Redwood National and State Parks is a National and State Parks in California. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 1 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Redwood
We matched 1 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Redwood. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Beaches (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Redwood the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:41 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:12 PM | 242° | 9h 31m |
| February | 7:12 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:50 PM | 254° | 10h 38m |
| March | 7:29 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:23 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:37 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 284° | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:58 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:29 PM | 297° | 14h 30m |
| June | 5:43 AM | 6:25 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:52 PM | 303° | 15h 09m |
| July | 5:56 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:49 PM | 300° | 14h 53m |
| August | 6:26 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:17 PM | 290° | 13h 51m |
| September | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:27 PM | 275° | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:29 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:36 PM | 259° | 11h 08m |
| November | 7:05 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:58 PM | 246° | 9h 52m |
| December | 7:36 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:48 PM | 239° | 9h 12m |
Computed for the park's reference point (41.3724, -124.0318); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Redwood, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.0 | 10° |
| March | 4:45 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.0 | 16° |
| April | 2:45 AM – 4:55 AM | 2.2 | 19° |
| May | 12:42 AM – 4:02 AM | 3.3 | 20° |
| June | 11:00 PM – 3:30 AM | 4.5 | 20° |
| July | 10:50 PM – 2:10 AM | 3.3 | 20° |
| August | 10:01 PM – 12:01 AM | 2.0 | 19° |
| September | 9:01 PM – 10:01 PM | 1.0 | 16° |
| October | 8:08 PM – 8:08 PM | 0.0 | 10° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
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.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 60% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (78%). August is the warmest month and February the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
Redwood National and State Parks is located in northernmost coastal California - almost on the Oregon border. The parks are about 60-miles long, with four visitor centers from north to south. We are a six to seven-hour drive (325 miles) north of San Francisco, a six-hour drive (330 miles) south of Portland, OR and a four-hour drive (170 miles) west of Redding, CA.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
- RV Camping
- Fishing
- Saltwater Fishing
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horse Camping (see also camping)
