11 Best Sights in Redwood National Park, California

This is the most challenging but also the most rewarding of the Howland Hill Road hikes. Give yourself about three hours to complete this 5.6-mile round-trip trek to verdant Fern Falls. The old-growth redwoods on the tranquil trail are magnificent. If you don't have enough time, the ½-mile-loop Stout Memorial Grove Trail is a nearby alternative. Moderate.

This gorgeous 70-mile trail, much of it along dramatic bluffs high above the crashing surf, can be tackled in short, relatively easy chunks or longer, strenuous spans that entail backcountry overnight camping. A few of the most alluring smaller sections, listed here from north to south, are accessible at well-marked trailheads. The moderate-to-difficult DeMartin section (accessed from mile marker 15.6 on U.S. 101) leads south past 6 miles of old-growth redwoods and through sweeping prairie. It connects with the moderate 5½-mile-long Klamath section, which proceeds south from Wilson Creek Picnic Area to Klamath River Overlook, with a short detour to Hidden Beach and its tide pools, providing coastal views and whale-watching opportunities. If you're up for a real workout, hike the brutally difficult but stunning Flint Ridge section (accessed from the Old Douglas Memorial Bridge Site on Klamath Beach Rd.), with its 4½ miles of steep grades and numerous switchbacks past Marshall Pond and through stands of old-growth redwoods. Moderate–Difficult.

This flat, well-maintained, 3½-mile loop starting and ending at the Prairie Creek Visitor Center passes beneath awe-inspiring redwoods. The 1-mile section along the Karl Knapp Trail (formerly the Prairie Creek Trail) fringes a babbling brook. You then cross Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, turn south onto the Cathedral Trees Trail, and detour along the 0.3-mile Big Tree Loop before meandering south and west through yet more gorgeous old-growth forest. Options for extending your hike include walking 1½ miles up Cal-Barrel Road (an old, unpaved logging route) and then looping back 2 miles on the Rhododendron Trail to rejoin Cathedral Trees. Easy–Moderate.

Among the most accessible spots to view big trees, this impressive grove a short drive northeast of Orick was dedicated by, and named for, the former first lady. A level, 1.4-mile nature loop crosses a neat old wooden footbridge and follows an old logging road through this often mist-shrouded forest of redwoods. Easy.

Civilization quickly recedes as you walk amid the grove's breathtakingly majestic standing and fallen old-growth trees. Ferns and redwood sorrel line the wide and easy path, which loops for ½ mile back to the parking lot. Extend your hike another mile following the slightly more difficult River Trail, which sidles along the Smith River. Easy.

On this lush trek through a mix of old-growth redwoods, ferns, smaller deciduous trees, and some clusters of trillium flowers, you'll encounter the pretty cascades that give the hike its name after the first ½ mile. It's worth continuing along the full 2.8-mile loop, as the walk's southern end offers the best views of soaring redwoods. Roosevelt elk sometimes roam in the meadow by the trailhead. Easy–Moderate.

You won't see redwoods on this open, upper-elevation, 3.7-mile round-trip trail, but on summer days when the coast is socked in with rain or fog, an outing to this typically sunny prairie at Redwood National Park's southeastern boundary is highly rewarding, as is the steep—but slow—17-mile drive on Bald Hills Road. The trail leads to a former sheep and cattle ranch with a few interesting old outbuildings that date from the turn of the 20th century. Moderate.

Of the redwood hikes in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, this flat, easy, 1-mile loop through an incredibly dense forest is the best fit if you have only an hour or so. The trailhead is a short hop off U.S. 199 between Crescent City and Hiouchi, and interpretative signs tell a bit about the diverse flora—you'll encounter hemlocks, huckleberries, and many ferns along this route. Easy.

Although this roughly 30-acre grove ranks among the parks' most beautiful old-growth stands, getting to it requires a steep and winding 14-mile drive, followed by a somewhat rigorous 4-mile round-trip hike involving an 800-foot descent into the Redwood Creek flood plain. To embark on this journey, you must obtain a free permit at the Kuchel center to access the unpaved road off Bald Hills Road. Rangers dispense a limited number per day, first come, first served. No trailers or RVs are allowed. Given the effort required, if you only have a little time, it's best to save this one for your second or third visit. Moderate.

For a long, moderately strenuous trek, try this 12½-mile loop. The difficult West Ridge segment passes redwoods looming above a carpet of ferns. The slightly less taxing Friendship Ridge portion slopes down toward the coast through spruce and hemlock forests and accesses Fern Canyon. The moderate James Irvine Trail winds along a small creek amid dense redwood stands. For a less intensive experience, hike only one section. Moderate.

Providing a scenic opportunity to stretch your legs and breathe in fresh sea air, this 1.2-mile loop starts at the southern end of Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park. After following the California Coastal Trail for a short stretch, the path forks off toward False Klamath Cove—keep an eye out for shorebirds and migrating whales here. Just north of False Klamath Cove, there's excellent beachcombing at Wilson Creek Beach. Easy.