Hours & Fees

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is open every day from sunrise to sunset. Parking in the day-use area or the campground costs $10 a car, or $9 for drivers 62 and older, and California State Parks annual passes are accepted. The visitor center is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. All trails close at sunset, including the walk to the Observation Deck.

Park Hours

California State Parks lists the park's hours as sunrise to sunset. That applies to the day-use area on Highway 9, the trails and the Fall Creek Unit. The agency is direct about evenings: hiking to the Observation Deck to watch the sun go down is not allowed, because every trail closes at sunset.

The campground follows its own schedule. Campers check in at 2 p.m. and check out at noon, and quiet hours start at 10 p.m. See camping for the details and for the seasonal opening.

Visitor Center and Nature Store

• Visitor center: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day. It is next to the start of the Redwood Grove Loop Trail and has a self-guided brochure for the loop.
• Mountain Parks Foundation Nature Store: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The store sells the detailed topographic trail map that California State Parks recommends for anything beyond the grove.

Day-Use Fees

The vehicle fee is charged at the day-use area and at the campground:

• Regular car: $10
• Seniors 62 or older: $9
• Bus, 10 to 24 passengers: $50
• Bus, 25 or more passengers: $100

There is no per-person fee listed. Friends visiting a campsite also pay the $10 day-use fee and must leave by 10 p.m. unless they register as an extra vehicle.

How to Pay

California State Parks takes day-use parking through LAZ, a cashless system. Scan the QR code on the signs or follow the texting instructions, pick your stay and pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay or a card. No app, account or reservation is needed. Two cautions from the agency: paying by phone is not a reservation, and sales are final. If the lot is full, wait until you have a space before you pay.

Passes Accepted

The park page lists these passes:

• California Explorer Vehicle Day Use Annual Pass
• Golden Poppy Vehicle Day Use Annual Pass
• Disabled Discount Pass
• Distinguished Veteran Pass
• Golden Bear Pass and Senior Golden Bear Pass
• California State Library Parks Pass (borrowed from a public library)

A camping permit also works as a pass: it gets you into any California state park or beach for free until sunset on the day you check out.

Fall Creek Unit

The Fall Creek Unit, a few miles north on Felton Empire Road, is open for day use only. The park page gives no separate fee for its roadside trailhead parking, so none is stated here.

When to Go

The park is open all year. California State Parks gives winter temperatures in the upper 30s to mid-50s and summer temperatures from the high 40s into the 80s, and warns that weather changes quickly in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Reservations for the campground are recommended from Memorial Day to Labor Day, which tells you when the park is busiest. More on seasons in plan your visit.