Best time to visit Redwood.
Photo · NPS Photo / Steve Olson · NPS sourceCheck before you go
- Closures, fire restrictions, construction and water: NPS Redwood current conditions
- We are independent of the National Park Service. The official pages above are the source of record for anything that changes.
Current conditions
- Highway 101: hazard reported in effect now
- Delays along Highway 101 Safety · in effect now · nps.gov
Compare Redwood by month.
Three signals for each month: how busy it is against June, the average weather, and how much of the road system is normally open. Tap a month for its full Redwood guide. We don't roll these into one "best month" score, because a photographer and a family on school break want different months.
Weather · NOAA normals, Klamath (28 ft)
| Month | Crowds | Weather | Roads & lodging | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January |
Quiet
26% of June · 25K avg
|
Harsh
55°F / 39°F (13°C / 4°C)
|
Usually all open
Typical windows · score 80/100
|
Quiet and very wet, second only to December for rain. Groves are lush and near-empty, and elk winter in the valleys.Read the January guide |
| February |
Quiet
26% of June · 24K avg
|
Harsh
56°F / 39°F (13°C / 4°C)
|
Usually all open
Typical windows · score 80/100
|
Still wet and quiet. Mild between storms, and elk graze the lowland prairies.Read the February guide |
| March |
Quiet
34% of June · 32K avg
|
Harsh
57°F / 40°F (14°C / 5°C)
|
Usually all open
Typical windows · score 85/100
|
Visits start to climb, but rain is still heavy. NPS says the gray whale migration peaks March through May.Read the March guide |
| April |
Moderate
43% of June · 41K avg
|
Mixed
59°F / 43°F (15°C / 6°C)
|
Usually all open
Typical windows · score 92/100
|
A strong shoulder. Rain drops to about 6.6 inches, whale migration is near its peak, and roads are open.Read the April guide |
| May |
Busy
68% of June · 65K avg
|
Ideal
61°F / 47°F (16°C / 8°C)
|
Usually all open
Typical windows · score 98/100
|
Crowds climb toward summer. The Fern Canyon reservation starts May 15, and elk calving begins late in the month.Read the May guide |
| June |
Peak
100% of June · 95K avg
|
Ideal
64°F / 47°F (18°C / 8°C)
|
Usually all open
Typical windows · score 100/100
|
Busiest month. Cool, often foggy coast. Fern Canyon footbridges usually go in. Book state-park campgrounds well ahead.Read the June guide |
| July |
Peak
96% of June · 91K avg
|
Ideal
66°F / 53°F (19°C / 12°C)
|
Usually all open
Typical windows · score 100/100
|
Near-peak crowds and the driest month. Frequent summer fog on the coast. Reserve campsites through ReserveCalifornia.Read the July guide |
| August |
Peak
85% of June · 81K avg
|
Ideal
66°F / 51°F (19°C / 11°C)
|
Usually all open
Typical windows · score 100/100
|
Still busy and dry. The elk rut starts in late August. A few gray whales stay to feed off the park through summer.Read the August guide |
| September |
Busy
76% of June · 72K avg
|
Ideal
67°F / 50°F (19°C / 10°C)
|
Usually all open
Typical windows · score 100/100
|
Our pick. The year's highest average high, the elk rut, and 76% of June's visits. Fern Canyon reservations end Sept 15.Read the September guide |
| October |
Moderate
52% of June · 49K avg
|
Good
63°F / 45°F (17°C / 7°C)
|
Usually all open
Typical windows · score 95/100
|
Crowds drop off. Storm season begins and the elk rut runs through the month. Mill Creek Campground closes early in the month.Read the October guide |
| November |
Quiet
30% of June · 29K avg
|
Rough
58°F / 41°F (14°C / 5°C)
|
Usually all open
Typical windows · score 88/100
|
Quiet again. Rain returns in earnest, Jedediah Smith Campground goes first-come, and trails through the old growth are empty.Read the November guide |
| December |
Quiet
24% of June · 23K avg
|
Harsh
54°F / 38°F (12°C / 3°C)
|
Usually all open
Typical windows · score 80/100
|
Quietest and wettest month. Storms and short days, and the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway can close for days after storms.Read the December guide |
Open the full Redwood crowd calendar
Rain, snow, latest-year counts, and the weather station
The Klamath station sits at about 28 ft near the Klamath River mouth, near the middle of the parks' 50 miles of coast, so it stands in for the coastal lowland along U.S. 101. NPS says summer brings cool coastal temperatures with frequent fog, while inland areas are typically warmer with clearer skies, and the Bald Hills get much hotter in summer than the coast. The station's snowfall normals are zero.
