Soaring more than 300 feet in the air, the Redwood tree is the largest in the world. It’s also the namesake and highlight of California’s Redwood National Park. The park is intertwined with the state parks, so you’ll visit both. The parks are unlike any other in the system. The enormous trees are generally between 800 and 1,500 years old, although they have been known to reach 2,000 years.  There are numerous trails for hiking and backpacking that will give you an up-close look at these wonders. The parks are along the Pacific coast, a few hours north of San Francisco. While there is no camping in the national park, you’ll find several options in the state parks and surrounding areas. You’ll find black bears, elk and beaver in the park as well.

Established as a national park in 1968, the park is still one of the lesser visited parks. The best time to visit is in the summer, so you’ll want to plan in advance if you’re visiting then. There are no temperature extremes in the park and you can expect it to be in the 60s. In the winter, highs are in the 50s, but it’s also the rainy season. Whereas there is usually less than a half inch of precipitation in July, there is often more than 15 inches of rain in December. You can still enjoy the park, buy be prepared to get wet or have your plans changed suddenly.