Crescent City · Redwood National and State Parks · Old-growth redwoods
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
Walk among ancient old-growth redwoods, drive the Howland Hill scenic road in your tow vehicle, and cool off in the wild Smith River, nine miles east of Crescent City.
Opens the California State Parks page for the park. Day-use parking is $8 per vehicle, and America the Beautiful passes are accepted.
Details checked October 2026
Type
Redwood state park
Part of Redwood National and State Parks
Admission
$8 per vehicle
Day-use parking only; scenic roads are free
Hours
Sunrise to sunset
Visitor center 9–5 Mar–Nov, 10–4 Nov–Mar
Time needed
1 hour to a full day
Half a day fits Stout Grove and the Titans
Parking
Day-use lot, $8
No RVs or trailers on Howland Hill Rd
Pets
Not on trails
Ask for the Bark Ranger brochure for dog walks
What you’ll see
Old-growth giants on the Smith River
Most visits pair a short grove walk with the Howland Hill scenic drive, then end at the river.
Photo: Chmee2 on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Start here
Stout Memorial Grove
This flat 0.5-mile loop winds through towering old-growth redwoods on a flat beside the Smith River. Drive to the trailhead on Howland Hill Road or, when river levels allow from about July to September, walk across the seasonal footbridge from the far side of the campground.
RV tip: big rigs can’t use Howland Hill Road. In summer, park at the day-use area and take the footbridge instead; the rest of the year, come back in the tow vehicle.
More to see
- Grove of TitansFrom Howland Hill Road, hike the Mill Creek Trail about 1 mile to a 1,300-foot elevated walkway through one of the park’s most famous groves.
- Howland Hill scenic driveAn 8-mile scenic corridor of hard-packed gravel and dirt, with pullouts beside the big trees. Vehicles must be under 22 feet, and RVs and trailers aren’t allowed.
- Simpson-Reed & Peterson Memorial trailsShort walks right off US-199. State Parks lists the Peterson Memorial Loop as ADA-compliant.
- Hiouchi Visitor Center & the Smith RiverVisitor center exhibits cover the river’s native fish. The Smith is California’s largest undammed river system, with a swimming beach and spots to fish, kayak or snorkel.
Why go
Ten thousand acres of ancient redwoods, nine miles from Crescent City
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park protects 10,000 acres of old-growth coast redwood forest, the last in the string of redwood parks along California’s North Coast. Established in 1929, it is named for Jedediah Strong Smith, the first non-native explorer known to reach the region, in the 1820s, and it sits on the ancestral land of the Tolowa Dee-ni’ people. Since 1994 it has been managed together with Redwood National Park as part of Redwood National and State Parks.
For RVers it is one of the easier redwood visits on the coast. The park lies about nine miles east of Crescent City on US-199, and its groves, trailheads and swimming beach sit close together. The catch is Howland Hill Road, the gravel scenic drive to Stout Grove and the Grove of Titans, which is closed to RVs and trailers, so plan that part in your tow vehicle.
There is no entrance fee to drive through, and day-use parking costs $8 a vehicle. Summer brings the seasonal footbridge across the Smith River and warm days at the swimming beach; the rest of the year the groves are quieter.
Photo: Chmee2 on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Why it made our list
- 10,000 acres of old-growth redwood forest
- No entrance fee; $8 day-use parking
- Stout Grove and the Grove of Titans close together
- The undammed Smith River for swimming and fishing
- Rated 4.9 on Google from 4,400+ reviews
For RVers
Bringing the rig to Jedediah Smith
The practical stuff we wished someone had told us before we pulled in.
Keep the rig off Howland Hill Road
State Parks says trailers and RVs are not permitted on Howland Hill Road, which is hard-packed gravel and dirt, and vehicles must be under 22 feet. That road leads to Stout Grove, the Grove of Titans and the Boy Scout Tree Trail, so plan that part of the day in your tow vehicle or a small car.
Use the day-use area
US-199 runs right through the park. Day-use parking at the campground area costs $8 per vehicle. The trailheads along US-199 and Howland Hill Road have small lots and pullouts, so an early start makes parking easier.