| Month | Visits in 2025 | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48,394 | 13.38″ | 0.0″ |
| Feb | 41,615 | 10.67″ | 0.0″ |
| Mar | 54,640 | 10.65″ | 0.0″ |
| Apr | 66,958 | 6.64″ | 0.0″ |
| May | 119,782 | 3.59″ | 0.0″ |
| Jun | 222,029 | 1.78″ | 0.0″ |
| Jul | 197,051 | 0.26″ | 0.0″ |
| Aug | 166,985 | 0.33″ | 0.0″ |
| Sep | 129,138 | 1.26″ | 0.0″ |
| Oct | 77,984 | 4.99″ | 0.0″ |
| Nov | 46,862 | 10.09″ | 0.0″ |
| Dec | 31,042 | 15.25″ | 0.0″ |
Redwood's September figure (about 76% of the June peak) is an average for the whole month. The NPS counts behind it are monthly, so they can't show how Labor Day weekend compares with the rest of September. Redwood National Park's 2024 and 2025 totals also reflect an improved NPS counting method, so compare months by their shape, not by raw totals.
How these scores are computed (and why there's no combined "best month")
Crowd score
Formula: 100 − (this month's visits ÷ park's peak month visits) × 100. Each park scored against its own peak, not against other parks.
Source: NPS Visitor Use Statistics Data Package 2025, Recreation Visits (TRV), 5-year monthly mean (2021-2025). Reproduce these numbers on the NPS IRMA Stats portal.
Reading it: June at Redwood reads 0 (peak). December reads 76 (quietest). A 50 means about half the park's peak crowd.
Weather score
Formula: weatherScore = round(max(0, min(100, dayComfort − precipPenalty − snowPenalty − freezePenalty))). The piecewise day-comfort function is continuous at every boundary.
- Day comfort:
tmax < 50°F →
max(10, (tmax − 20) × 2)(cold tail); 50–60°F →60 + (tmax − 50) × 4(ramp to 100); 60–78°F → 100 (plateau); 78–85°F →100 − (tmax − 78) × 5(ramp to 65); > 85°F →max(30, 65 − (tmax − 85) × 5)(hot tail). - Precip penalty:
max(0, prcpIn − 1.5) × 8; kicks in above 1.5 in / month. - Snow penalty:
snowIn × 2.5. If the selected station does not publish a snowfall normal, the score applies no snow penalty and labels snowfall as unavailable. - Night-freeze penalty:
max(0, 32 − tmin) × 1.5when tmin < 32°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station Klamath, CA (USC00044577, 28 ft).
Caveat: The Klamath station sits at about 28 ft near the Klamath River mouth, near the middle of the parks' 50 miles of coast, so it stands in for the coastal lowland along U.S. 101. NPS says summer brings cool coastal temperatures with frequent fog, while inland areas are typically warmer with clearer skies, and the Bald Hills get much hotter in summer than the coast. The station's snowfall normals are zero.
Access score
Formula: For each named park road, count it open if its typical operating window covers that month. Score = round((sum of weights of open roads / sum of all weights) x 100). Where a park has a partial winter access mode, the profile documents that assumption in its access notes.
Route weights at Redwood:
- Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway (the signature old-growth drive): Year-round · paved · car-free first Saturdays Oct–May
- Howland Hill Road (Jedediah Smith old growth): Year-round · unpaved · no RVs or trailers
- Bald Hills Road (Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Tall Trees trailhead): Year-round · unpaved · RVs/trailers not advised
- Davison Road → Gold Bluffs Beach & Fern Canyon: Year-round road · reservation May 15 – Sep 15
- Entry, fees, and permits: National Park free year-round · state-park fees apply
- Camping and lodging: State-park campgrounds · eight cabins, no lodge
- Roosevelt elk viewing: Year-round · rut late Aug–Oct · calving late May–Jun
Editorial methodology: the route weights are chosen by our editors from NPS road and lodge operating dates and the park's own access caveats below the score table.
Caveat: The score reflects wheeled-vehicle road access only. Backcountry, hiking, lodging, shuttle, and other service availability are not directly included unless the park profile states otherwise.
Why no combined score?
A combined "best month" number forces a weighting: how much do you care about crowds vs. weather vs. access? Those weights are personal. A photographer optimizing for golden light weights differently than a parent locked to school break weights differently than a winter visitor with a 4WD. We show the inputs and let you decide. Use the per-month grid above to navigate to a deeper page.
When are roads and lodges open?
Roads, entrances, and lodges by season. Road closures and lodge seasons decide what a month can actually offer. Verify with NPS before you travel; these change.
Last updated · Sep 13, 2026
Every road's opening and closing dates: Redwood road closures.
Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway (the signature old-growth drive)
A paved 10-mile alternative to U.S. 101 through the old-growth heart of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. NPS says any vehicle of any size can drive it, though its scenic drives page bars commercial vehicles. In winter it's often closed for days at a time by fallen trees or ice, and from October to May it closes to cars on the first Saturday of each month for Bike and Hike Day. Big Tree Wayside and several trailheads are right off it. Confirm current closures on the NPS Redwood conditions page.
Howland Hill Road (Jedediah Smith old growth)
A mostly unpaved, narrow drive through the Jedediah Smith old growth near Crescent City. NPS is explicit that motorhomes, RVs, and trailers will not fit on this road. It's open year-round, but in spring crews often repair winter storm damage and parts may close for short periods. See the NPS Redwood scenic-drives page before you go.
Bald Hills Road (Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Tall Trees trailhead)
A mostly unpaved county road that climbs from U.S. 101 to Lady Bird Johnson Grove, the Tall Trees trailhead, and the Bald Hills prairies. NPS advises against motorhomes, RVs, and trailers because it is winding, narrow, and rough, with gravel sections that get dusty in summer. NPS says summer is much hotter up in the Bald Hills than in the coastal redwoods. Logging trucks use the road too, so drive slowly.
Davison Road → Gold Bluffs Beach & Fern Canyon
The mostly unpaved, narrow road to Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, with two stream crossings where NPS recommends high clearance. RVs over 24 feet and trailers aren't permitted. California State Parks charges $12 per vehicle at the Gold Bluffs Beach kiosk (cash or check; America the Beautiful passes honored), and a free parking reservation is required May 15 to September 15, online only, in advance or the day before, on the NPS Fern Canyon reservations page.
Entry, fees, and permits
Redwood National Park charges no entrance fee and has no entrance stations, so it sells no America the Beautiful passes. The three California state parks charge an $8 vehicle day-use fee, and Gold Bluffs Beach charges $12. Free online reservations are required for the Tall Trees Trailhead all year and for driving to Fern Canyon from May 15 to September 15, and neither can be booked the same day. Verify current rules on the NPS Redwood fees page and the Tall Trees reservations page.
Camping and lodging
Aside from eight basic campground cabins, Redwood has no lodging; NPS points to towns along U.S. 101, including Crescent City, Klamath, Orick, and Trinidad. The four developed campgrounds are run by California State Parks and reserved through ReserveCalifornia, not Recreation.gov: Jedediah Smith, Mill Creek (mid-May to early October), Elk Prairie, and Gold Bluffs Beach. Jedediah Smith is first-come, first-served from November through April. Confirm windows and RV limits on the NPS Redwood camping page.
Roosevelt elk viewing
NPS says Roosevelt elk are most often seen near Orick, Elk Meadow, Elk Prairie by the Prairie Creek Visitor Center, and south of Crescent City, and a herd is often around Fern Canyon. The rut runs late August through October; calving is late May through June. NPS recommends staying at least 25 yards (75 feet) away, and farther in spring and fall. Never get between a cow and a calf, or near a rutting bull.
Which month fits your trip?
The month table answers most trips. These four decide the date for the rest, and each has its own page with the facts behind it.
Also for Redwood: Road closures and dates · Airports · Fees and passes · Accessibility.
Questions about when to go.
What is the best month to visit Redwood?
It depends on what you want. For a balance of crowds, weather, and open roads, September usually works well. If empty trails matter most, look at November to April (or a September weekday). For the widest range of open roads and services, aim for mid-May to September.
When should I avoid Redwood?
June is the busiest month, when parking and lodging are tightest. If instead you want the park at its most open, the tougher month is December, when weather and seasonal closures limit how much you can reach.
What are the quietest months at Redwood?
The quietest stretch is December, February, and January. December is the low point, averaging about 22,579 recreation visits, roughly 24% of the June peak.
Which month has the best weather at Redwood?
September usually brings Redwood's most comfortable conditions, with average highs near 67°F. It is not always the quietest month, so use the month grid above to weigh weather against crowds.
How this page
is built.
Not affiliated with or endorsed
by the National Park Service.
Crowd numbers on this page are the Recreation Visits (Redwood National Park) column from the NPS Visitor Use Statistics Data Package, 2025. Monthly figures are five-year arithmetic means (2021-2025) against each park's own peak month. We do not compare parks against each other for the crowd score: only against themselves.
Weather numbers are NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, drawn from the Klamath, CA station (USC00044577). The station sits at 28 ft; the elevation caveat above the weather table explains where this misreads the higher districts.
Access notes are an independent summary of NPS operating posture. We do not republish NPS pages; we link them. Conditions change; confirm road status, reservation requirements, and lodging windows on https://www.nps.gov/redw/index.htm before travel.
Full year-by-year history, records, and the events behind each year: Redwood visitation by year.
- Air quality: AirNow.gov; real-time air quality and smoke conditions.
- Park conditions: NPS Redwood current conditions, verify before you drive.
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