Jedidiah Smith Campground, near Crescent City, California, is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in the beauty of the redwoods. With spacious campsites nestled among towering trees and close proximity to the stunning Smith River, it’s a prime location for both relaxation and adventure.

The campground offers clean restrooms and well-maintained facilities, which visitors have praised for their quality. Many campers have enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere, with one noting, “You can hear the water all night,” creating a soothing backdrop for your stay. There are also trails nearby that lead to breathtaking views of ancient redwoods, making it easy to explore the natural wonders right outside your tent.

For those who enjoy a bit of fishing or just lounging by the river, the access to the water is a highlight. Reviewers have mentioned the beauty of the area, with one camper calling it “gorgeous” and recommending the nearby Stout Memorial Grove for a scenic walk. Whether you’re here for a weekend or a longer retreat, Jedidiah Smith Campground offers a memorable experience in the heart of California’s majestic wilderness.

Situated in a magnificent old-growth redwood grove on the banks of the wild and scenic Smith River, this campground offers hiking trails, swimming, fishing, and seasonal campfire programs. Cabins available.

Jedidiah Smith Campground — Redwood National Park

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Hiouchi

The Best Camping Near Hiouchi, California

Privacy, amenities, comfort, Redwoods..  truly a crown jewel of Northern California camping.  Reservations long in advance needed.

Exceptional camping right in the heart of the Redwoods

Sites are nestled in the redwoods which is such a treat! Some sites were along the water, and some where quite secluded.  Anyone's taste could be accommodated :)  The staff here was incredible friendly and helpful! The showers were so clean and actually had great water pressure and temperature- such a nice surprise.  This park is stellar- on our list to return to!

camping in the redwoods

This is the place to go if you want to camp *in* the redwoods. Most of the sites are nestled right in redwood groves, so you can kick back and enjoy the trees towering overhead. There's also access to the beautiful Smith River, and a walking loop through the day-use area that gets you easy access to some of the biggest trees in the area.

It's a busy campground, but most of the sites are surrounded by thick understory that gives you a measure of privacy. The lower loop (sites 47-58) is along the river flat down the hill. Those sites get prime placement among the biggest trees, but they're much more open.

Bring some bug spray. The mosquitoes got pretty insistent at dusk, though they weren't bad before and after.

My only complaints are that the facilities aren't in top shape (the bathrooms are a little run-down), and the firewood is expensive. I guess that's the price you pay for such a prime location.

Gorgeous

Well maintained and a beautiful location. Highly recommended.

Nestled in the heart of the Redwoods

Beautiful and secluded. We felt like we were a million miles away from everyone, even our camp neighbors! The giant redwoods provide a lot of privacy and gorgeous surroundings, you feel like you're in your own private wilderness. There were plenty of warnings about keeping food put away to avoid attracting bears, but that's to be expected for most places in California.

Private Wilderness

I visited here for one night in October and it was very quiet. Only 10 other campsites being used. The campground is quite large, however a few loops were closed for post season construction. Beautiful sites and awesome to set up my tent right next to giant Redwoods!

The campground runs along the Smith river, which is beautiful in its own right!

All sites standard with bear box, fire ring and picnic table. Very clean bathrooms and showers. Quarter operated showers. $8/bundle of wood. $35/night. Cash or check only!!

Dont miss the Boy Scout Trail just a few minutes down the road and the Stout Memorial Grove across the river.

Giant redwoods in the autumn

Camping by redwoods is probably my favorite EVER. Even during the summer, you're able to stay cool under the canopies of the trees. I love that every corner is so picturesque! Mossy covered paradise! The scenery itself exceeds 5 stars.

The sites are relatively private and spacious. There are trees and brush that separate you from your neighbors. You'll want to pick a site that is close to the river, and far from the highway as possible because of the highway noise (although not terrible) isn't ideal when you're trying to enjoy nature. Any sites 40-60 were pretty good. #58 is the way to go! Riverfront real estate. The restrooms are a little sparse, so be prepared to wait a bit. I wish there was more available, but it looks as though there were only 4 for every 40 campsites? if you have to shower definitely use the facilities that are across from the Visitor Center, they are big and luxurious! Cost is 25 cents/minute.

