Parks Manager

National parks near Redway, California

Redwood National Park is the closest national park to Redway, California — 82 mi (132 km) in a straight line, which works out to roughly 2 hr 24 min behind the wheel.

Coast redwood forest in far northern California. Tall trees, fog, and state-park stretches mixed into the visit.

Redwood National Park makes a full day trip — leave early. Lassen Volcanic National Park and Crater Lake National Park are better with a night booked nearby.

Nothing near Redway gates the entrance itself, but 6 of the parks in range put a road, hike, or backcountry trip behind a permit or timed ticket.

Redway has a population of about 1,225.

Best time to visit Redwood National Park. Getting to Redwood National Park. Camping at Redwood National Park.

National parks near Redway

Parks ranked by distance from Redway
ParkStraight-line distanceEstimated driveRealistic trip
Redwood National Park82 mi (132 km)2 hr 24 minDoable as a day trip
Lassen Volcanic National Park125 mi (201 km)3 hr 25 minBest as a weekend
Crater Lake National Park214 mi (345 km)5 hr 31 minBest as a weekend
Yosemite National Park278 mi (447 km)7 hr 1 minWorth a longer road trip
Pinnacles National Park290 mi (467 km)7 hr 19 minWorth a longer road trip
Kings Canyon National Park361 mi (581 km)9 hrWorth a longer road trip
Sequoia National Park378 mi (608 km)9 hr 23 minWorth a longer road trip
Death Valley National Park465 mi (749 km)11 hr 27 minWorth a longer road trip
Mount Rainier National Park476 mi (767 km)11 hr 43 minWorth a longer road trip
Channel Islands National Park487 mi (783 km)11 hr 58 minWorth a longer road trip

What to book before you leave Redway

Reservations needed at parks near Redway
ParkWhat needs bookingCoversHow
Lassen Volcanic National ParkLassen Volcanic National Park Wilderness PermitsOne hike or backcountry tripPermit or lottery
Yosemite National ParkHalf Dome PermitsOne hike or backcountry tripPermit or lottery
Kings Canyon National ParkSequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness PermitsOne hike or backcountry tripPermit or lottery
Sequoia National ParkSequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness PermitsOne hike or backcountry tripPermit or lottery
Death Valley National ParkDeath Valley National Park Wilderness PermitsOne hike or backcountry tripPermit or lottery
Mount Rainier National ParkMount Rainier National Park Wilderness and Climbing PermitsOne hike or backcountry tripPermit or lottery

Camping near Redway

Within reach of Redway, 65 campgrounds across 10 parks appear on Recreation.gov: 16 at Yosemite National Park, 14 at Lassen Volcanic National Park, 9 at Kings Canyon National Park, and 8 at Channel Islands National Park, plus 6 more parks with fewer sites.

Gold Bluffs Beach Campground - Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park at Redwood National Park and Jedediah Smith Campground - Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park at Redwood National Park do not take reservations, so they never show up as bookable inventory — in busy season that means arriving before mid-morning rather than planning around a confirmation.

Recreation.gov releases most national park campsites six months before the arrival date, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. Windows are set per campground, so confirm yours on the Seasons and Fees tab on that campground page.

Once a date is gone, cancellations are the real supply, and they get taken within minutes of appearing.

When to make this trip

Redwood National Park is generally best May through October, with April and early November as the quieter shoulder either side.

Winter brings cold, shorter days, and reduced services, though lower-elevation trails often stay walkable.

Peak summer weekends and autumn colour weekends fill parking lots early — arrive before mid-morning.

Month-by-month detail for Redwood National Park

Seeing more than one

Several parks near Redway are close enough to each other to combine on one trip, so the drive from home only has to happen once.

Distances between parks near Redway
PairApartEstimated drive
Redwood → Lassen Volcanic142 mi (228 km)3 hr 48 min
Redwood → Crater Lake149 mi (240 km)3 hr 59 min
Lassen Volcanic → Crater Lake171 mi (276 km)4 hr 30 min

Planning a trip from Redway

Distances here are straight-line and the drive estimate adds a road factor on top, but mountain passes and seasonal closures can change it a lot — a route that looks like three hours in June can be shut entirely in February. Confirm road status with the park before you commit to a date.

Read the Redwood National Park guide

Other towns in Humboldt County

Common questions

What is the closest national park to Redway?

Redwood National Park. It is about 82 mi (132 km) from Redway, roughly 2 hr 24 min of driving.

Can I do a national park day trip from Redway?

Yes — Redwood National Park is within about a three-hour drive.

How many national parks are near Redway?

10 parks are within reach of Redway, and 1 of them is close enough for a day trip.

Do you need a reservation for the national parks near Redway?

None of them gate the entrance itself. 6 put a specific road, hike, or backcountry trip behind a permit or timed ticket — Lassen Volcanic National Park Wilderness Permits, Half Dome Permits at Yosemite National Park, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness Permits. These requirements are usually seasonal, so check the date you plan to arrive.

Where can you camp near Redway?

Recreation.gov lists 65 campgrounds at the national parks within reach of Redway. They are spread across 10 of those parks. 2 of them are first-come, first-served, so they never appear as bookable inventory.

When is the best time to visit the parks near Redway?

For Redwood National Park, the closest one, generally May through October. Either side of that, April and early November stays quieter.