The parks lie on a narrow strip near the coast in Northern California, about 350 miles north of San Francisco. There are three major routes to the Redwood Coast. U.S. 101 links San Francisco and Brookings, Oregon, traversing much of the length of the parks. U.S. 199 takes off from U.S. 101 just north of the parks and heads northeast to Grants Pass, Oregon. The main route to the east is Calif. 299, which goes from Redding, California, to meet up with U.S. 101 south of the park.
If you're heading from the south, you'll want to stop just before you get to Orick. If you're heading from the north (Oregon), you'll want to stop in Crescent City. Both have excellent information centers crammed with useful (and important) information about the parks, including free maps.
The Nearest Airports -- Humboldt County Airport (tel. 707/839-5401) is in McKinleyville, 28 miles south of the Redwood Information Center near Orick. Del Norte County Regional Airport is in Crescent City, at the north end of the park. Both have very limited service. Much farther south, but with exponentially more flight options, San Francisco International Airport is 14 miles south of downtown San Francisco on U.S. 101. All major car-rental chains have offices at San Francisco International Airport.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