It's also so convenient to Crescent City if you need to restock on supplies or beer. You can pick up coins and firewood by the entrance which is very convenient.

Redwood heaven

What an amazing place to stay! It’s our favorite place so far. Stunning trails, trees older than the pyramids, friendly people and grand views! We went in August and the ocean air kept the forest at a comfortable temperature. There’s lots of exploring in the area and ranger led river trips. We’ll be going back!

Forest of fantasy 

This is a great spot for larger families. We stayed in the group site as well as an individual site (different time).

The group site was great! We were far enough away from other campers that our large family did not disturb, but still close enough to the front station for any help needed from rangers.

There are tons of acitivites in the campground; trails, floating down the river, night time story hour and bon fire, as well as outside of the campground: Redwood Edventures for kids, Trees of Mystery, or a short drive out to the coast.

There are plenty of restrooms and showers. Firewood is available to purchase. There are animal proof trash cans and food storage container.

Great for tent campers, RV/ trailers and cabins are available for rent.

Favorite Family Reunion Spot!

This campground is a very popular spot, located on the north side of the Redwoods National and State Parks. The sites are decently sized, accommodating two to three tents, but the roads would be tough to navigate in a large RV or with a long trailer. The price per campsite is high ($35), but if comfortable bathrooms and available showers are important to you, then it is worth the money. Heated, tile bathrooms with hot water and coin-op showers (25 cents a minute) are a luxury. The Jedidiah State Park visitor's center is located within the campground area, and the staff was extremely helpful and friendly. Also of note, this is one of the only campgrounds located within old-growth Redwood trees, making it especially pretty and interesting to visit.

Easy access, popular, with great bathrooms/showers.

I spent about a month around Jedediah Smith park. Breath taking! Absolutely amazing! Spend some days on the trails and spend some days on the river. Awesome white water. Do what I did and cliff jump at 5:30am. 

Breath taking. All I can say!


The campground is beautifully situated among the majestic redwoods, and the flora and fauna that so brilliantly thrive under their canopy.  The growth of all things green offer a decent amount of privacy in what might otherwise be a crowded campground.  The campsites are not very large, but we found it easy to set up our 10 X 14 tent, and I believe most sites would accommodate at least that much.   Most sites also seem to be conveniently located near water and drain, as well as trash, bathrooms and showers.  There is a visitor center onsite, and many favorite Jedidiah Smith trails begin from the park.  The Smith river is tame and enjoyable for tubing or kayaking, and swimming.  It’s surprisingly not very cold for early July.  

It is recommended to reserve a site at lest 6 months in advance.  And since campground maps are not topographical, note that only the one loop of sites near the boat launch are actually “on” the river.  Note: I am not guaranteeIng proximity  of the lower sites (some were fairly close), just that they are the right elevation.  The other sites are raised above the river barring direct access, however it is only a short walk down to the beach.  I tried to mark these on our camp map.  I also uploaded a video of site 18 as an example of the upper sites.

It’s a 10 minute drive to Crescent City where campers can find any services they may need.

As of early July 2018, camper registration occurred at the entry kiosk rather than the other building designated for such events.  There is no other way into the park, so campers coming and going would be advised that returning to their site may involve waiting in a line of people registering—a little annoying...but hey, enjoy the redwoods while you are in line!

Majestic Redwoods

Beautiful campsite. Surrounded by redwoods, how could you go wrong. This campground is right next to river. Not far from Brookings or Cresent City. Will stay here again!

Beautiful Campsite

This campground has lush green trees, a flowing rice and the good smells of a campground. It is pet friendly and has a good system of paths through the campsites but still affords privacy.

Great spot on a river

The campground host was informative! The restrooms were clean and the camping sites were private

Wonderful redwoods experience!

This is one of those places you don’t want to talk about because it’s so cool you want it all to yourself. It is amazing. The sites are spacious and you are surrounded by huge redwood trees. There is an amphitheater, visitor center, showers, ranger programs, access to the river and trails through beautiful groves. It really has it all. My kids earned Jr Ranger badges as well as another patch just for this campground. I will be back here, and I don’t say that about a lot of places. So glad we got to visit here.

