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Portola Redwoods
Overview
Portola Redwoods State Park offers a serene escape into one of California's most secluded redwood groves. Tucked away in the Santa Cruz Mountains, this park provides a sense of isolation and tranquility that is rare in the San Francisco Bay Area. Visitors are greeted by ancient old-growth trees and the gentle sounds of Pescadero and Peters Creeks. It is a rustic destination where the focus remains entirely on the natural environment and a slower pace of life.
Location & Surroundings
The park is situated near La Honda, CA, reachable via narrow, winding roads that descend into a deep, forested canyon. This remote location ensures a quiet atmosphere but requires careful navigation for those driving larger vehicles. Surrounded by thousands of acres of protected land, the park serves as a lush sanctuary. The dense canopy of redwoods creates a unique microclimate that stays cool and damp, providing a refreshing retreat from the California sun.
Amenities & Park Features
As a traditional state park, the facilities here are functional and modest. The campground features standard dry-camping sites with no hookups, though a sanitation dump station is available for RVers. Each site includes a fire ring and picnic table. Guests have access to restrooms and coin-operated showers. Due to the tight turns and narrow roads leading into the canyon, the park enforces a strict length limit of 24 feet for motorhomes and 21 feet for trailers.
Nearby Attractions & Things to Do
Outdoor enthusiasts will find miles of scenic trails, including the popular hike to Tiptoe Falls or the trek to see the Heritage Tree. The park features an extensive trail system that connects to neighboring open space preserves, making it a hiker's paradise. Birdwatching and photography are popular pastimes beneath the towering canopy. For a change of pace, the Pacific Coast Highway and the rugged beaches of Pescadero are just a short drive away from the park entrance.
Who This Park Is Best For
This destination is ideal for travelers seeking solitude and natural beauty over modern resort luxuries. It is best suited for those with smaller camper vans or compact trailers who enjoy off-the-grid living. Families who love hiking and exploring creek beds will find endless entertainment here. If you are looking to disconnect from digital life and reconnect with the quiet majesty of the redwoods, Portola Redwoods provides the perfect backdrop for a primitive camping experience.
Amenities
- Recreational Facilities
- Policies
- Other Amenities & Services
- Recreation Nearby (within 10 miles)
- Facility
- On-Site Rentals
- Sites
User Reviews
leigh hardy
Nice little park. Well, it is probably bigger than what I saw. We walked the 1 mile loop. Such beautiful big old majestic trees. I took my shoes off and grounded myself Walked barefoot!! I felt so connected to Mother Earth. We had the trail practically to ourselves Clean restrooms and water available
Ali C
May 2025 This park participates in the CA State Library Parks Pass. Shady trails along a creek, plenty of trees and picnic benches with BBQ grills. Small parking lots hidden around corners or down driveways. Firewood sold on site. I had plenty of bug spray all over and still managed to get bitten by swarming mosquitoes in the parking lot, before heading out to the trails. On the Big Tree trail, I saw a couple banana slugs! It was a good park with bathrooms and an informative visitor center. I'm glad I visited but probably wouldn't attempt the trip again. If the goal was to see redwoods, I would prefer visiting Henry Cowell Redwoods SP on 17 instead. The approx 1 hr driving on nonstop windy 84 road in a small sedan is not worth the trip. Minus stars for the route and overall trip, not for the park itself.
Bob
The road to get here was very sketchy, lots of curves and turns and just a few inches off the mountain! Sometimes there were railings, but most of the time their wasn’t, the road was also very narrow so if two cars came, you would have to be very careful, not recommended for new drivers, but the place is pretty awesome, at office where you buy tickets to park, their is melona ice cream you can buy too! It’s very good, but the main reason I came here is to collect stuff for my lamp. Also the more you explore, the more wasps there is, for some reason it kept circling my brother and had red eyes.
Daniel Romero
Great park! So many redwoods and beautiful views. Nice place to get away from the city and just enjoy nature. Hikes are excellent and not too hard. The only cons are that there is no cell phone service up there and be careful of the mosquitoes, Make sure to bring mosquito repellent.
Helm Zinser-Watkins
A wonderful campground. Very family friendly. The dishwash stations were a pleasant surprise. Several hikes of great beauty, cute lil museum in the visitor center. Didn't feel crowded even when full, but did have some issues finding somewhere flat. Absolutely zero service, exactly what I needed. I prefer the wood from the visitor center to the wood from the camp hosts, but I didn't mind it.