Amazing Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is an amazing place to visit.  The 10,000-acre park is located in Northern California, up near the Oregon-California border.  The park is nine miles east of Cresent City, CA on Highway 199.  The Smith River runs right through the park.  The water is very cold, even in the summer, but my kids never let the water temperature stop them from swimming.

The park is home to many old-growth giant redwood trees.  These trees are HUGE and need to be seen in person.  They are amazing!

If you end up making this trip, be sure to go eat at the Historic Somoa Cookhouse near Eureka, CA.  It’s about a 90-minute drive from Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.  There’s a lumberjack museum with lots of pictures of the huge old-growth redwood trees which were sadly logged.

This little guy hopped onto my daughter’s foot while she was wading in Smith River.

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park was named after Jedediah Smith who was the first non-native man to explore the area. Here’s a very interesting article on the man.

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park Facts

• The park is open year-round.  The phone number is 707-464-6101.  Check park status before leaving.
• Camping reservations can be made online.  The reservation site shows how long each camping site is, whether it’s a back-in camping site or a pull-through, and how many people are allowed per camping site.
• Reservations are recommended from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
• All camping sites have a picnic table, fire ring, and a bear-proof food locker.
• The park accepts travel trailers up to 21′ long motor homes up to 25′ long.
• The park does not offer full hookups.  This is dry camping.
• There are 15 tent-only camping sites and 62 standard camping sites.
• A dump station is available.
• The park has restrooms and showers.  Bring your own soap and hand sanitizer.
• There are bears in the park so food must be stored securely in bear-proof lockers which are provided.
• There are 20 miles of hiking trails within the park.
• Summer temperatures range from 45 to 85 degrees.   Winter temperatures range from 30 to 60 degrees.
• From November to May the park can get as much as 100″ of rain.
• You can fish, snorkel, swim, and or kayak the Smith River.  To fish legally, you will need a California fishing license.
• Horseback riding is permitted on Little Bald Hills Trail.  This is a 19.6-mile trail.   At 3.3 miles in (which is Redwood National Park), there are four primitive campsites and a horse corral.  There is also running water but it’s not potable.
• If camping isn’t your thing, stay in a hotel in nearby Cresent City and then visit the park during the day.
• The road to the park is frequently worked on so before leaving make sure the roads are open.

Check out the trip we took to Yellowstone National Park.  It’s truly a magical place!

https://youtu.be/reHw-ZuUmGU

More Cool Places to Visit

• Harbin Hot Springs Middletown CA
• Amazing Yellowstone National Park Pictures
• Indonesia’s Taman Safari

I’m participating in the 2016 A to Z Challenge.  This Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is my “J” day post.

Disclosure:  This post contains Amazon affiliate links.