Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [336]
On the beach, be aware of tidal fluctuations. Swimming is hazardous because of cold water and strong rip currents.
Watch for poison oak, particularly in coastal areas.
Follow park regulations regarding bears and food storage; all food and scented personal-care items should be secured and hidden from view in vehicles, placed in bear-proof lockers (located at each drive-in campsite), or hung from trees. Roosevelt elk are wild and unpredictable; do not approach them on foot.
Treat water from natural sources before drinking.
Tree limbs can fall during high winds, especially in old-growth forests.
SEASONS & CLIMATE
All those huge trees and ferns wouldn't have survived for 1,000 years if it didn't rain a lot here. Count on rain or at least a heavy drizzle during your visit, then get ecstatic when the sun comes out—it can happen anytime. Spring is the best season for wildflowers. Summer is foggy. (It's called "the June gloom" but often continues into July and Aug.) Fall is the warmest and (relatively) sunniest time of all, and winter isn't bad, though it is cold and wet, and some park facilities are closed. A storm can provide the most introspective time to see the park, since you'll probably be alone. And after a storm passes through, sunny days often follow. On an even brighter note, chances are you won't freeze to death in winter or wither and melt in summer because the average annual temperature along the Redwood Coast varies only 16°, ranging from an average low of 45°F to an average high of 61°F (7°C–16°C).
SEASONAL EVENTS
Annual events include an Earth Month beach cleanup in April, the Smith River cleanup in May, and the banana slug derby in August. Contact the park for exact dates and times. Also, Crescent City holds a surf contest in October, and the park holds a candlelight celebration through the old growth in December.
If You Have Only 1 Day
First stop at one of the information centers for a free map, which will clue you in to the parks' main attractions.
Next, take the detour along U.S. 101 called the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, which passes through dazzling groves of redwoods and elk-filled meadows before leading back onto the highway 8 miles later. Or you can try one of two other spectacular routes: the Coastal Drive, which winds through stands of redwoods and offers grand views of the Pacific, or Howland Hill Road, an unforgettable journey through an unbelievably beautiful old-growth redwood forest (see "Exploring the Park by Car," below).
The best way to experience the redwoods is on foot, so be sure to fit in time for a brief hike or two. The short Fern Canyon Trail leads through a fantastically lush grotto of ferns clinging to 50-foot-high vertical canyon walls. Lady Bird Johnson Grove Loop is an easy self-guided tour that winds around a glorious lush grove of mature redwoods. And the best trail of all is Boy Scout Tree Trail, through a lush, cool, damp forest brimming with giant ferns and majestic redwoods.
If you prefer to see the park from the water, take a Klamath River Jet Boat Tour (☎ 800/887-JETS or 707/482-5822; www.jetboattours.com) up the Klamath River Estuary to view bear, deer, elk, and more along the riverbanks, or a kayak tour around the Klamath River Estuary or other nearby waters.
Those determined to see the world's tallest trees should make their first stop the Redwood Information Center near Orick. Here you can get a permit to travel the Tall Trees Trail. This 4-hour drive-and-hike expedition is limited to 50 permits each day, so get yours early. It's an experience you'll never forget.
Exploring the Park by Car
A number of scenic drives cut through the park. Steep, windy Bald Hills Road (a few miles north of Orick on U.S. 101) will take you back into the