Established in 1922, Richardson Grove State Park was one of California’s first redwood parks. It began at 120 acres—only a quarter the size of Muir Woods National Monument today. With the help of Save the Redwoods League and other generous donors, the park has grown to 1,800 acres.
A four-hour drive from San Francisco, the park features stunning coast redwoods more than three hundred feet tall and a national “wild and scenic” river (the South Fork of the Eel). You can swim or wade in the river in summer and try catch-and-release fishing for salmon or steelhead in the winter. You can check out the walk-through tree, the bat tree, and learn from the tree-ring study conducted in 1933. You can camp, picnic, and hike on nine miles of trails. Don’t miss the gentle “race track” path, which passes many unusual redwoods, including a chandelier tree with multiple trunks branching several feet above the ground.
Richardson Grove is liveliest in the summer, when it opens its visitor center and nature store and offers campfire programs, Junior Ranger activities, and guided nature walks.
Camping—Richardson Grove has more than 160 family sites in three campgrounds. Huckleberry has one site for hikers and bicyclists. Oak Flat Campground is open only during summer. The Dawn Redwood Group Campground can accommodate from 9 to 40 people.
Picnicking/Day Use—The picnic area is near the South Fork of the Eel River under redwoods and maples. The river is popular for swimming and sunbathing during summer and for salmon and steelhead catch-andrelease fishing during winter. The park’s several hiking trails range from gentle to strenuous.
BOATING
OVERNIGHT FACILITIES
Family Campsites
Group Campsites
Hike or Bike Campsites
RV Access
TRAIL USE
Hiking Trails
DAY-USE ACTIVITIES & FACILITIES
Historical/Cultural Site
Picnic Areas
Env. Learning/Visitor Center
Fishing
Interpretive Exhibits
Beach Area
Swimming
Geocaching
