and the luxuriant life around them.
Stately and bizarre giant redwoods (including "cathedrals" and "octopuses") are just a short walk from the visitor center. A World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve, Prairie Creek and the three other parks in the Redwood National and State Parks group protect 45 percent of California's remaining old-growth redwoods.
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is managed cooperatively by the National Park Service and the California Department of Parks and Recreation, along with Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, and Redwood National Park.
Gold Bluffs Beach and Elk Prairie Campgrounds are available for reservations at www.parks.ca.gov/prairiecreek or by phone at 1-800-444-7275.
Reservations are needed at Elk Prairie and Gold Bluff Beach Campgrounds year-round. Gold Bluffs Beach campground is cabover camper- or tent-only; no trailers of any kind are allowed on Davison Road.
Cabins
You don’t need a tent or an RV to enjoy the beautiful old growth redwoods! Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park offers you access to “get-away-from-it-all” rental cabins.
Four cabins, all of which are ADA accessible, are located within Elk Prairie Campground within Redwood National and State Parks.
For more information on the cabins or to make a reservation go to www.reservecalifornia.com.
*Credit Card required for check in process.
Weather
Summer temperatures range from 40 to 75F, but are cooler along the coast. Morning and evening fog is common. Winter brings chillier 35 - 55F days. Prepare for rain from November to May.
Rules & Notifications
Miners Ridge and Ossagon backcountry camps are permanently closed. Davison E-Camp backcountry camp is currently closed due to service reductions
Except for service animals, dogs not allowed on trails.