Great campground 

This was a great place to camp. Sooo many trees and the sites are like hidden gems. They feel so private even though you have neighbors right next to you. The park rangers are a little crazy about you putting your ice chests away - even if you are trying to cook. They said the bears look at them like candy.

So green! 

This was a very nice campground. The setting amongst the redwoods was breath taking. It is also located along a river. This campground is within a short picturesque drive to a town, to fill up on groceries, gas, and just to see the Pacific Ocean. The trees are amazing. Our site was nice and backed up against a trail. Food storage containers available at each site. Bathrooms were ok, I mean it was actual plumbing. They have showers but other campgrounds have nicer ones.  There is a visitor center and you can purchase firewood at this campsite. Ranger at the entrance was friendly. I would go back. 

Setting is wonderful

Quintessential redwoods campground! Old growth forest, very shady campground with adequate privacy and easy access to redwoods park. Great restrooms available. Can get crowded, try panther flat campground if you prefer more solitude.

Amenities & redwoods, what more can you want?!

Staying at the Jedidiah Smith Campground is one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had. My partner and I drove up from San Francisco and were able to get a first come first serve site in the center of the campground. Campground is large and had several sites available when we were there. The sites were spacious, beautiful, quiet, and clean. Each hosts a bear locker, fire pit, and picnic table. One of the best parts of this campground is its proximity to the Smith River, which is gorgeous. There are scenic trails that connect to the campground as well as several near by. There's nothing quite like the experience of sleeping next to the ancient giants-- it's a must!

Sleep among the giants

Welcoming

Trees sway above me 
Fog, mist, filling up my heart 
The trees have my soul

Be still my heart

The campground is right in the middle of the trees and backs up to the river. Spots are spacious. 1x Verizon and no big RVs. 

Great spot in the Redwoods

Campsites are very private and give a great feeling of being located right in the heart of the Redwoods. Crescent city is a short drive as is many other tourist attractions.

Very private

This is one of the if not the best camping sites in the US

Best camping in the US 

This is a surreal place. Stayed 2 nights. Tent camping spots were great everything was nicely maintained. Foot traffic was a bit heavy from noon-4pm. To stand amongst this beautiful trees it is very breathtaking. Hiking trails were great and maintained. The scouts trail was the busiest by far. 

Amazing 

The trees are amazing and the river sparkling. Not too far from the beach either. One of my favorite campgrounds.

Beautiful campground surrounded by redwoods and river

This campground is absolutely beautiful! I have stayed here multiple times and every time it’s beautiful. The campground is in the middle of the redwoods forest, and river access is available from the campgrounds. Nice bathrooms and showers available. In the mornings, it’s nice and foggy, which is a beautiful sight in the redwoods. 

Most beautiful in the redwoods! 

This is by far my top place to camp in the redwoods! All the campsites are among the redwood forest and because of this the sites seem secluded and private. The campground has nice showers and bathrooms. Also, there is access to the river, which is a nice walk from your site! The fog in the morning was beautiful! 

Best in the redwoods! 

Jedediah Smith Campground has some of the greenest forest I have ever seen. The forest is so thick and creates awesome privacy. It is backed up to an amazing river that is so blue.

Like a Fairy Wonderland

Camping in the redwoods

Well maintained, beautiful campground. Easy access to the river. Nice bathrooms with showers. Each site has quite a bit of privacy and the redwoods are simply stunning. 
I have only stayed here in the off season so I haven't had to reserve a spot, but I'm sure it's a popular place in the summer so you might want to check out out in advance. 

Beautiful 

We traveled in off season (Oct) so several sections of this campground were closed.  But even with that it was super easy to find a great site.

Tons of shade and privacy.  It didn't feel as if you were stacked upon the people next to you.

Flush toilets and pay showers.  Well maintained and super clean.

The camp host kept an eye out for those coming into the campground and did a great job.

  

A very easy walk to the river for a bit of fishing.

Beautiful and peaceful

Perfect

This campground was fantastic. The rangers greeting us were quick and super nice and helpful. We weren’t allowed to buy a campground before 2:00 pm so we came back right at 2 and the ranger gave us the most amazing campsite with a private little beach on the river. The campsite itself had so much privacy in the trees, awesome pull in for the car, big fire pit, clean bathrooms and showers, EVERYTHING was great. 100% recommend.

