This California State Park Offers Scenic Camping Surrounded By Beautiful Redwoods

If your idea of a dream getaway involves swapping skyscrapers for towering redwoods and trading traffic noise for birdsong, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park delivers. This haven in California is home to 14,000 acres of old-growth forest, with secluded beaches, miles of picturesque hiking trails, and two wonderful campgrounds. It's the perfect base for a weekend trip that might just become an annual pilgrimage.

Prairie Creek is around an hour's drive north of Eureka, along the route of one of America's most spectacular road trips. It makes the perfect stopover for anyone doing this drive, as well as being a destination in its own right. If there's one must-do activity in the park, it's taking a walk on the Prairie Creek Trail. The 4.3-mile stroll begins at the visitor center and will take around an hour, leading you through the park's highlight: its awe-inspiring redwoods. While on the trail, you'll also have a chance to spot the resident Roosevelt elk grazing and tune in to the sound of warbling birds in the canopy above.

If you have a bit longer, take the drive out to Fern Canyon and head off on foot to discover verdant greenery covering the walls of a deep, winding gorge. You'll cross small footbridges and paddle through a shallow stream as you complete the 1-mile loop walk, so bring along a spare pair of shoes. Navigating the canyon, with its dripping walls and cobbled creekbed, is like stepping into something from "Jurassic Park." Literally, in fact: One scene from the second movie was filmed here. The road to the canyon is unpaved, and between mid-May and mid-September, you'll need to grab a free parking permit before you set off. You can reserve a spot online on the Redwoods Park Conservancy site.

Overnight visitors have a tough choice when it comes to the park's campgrounds. Elk Prairie is a lush wonderland, with many sites shaded by maple trees and a creek running nearby. In contrast, Gold Bluffs offers beachside camping in the dunes, with spectacular ocean views from some sites. Access to Gold Bluffs is via a narrow, dirt road that can be bumpy, so if you're in an RV, Elk Prairie is a better choice.

Both sites are open year-round and cost $35 per night, with Elk Prairie requiring reservations from May to October. In addition to the elk you may see grazing around the park, bears also roam here. Each site in the campgrounds has storage lockers for food and other items; read up on some unexpected things that can attract bears before you go!

Prairie Creek is a long way from major cities, so if you come from afar, consider combining your trip with more stops nearby. Most visitors will arrive by car; the nearest major airports are at San Francisco, Oakland, and Sacramento, all about a 5.5-hour drive away. To the south of the park is Eureka, where you can explore a charming Old Town, packed with Victorian-era mansions, boutiques, cafes, museums, and galleries. The boardwalk by the lively harbor is perfect for a wander and for gulping in deep breaths of the ocean air. Just near Eureka, you'll find progressive Arcata, with its cozy farmers' market, buzzing central plaza, and many quirky town events.

Going the other way from Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, you can immerse yourself in more glorious nature. Around half an hour north along the coast, you'll come upon Enderts Beach, a serene haven surrounded by redwoods and gloriously crowd-free. Reaching the beach requires a half-mile scramble down the cliffs, but the reward is an unspoilt shoreline with an area for tidepooling at the north end. Choose one of Prairie Creek's excellent campgrounds, and spend the weekend discovering this picturesque area of Northern California.