Along with Del Norte Coast and Prairie Creek Redwoods parks, Jedediah Smith is part of the Redwood National and State Park, located just a few miles northeast of Crescent City. At Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, you don’t even need to get out of your car to enjoy the majesty of these towering trees. Just take a drive through Howland High Road, a path that is only 6 miles long but takes about an hour to wind through, giving you plenty of time to take in the trees and other beauty around you.
Several easy and flat hiking trails give you a chance to trek through a redwood forest full of these tall trees. The park also protects prairies, oak woodlands, wild rivers, and close to 40 miles of coastline. Quite a few threatened animal species also live in the Redwood National Park, including the brown pelican, Chinook salmon, northern spotted owl, and Steller’s sea lion.
The park is one of only three UNESCO World Heritage sites in California (the others being Yosemite National Park and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House in Los Angeles). It’s also an International Biosphere Reserve. Fans of the “Star Wars” films may recognize this park as the Forest Moon of Endor from the movie “Return of the Jedi.”