Great campground

We loved Jedediah what a magical experience. Our 25ft., trailer fit right in. The rangers were very helpful and the river was clean and gorgeous. I highly recommend this site, we all loved it❣️

Breath taking 

One of the coolest sites yet! Clear river for swimming all surrounded my the massive redwoods!

Unreal back yard

Beautiful campground nestled in large hemlocks along the Smith River. The restroom and shower building was well kept and clean. They offered recycling, including propane cylinders. Couldn’t see the sites next to us, thanks to the shrubs and adequate space between campsites. The suspension bridge was already removed for the season, so we had to drive to access the redwood hiking trails.

Lovely 

This campground is so dang beautiful. It’s right next to the Smith River! Don’t be like us and discover the river as you’re about to leave. The bathrooms and showers were open (Nov 2020). We got there at night and it was so hard to find an open spot because it was SO DARK! So maybe plan ahead and pick a spot before it’s dark or get there during the day. Also, CASH ONLY. And the shower uses quarters.

SO BEAUTIFUL

I have stayed at Jedediah Redwoods 3 times, and each time I find something new to appreciate. The campground itself is one of the most well kept I have been to. I have stayed in both the campsites tent camping and in one of the cabins. The campground is located right next to the river, great for taking a stroll down after dinner or early in the morning. Not the most private campsite but the stunning river, great trails, and amazing location far outweigh that. 

  

I recommend taking the waterfall trail, some of the largest redwoods I have ever seen were on that trail and it was incredibly peaceful. You must spend some time sitting next to the Smith river, it is bright blue and there is a trail that hugs it with many access points. 

  

The cabins were extremely nice. They have a little electric fire place heater that heats up the cabin nicely, and this cabin easily fits 6. Quite spacious, as well as convenient counter space. I would highly recommend!

Nothing better than this location

We went on a road trip out west with no plans. We were planning on just winging it the whole trip so the last two nights we considered staying in a hotel but wanted to stop at Jedediah to see if their was anything open. Sure enough it was widely available. We found site 104 which was absolutely gorgeous and huge. Situated between large Redwoods it was an absolute beautiful retreat. Seeing as it was a bit of an off peak season the campground was very quiet. Perfect for a relaxing getaway. 

Camping among the giants

We're an ecologist and filmmaker who have lived overseas much of our life, and are still learning how to 'do' the van life, so felt privileged to get a beautiful, spacious walk-in site before dusk, just on the off-chance. The young and friendly staff on duty at the entrance at the time made us feel really welcome.  We were given a huge and very clean ADA site, though we did not need this.   If you seek a reverent time of tranquility and humility among giant redwoods, this is an outstanding, beautifully kept campground which manages to keep a deeply spiritual and tranquil air despite its size.  Showers and restrooms were open in mid-late May.  We appreciated the ecologically mindful management of the park, with its bear lockers, crumb-free campsite guidance and educational signage, recycling facilities and ethos of quiet, respectful usage.   Thank you everyone.

An awesome cathedral

Ferngully. Prehistoric. Quiet and pet friendly! Decent showers, and great involvement from the staff! No annoying camp hosts! 

Love it! 

The trees here are unbelievable. Even after passing through Yosemite and seeing Giant Sequoias, the redwoods did not disappoint. Typical west coast campground with lots of greenery, sizable campsites, and hot showers. Be sure to walk the short trails that run through the campground to take in the Smith River and the trees.

Amazing Campground in the Redwoods

You camp in the redwoods, with the large and gentle smith river right next to you. There is a large sand beach by the river, it's very shallow, perfect for kids. showers are by quarters, bathrooms were messy but modern flushing. You get tons of privacy and shade. Bears frequent the area. Reserve well in advance if possible, it's always booked. Loads of hiking trails surround area as well. 

Stunning

I've been camping here since I was a kid and I love it everytime I come. I even camp in the winter here is the rain, it beautiful 😍. I totally recommend this place, always has clean bathrooms and showers. It a great spot if you're traveling or if you want yo stay for week.

I love this place!

A well run campground with newer bathroom and shower blocks. The rangers were delightful and the camp host was kind and helpful. We were in spot 54, which is close to the river so you can hear the water all night. Because we were there in November, fires were allowed, so we didn't put our tent in what would be the most ideal place (next to the fire pit in the corner of the spot). Instead we ended up in the middle of the campsite and the light from the bathroom block lit up our tent all night.

