Redwood National Park is home to some of the most impressive specimens in the natural world, the Coast Redwood tree. Even if your main goal is to see the redwoods, many other plants and animals will keep you intrigued. Before visiting Redwood National Park, check the weather conditions. The temperature is somewhere between 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. These cool, temperate conditions result in lots of fog, which is integral to the survival of the redwoods and keeps them from succumbing to drought.
Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) are the world’s tallest trees. They live anywhere from 500 to 1,000 years, are 12 to 16 feet in diameter and 200 to 250 feet tall. According to California State Parks, some of the trees in the redwood forest are more than 2,000 years old and more than 350 feet tall. They thrive in wet, mild climates and were once heavily threatened by logging practices. The trees range from southern Oregon to Central California and extend no more than 50 miles inland from the coast. Their shallow roots extend 100 feet from the base and intertwine with those of other redwoods. Their deep root systems aid their stability during strong winds and floods.
Redwood National Park offers a wide variety of outdoor activities for its visitors. Almost everyone goes there to see the trees, but many go to bike, to ride the rapids of nearby rivers or to hike in the back country. While mountain biking is prohibited, a bicycle ride along Enderts Beach Trail will take you along California’s scenic Highway 101; and don’t forget to hike to Tall Trees Grove, home to six of the world’s tallest trees.
The diversity of wildlife in Redwood National Park is nothing less than impressive. Visitors will get a look at prairie wildlife as well as sea life, including sea lions and gray whales. Black bears are pretty shy, but you may spy one, and elk are extremely common. Redwood National Park offers visitors the chance to view many endangered and threatened species. Birders will relish the opportunity to view raptors in their natural habitat as well as many other species that hunt and live on the prairie.
Of course, redwoods aren’t the only trees you’ll see, and the entire park is full of thriving and carrying ecosystems supporting many different forms of plant life. Douglas firs, for example, are the next largest trees in the park. Other trees and plants include big leaf maples, California bay laurel and sword fern. Many of these are tough plants adapted to a seaside habitat; others are completely different based on their location somewhat farther inland. Visitors encounter plants they may never see anywhere else in the country--or the world.
In addition to the natural history of the park, visitors to Redwood National Park will have the opportunity to learn about the human history behind the establishment of the park and how the landscape has changed over time due to human interaction. There are numerous historic structures that still stand and are open to visitors, including Radar Station B-71, a World War II radar station disguised as a barn. Visitors will learn about the contributions of the Civilian Conservation Corps and the region’s ranching history. Every summer Redwood National Park hosts American Indian dance demonstrations by the Tolowa and Yurok tribes. The Tolowa perform their traditional renewal dance and the Yurok perform a traditional brush dance. These performances are free and open to the public.
