Reviews

Valdemar

Big Basin Redwoods State Park is absolutely beautiful. The trails are moderate and easy to enjoy even if you’re not a pro hiker. Not too crowded, and parking is easy to find. The redwoods are stunning — massive and full of quiet power. It’s sad to see how much was lost after the fire, but what’s left still takes your breath away.

Andrea A

The park is mostly driving through it with one parking lot with hikes. The bathrooms were ok kinda porta potty like near the trails. They make you write down which trails you are going, just in case you get lost, they know what direction to start looking. Luckily we opted for the smaller loop which is pretty well marked. We got here around 8am Saturday with no reservations and we got lucky to get in! Although there wasn’t many people around until after we left maybe about a hour later people started to show up

Roopak

A great park for a walk and stroll. Not the most ideal to experience redwood trees, but it stand as testament to the what first fires can do to such a great space. You can experience a unique sight of green trees completely charred on the surface from the last fire!

Samantha Allen

This is a lovely area to explore. I would recommend spending a whole day or overnight to explore. There is plenty of woods, Forrest, hikes, and recreation to wander through. Be sure to plan ahead so you know where to go and what you are doing as well as how much gas you have. Once arrived, you will do more driving to reach either the basin or lake or pull off spots. Also, the weather is a bit cooler in the woods, so wear layers.

Jerry F

This is a great park for nature lovers. Absolutely fantastic and wildfire did not change a thing. I would say that there is a lot of mysticism in this park. Some trails are stunning, plenty of privacy so you can admire the creation in silence. Rangers are very friendly and informative. This park needs you. There is plenty of work to rebuild, but still enjoyed every minute there. One trail is spectacular. Ask the ranger :)

Shashank Maurya

Scenic 17 miles drive with lots of view points. Photos include the pictures from multiple stops . It was very windy and deceivingly cold, so definitely check the weather before you go.

Bruce Liu

I’ve wandered through many redwood groves in Northern California, but never had I seen them blackened by fire—until today. The sight struck me deeply. Though the 2020 wildfires scorched countless trunks and limbs, the ancient redwoods stood resilient. Remarkably, most survived, cloaked in char but still full of life.

Paloma R

Did the Skyline to the Sea and Meteor Trail Loop. According to AllTrails app., it’s closed. Not exactly true. Since CZU Lightning Complex Fire of 2020, there are some detours. A couple examples, we didn’t see the waterfall. However, we came across many brooks and dams. 4.8 mi Distance, 2 hr 20 min Estimated time, 912ft Elevation, Loop. Our ETA was more like 5hours. BE SURE TO BRING ADEQUATE WATER AND SNACKS! According to staff, the fire melted away their water pipes so, no water stops. CLEAN porta potties at the entrance. Make parking reservations, otherwise you’ll be given a ticket number and you will have to wait to be called. We waited about 20min. Wear comfy hike shoes at least a half size larger- YOU WILL SWELL (my daughter and I learned the hard way 🤦🏽‍♀️). I attached current pic of map and scenery. Was definitely worth it for us.

Zhong Shang

Very nice redwood park. Can't believe it recovered so well after disastrous wild fire 5 years ago. You should be amazed by the resilience of the redwood tree. Be prepared with some fallen trees blocking the trail. However, you can manage to get past them. Before arriving at the park entry, there are a few miles single lane road you need to drive carefully. Either you have a state park annual pass or pay a fee to get in. BTW, the tallest tree in the world also lives in this park. Can you find it?

Birdie Bird

Glad the park is back open and a testament to how resilient our forests are. Beautiful to see the new growth and recovery. Volunteers weren’t available for the weekend guided tours when we went but hope to catch an expert opinion from one of our forest caretakers in the future.

A A

I’m fortunate enough to have visited this park several times since I moved to the Bay Area but I still feel I can go there anytime. The loop trail is a great way to get introduced to the park and it’s beauty. For full experience, try to camp here (though reservations are hard to come by). It’s a “must visit” for anybody coming to the Bay Area.

Fatema Lanewala

Amazing walk through the woods. It's covered with the shade of trees so a hot day is pleasant too. Take a guided trip. The drive up to the Big Basin is nauseous_ a cautious for ones prone to motion sickness. The woods are worth the ride for a short day trip.

Leelah Joi

This is an beautiful park! We did the short trail, about a mile, which is a perfect jaunt for anyone. The terrain was flat and did not require exertion. We were able to see many redwood trees, which are simply awe inspiring. The gift shop was really nice. They even sell redwood starter trees! The staff was very knowledgeable and gave us suggestions on other wildlife preserves to visit in the area. There are options available for longer hikes. This is the perfect spot to spend an afternoon amongst some of the oldest trees in the country.

Wendy K. Brown

Being from the Northeast we have a lot of beautiful lakes, forests and meadows however we don't have anything to compare to the mighty Redwoods! We had a magical afternoon wandering through the park with great company, ended with a picnic lunch; a sandwich never tasted so good

Linda M. Jekel

Love love this park. Camping is serene. GOD BLESS these places. May they soon recover from fire damages. BLESS the fire fighters!!