We had a trail with direct river access, the sites are spread well apart, everything was very quiet (almost no road noise, just the river). 

Delightful campground by the river

We wanted to find some dispersed camping but didn’t have much luck so decided to stay here. 

This is one of the nicest state campsites I’ve ever been to. The bathrooms were in really nice condition. 

We don’t usually go camping at state parks but we lucked out in this one. It wasn’t peak season when we went so I can only imagine how busy it gets. I wouldn’t bother trying to come here in the summer months personally, we try to stay away from the crowded campsites. 

Overall I really recommend this place. There’s some nice trails to see the redwoods. The day use area was really nice, we will be coming back to spend some time at the river.

Beautiful spot 

We only came here for the afternoon...but it left us wanting to spend more time in this majestic place.  Beautiful hike through the forest and a dip in the river afterwards made for a perfect afternoon.

Beautiful and Peaceful

Cash or check only, $35/night. On-site host sells firewood for $10/bundle. Coin operated hot showers for $0.50 to start the shower for 2 min, $0.25 to add minutes up to a 12 min max.

Each campsite had a fire ring, a picnic table, and a bearbox. There were several running water bathroom buildings around the campgrounds.

The spots near the river were filled by the time we got there but there was a small path to get down there and it was gorgeous. The forest growth was beautiful and it was nice and quiet at night. Over 100 campsites to choose from and it was nicely maintained. Would love to stay here again!

Beautiful campgrounds!

Beware of thieves! The park rangers did not warn up that the reason they had a space open was because for days there has been things being stolen DAILY. I guess #23 and #44 have had things stolen daily and they can’t stop it. We had $500+ stolen from our campsite and the park rangers were zero help, they didn’t offer to give us any wood, or comp our night. We were too far away from home to drive home that night so we were forced to stay in a site we were terrified in!! Electric bikes, yeti coolers, stoves, lanterns, tents, food, everything… gone… worse customer service i’ve ever experienced after such a horrible event. I would stay clear of this place now a days unfortunately. 

Beware of thieves! The park does NOT CARE! 

Gorgeous state park&amp; campground in the land of the redwoods. Spacious campsites, a few cabins, clean restrooms, and access to trails in the state park. Highly recommend camping here! You can walk to the Stout Memorial Grove directly from camp via the summer footbridge. For a longer hike I recommend hiking to the Grove of Titans via the Mill Creek trail.

The park and campgrounds are managed by both the state of California and the NPS. If you have a national senior pass you can get a 50% discount because it is comanaged by the NPS. California doesn’t offer any decent senior discounts. The campground is awesome. I am normally not a big fan of heavily wooded campgrounds because I heavily dependent on Starlink for connectivity to the outside world. However, I was able to get an amazing site down by the river and was able to run Dishy out near the river bank and got a great connection. There is a short nature walk(about 1.5 miles) that leads through a breathtaking stand of redwoods that are enormous and 1,000s of years old. Of course, being a national and CA state park there are no hookups. I only saw one bathroom serving a very large area and it was a bit of a hike to get to. I would rate the bathroom a B. There is no hand soap so bring your own! Normally I would rate this a 4 because of lake of amenities but it gets a 5.

Majestic

The park area is right on a really pretty blue river. The camp sites are all really close to the river as well so you can walk there in no time. Bathrooms were very nice. And all the staff was very friendly and helpful

Really nice river spot

This campground must be the “first camp out” for so many Northern California kids, at least of my generation. It was the first time my family drove for HOURS (“are we there yet?” And then the result was spectacular. The river vibe, the rope swing, the ancient redwoods, the dappled sunlight, the bbq. And yes, there’s a store nearby in the middle of nowhere to pick up whatever you need. 

  

It really is family-lovely. Your kids will make friends with the others. If you can plan an extended stay, do it!

  

Recently, I just drove around the grounds, on my way back to SF, just for fun, and I thought, wow, I’m ready to experience this place as a childless oldster. I want to bird my ass off. I want to go offseason. All of it!

Photos of Jedidiah Smith Campground — Redwood National Park

Real photos from real campers