Our recommendation
Visit Redwood in October
October offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). For comparison, July is the most crowded month (~1.8× the average month) and February is the quietest.
Annual visits
1.2M
2025
Busiest month
Jul
1.8× avg
Quietest month
Feb
0.5× avg
10-yr trend
rising
+40.1%
How crowded is Redwood by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Quiet | 59 Fair | 52°F / 36°F | 9.3 h |
| February | Very quiet | 64 Good | 54°F / 37°F | 10.4 h |
| March | Quiet | 63 Good | 56°F / 37°F | 11.7 h |
| April | Quiet | 64 Good | 58°F / 39°F | 13.1 h |
| May | Busy | 54 Fair | 61°F / 43°F | 14.3 h |
| June | Very busy | 44 Poor | 65°F / 46°F | 15.0 h |
| July | Very busy | 46 Fair | 67°F / 49°F | 14.7 h |
| August | Busy | 54 Fair | 69°F / 49°F | 13.7 h |
| September | Busy | 55 Fair | 69°F / 45°F | 12.3 h |
| October★ best | Average | 59 Fair | 65°F / 42°F | 10.9 h |
| November | Quiet | 63 Good | 56°F / 39°F | 9.6 h |
| December | Very quiet | 59 Fair | 51°F / 36°F | 9.0 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00046498, ~1 mi away).
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About visiting Redwood
Redwood National and State Parks is a National and State Parks in CA and a moderately visited park, drawing about 1.2 million recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has climbed over the past decade, up roughly 40.1%, so crowds are trending heavier each year. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: July is the busiest month at about 1.8× the park's average month, while February is the calmest at roughly 0.5× — a 4-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 42% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 59°F in August down to about 44°F in December, with the wettest stretch in January. About 6 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is October: pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the July rush. Daylight ranges from about 9.0 hours in midwinter to 15.0 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
Renowned for the world’s tallest trees, Redwood’s landscapes span from open prairies and oak woodlands to pristine rivers and untamed coastline. This ancient home has supported people for thousands of years. The National Park Service and California State Parks now work to safeguard and rejuvenate these lands for everyone’s enjoyment, learning, and inspiration.
Weather & conditions
Visitors should be prepared for cooler and damp weather. Dress in layers and expect to get wet. Year-round temperatures along California's redwood coast: mid-40s°F (7°C) to mid-60s°F (18°C). Summer can be foggy, with highs occasionally reaching low 70s°F (20°C). Winters are cooler with considerable rain. October through April averages 60-80 inches of rain over the region.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Redwood
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Redwood National and State Parks — live availability and prices to plan your trip. October is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather.
Top-rated places to stay near Redwood
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
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Getting there — nearest airports
Updated July 2026The closest airport to Redwood National and State Parks is Arcata-Eureka Airport (ACV), about 34 mi (48 min drive) away. For the most flight options, most visitors fly into Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR), about 3 hr 23 min away.
| Airport | Distance | Drive time | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arcata-Eureka Airport (ACV)Closest | 34 mi | 48 min | United Airlines |
| Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR)Best for flights | 147 mi | 3 hr 23 min | Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
| Sonoma County Airport (STS) | 260 mi | 5 hr 29 min | Alaska Airlines, Delta |
| Eugene Airport (EUG) | 271 mi | 5 hr 52 min | Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
| Roberts Field Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM) | 325 mi | 7 hr 30 min | Alaska Airlines, Delta, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
Which airport should you choose?
- Shortest drive: Arcata-Eureka Airport (ACV) — about 48 min from the park.
- Most flights / best value: Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR) — the largest hub near Redwood, about 3 hr 23 min away.
Frequently Asked Questions
October offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season) at Redwood National and State Parks. The park is busiest in July (about 1.8× the average month) and quietest in February.
July is the busiest month at Redwood National and State Parks, running roughly 1.8 times the park's average monthly visitation.
February is the quietest month at Redwood National and State Parks, at about 0.5× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Redwood National and State Parks recorded about 1,202,480 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been rising over the past decade (+40.1%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Redwood National and State Parks averages about 59°F (August). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Arcata-Eureka Airport (ACV) is the closest airport to Redwood National and State Parks, about 34 mi (48 min drive) away.
Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR) is the nearest major airport, about 147 mi (3 hr 23 min drive) away, with the most flight options of any airport near Redwood.
There is no airport inside Redwood National and State Parks. Fly into Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR) and drive the rest of the way — about 3 hr 23 min.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Beach water quality near Redwood
Beaches within a 40-mile drive, graded on multi-year bacteria sampling from EPA BEACON — worth checking before you plan a swim day.
- Mad River Beach Co. Park - North Mad River Mouth water qualityGrade A · 30 mi · CA
- High Bluff Beach water qualityGrade B · 12 mi · CA
- Trinidad State Beach - Mill Creek/Trinidad water qualityGrade B · 22 mi · CA
- Clam Beach Co. Park - Clam Beach Co. Park water qualityGrade C · 26 mi · CA
- Old Home Beach water qualityGrade D · 23 mi · CA
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.