Dogs stay off the trails
Pets aren’t allowed on any park trails. Ask at the Hiouchi Visitor Center for the Bark Ranger brochure, which lists dog-friendly activities and walks, and don’t leave pets in a warm parked rig.
Bring cash for the fee
Day-use fees are collected at the campground entrance station, and the parks’ 2026 visitor guide says fees paid on site are cash only. America the Beautiful and California State Parks pass holders don’t pay the day-use fee.
What visitors say about Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
The visitor report card
We don’t copy other sites’ reviews, but the published scores are worth reading together. Scores checked October 24, 2026.
This densely forested park protects 10,000 acres of the world’s remaining old-growth redwood forest.
California State Parks, describing the park · parks.ca.gov
What visitors often mention
Recurring topics in Google reviews
RedwoodsThe riverAncient treesFerns
Google’s review topics point to the redwoods (419 reviews), the river (259), the ancient trees (82) and the ferns (24). Checked October 24, 2026.
Minutes from camp to the visitor center
Google Maps drive times to the Hiouchi Visitor Center, checked October 24, 2026. Times are for a car; allow a little longer in an RV.
Good to know
Day-use parking$8 per vehicle, per day
Scenic roadsFree no entrance fee
Camping$35 per night, no hookups
Passes acceptedAmerica the BeautifulCA State ParksFee-free days
Fees from the California State Parks info sheet and the NPS fees page, checked October 24, 2026. Fees paid on site are cash only. Day-use fees are also waived on National Park Service fee-free days, including Veterans Day, November 11.
Know before you go
Plan your visit
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
- Address1440 Highway 199, Crescent City, CA 95531
- HoursSunrise to sunset
Visitor center 9–5 Mar–Nov, 10–4 Nov–Mar - Phone(707) 464-6101
- Fees$8 day-use parking, cash only. Passes and fee-free days
- Getting thereFrom Crescent City, take US-101 north to US-199, then head east into the park, about nine miles from town. The day-use area, campground and Hiouchi Visitor Center are along the highway.
- Parking$8 day-use parking at the campground area. Small lots and pullouts serve trailheads on US-199 and Howland Hill Road, which is closed to RVs and trailers.
Trails, the summer footbridge and Howland Hill Road can change with storms and river levels. Check the Redwood National and State Parks alerts page before you go.
Where to stay nearby
RV parks near Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
These are the Crescent City-area parks we have written up, closest first. Big rigs do best at Redwood Meadows; the state park campground takes RVs up to 25 feet.
Jedediah Smith Campground
$35 no-hookup sites in old-growth redwoods on the Smith River, with showers and a dump station. RVs up to 25 ft.
Redwood Meadows RV Resort
30/50-amp full hookups and big-rig pull-thrus in Hiouchi, right beside the park.
Florence Keller County Park
$20 first-come sites in a quiet redwood grove on the edge of Crescent City. Rigs to 32 ft; no showers.
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
The questions RVers ask most before pulling in.
Day use sunrise to sunset · Visitor center 9 am–5 pm, March–November
Ready to walk among the giants?
Bring cash for day-use parking, take the tow vehicle on Howland Hill Road, and start early for the quietest groves.
Thank you to the people behind these photos and this video. Please support them by giving their work a look. Photos: Chmee2 (Stout Memorial Grove; CC BY-SA 3.0), Chris Rycroft (Boy Scout Tree Trail; CC BY 2.0), Clinton Steeds (Smith River; CC BY 2.0) and Wingchi Poon (sword fern; CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons; the images were resized. Video: North Coast Redwoods District on YouTube (park welcome). RV park photos courtesy of the National Park Service, Redwood Meadows RV Resort and Del Norte County Parks. Review-site logos are trademarks of their owners.
Disclaimer
RV-Roundup is an independent, community-based resource created to help RV travelers and to support and promote the places we feature. RV-Roundup is not owned by, operated by, or officially affiliated with Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park unless otherwise stated.
The information on this page was prepared using the most current details available at the time of publication, including the park’s published materials and publicly available sources. Hours, fees, rules and other details are set by California State Parks and the National Park Service and may change at any time without notice. Before you travel, please confirm all details directly with Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park at parks.ca.gov or (707) 464-6101. RV-Roundup is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes made after publication.
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