Elk Prairie Campground, near Orick, California, is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in the beauty of the redwoods. This campground is surrounded by towering trees and offers a unique blend of prairie and forest, making it a picturesque setting for your outdoor adventures.

With amenities like drinking water, showers, and picnic tables, campers can enjoy a comfortable stay. Many visitors have praised the cleanliness of the facilities, noting that the bathrooms and showers are well-maintained. One happy camper mentioned, “The bathrooms and showers were clean,” which is always a plus when you're out in nature.

The campground is a gateway to numerous hiking trails, allowing you to explore the stunning Redwood National and State Parks right from your campsite. Reviewers have highlighted the proximity to trails and the peaceful atmosphere, making it a great base for outdoor activities. As one camper put it, “Perfect spot right by so many incredible hikes.”

Wildlife enthusiasts will appreciate the chance to spot elk and other creatures roaming the area. The campground's setting provides a serene backdrop for enjoying nature, whether you're hiking, biking, or just relaxing by the campfire. Elk Prairie Campground is a solid choice for anyone looking to experience the majestic beauty of California's redwoods.

Elk Prairie Campground — Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Orick, CA is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Orick is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Find the best campgrounds near Orick, CA. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.

Orick

The Best Camping Near Orick, California

To witness the grandeur of the redwoods and the ocean at the same time is pretty much the most awesome camping experience ever. At dawn the elk roam the shores, and you can take day hikes into the redwoods by way of a prehistoric feeling fern valley.  Epic.  

Elk on the shore, Redwoods on the cliff

This campground was primitive  and very "natural" in setting. The sites had a bear box for food storage and there were Elk grazing near our loop. We picked blackberries and watched bluejays landing nearby. There was a restroom with pay showers and a ranger station at the entrance. Not a lot here but plenty to do up the road on the Newton B Drury Pkwy we visited the ancient Redwoods that were amazing. Also, can drive to Fern Valley if you rig isn't too big. That is where a scene from Jurassic park was filmed.

Camping in the Redwoods

This gem of a campground is very close to Saratoga (about 45 minutes drive) and has good availability for campsites. Campsites are large and well-suited for multiple tents. Check out the nature walk behind the visitor center to find a wading hole full of crawdads and salamanders. 

Very buggy here in late June so bring the bug spray. 

Wooded, beautiful campground

So you will be camping with people only a couple feet from you, it's load, it over crowded, it's sucks but your not there for the campsite you are there for the trees and nature and it excels in this. Wild elk roaming within feet of your campsites, epic Redwoods within walking distance, and a super friendly staff.

Super cramped sites but worth it.

If the road leading into Portola doesn't scare you off you're in for a bit of a treat. Located in secluded redwood forest the campground is quiet and serene. Fallen trees make for great climbing for the kiddos. The creek with sandy shore is great for an afternoon cool down. The only draw backs were the mosquitos (they were plentiful in late June) and the Yellowjackets. Otherwise a great weekend.

Untethered

This place was really fun. I came this summer and it was really cool and shady. Got to stay at camp 43 and it was really awesome.  We had a fire ring and picnic table at the location. We had a restroom which was really maintained about a 2 minute walk from the campsite. We got there around 5 in the evening and went to the visitor center. It turned out that dogs were not allowed in the visitor center. you do have to bring your own firewood because it is prohibited to collect wood here. The wood here is also pretty damp. The sun comes down at about 8 which is pretty late. A tip coming here is to wear clothing that covers your whole body and bring deet. The mosquitoes here are really annoying and ferocious. Other than that the site is actually pretty nice and there is a nice cool breeze at night. We got up the next morning and did the Peters creek loop which took us about 6 hours for 13 miles. I recommend this hike because you are really secluded in the wilderness.

Great

Seeing the redwoods for the first time is incredible. This campground is in an ideal location, redwood forest, fern canyon and the beach. We saw elk on our drive into the park, at the campground and on the beach. The trails thoughout the park are incredible. The campground is small, there are bathrooms with pay showers. It's a basic campground but offers a chunk of the Redwood forest and Pacific Ocean! Absolutely incredible. 

From Pa, this place is magical 

You get a chunk of some of the most beautiful Redwood forests, oceanside.  While the campsites are small and pretty close together it is rare to find a good campsite that offers showers, great scenery, bear boxes, fire rings and tables with your fresh water etc. Tent camping and RVs. You feel as though you are miles away from life as you know it and can truly get the chance to experience nature and relaxation with these giant old growth redwoods.  Fern paths and wild berries galore.  Northern beaches with overcast and fog which creates some chilly nights and mornings- plus you can get damp if you are not prepared.  Northern coast.  If the sites were not so busy all the time and cramped I would give it 5 stars. 

Redwoods to the Northern Coast-

Great campground near some really run trails! Tiptoe Falls is a really easy walk - probably awesome for kids!

Portola Redwoods Campground

Quest on 

Fun times in the redwoods for #questival #cotopaxi

#questival

What a beautiful spot to camp. Roads are super curvy must drive slow. But worth the log drive there.

Amazing location 

We questival'd here and it fulfilled all our needs. We loved it! Thanks guys

Cotopaxi or bust

This is a beautiful campground in the mid to lower part of the Redwoods. If you are lucky, you can get a site in the meadow area where the elk usually roam in the early morning or play at dusk. There are also plenty of sites set back in the woods. I scored a meadow site, which was great because my tent was wet from the night before, but quickly dried out. Six elk came within 30 feet of my tent as the sun was setting. Pretty awesome!

Firewood available for $8/bundle. Quarters required for showers. $35 cash or check/night. No credit cards!!

Awesome trails among the Redwoods right from the campground/visitor center.

Elk roam at dusk

Gorgeous redwoods nice trails stellar ble jays squeaking up a storm and plenty of beautiful trails to hike. Added bonus the camp spots aren’t too close to each other!

Redwoods redwoods redwoods

One of my favorite all time campgrounds where you camp among the trees and streams then wake up to see the elk roaming the grasslands. The Prairie Creek trail is right at the entrance to the campground and is a great way to see what the park is all about. May is best to see the blooming rhododendron which is amazing!

Heaven on earth.

I highly recommend this location - what could be better than camping in the redwoods, with elk grazing in the meadow right next to your camp!

Sites were decent sized for our 2 tents, surrounded by trees and bushes offering some privacy so you don’t feel like you are right on top of your neighbors. Very clean bathrooms, decent showers, picnic tables, fire pits. You are expected to keep your site ‘crumb clean’ and will be provided with instruction about that.

The only downside is that it can get very damp at night – which made it seem a little colder and had a lot of tent condensation.

There are many wonderful hikes in the area – love it when you can get forest and ocean on the same trail! Normally I don’t like hearing other people’s campground music, but whoever was singing vespers it was beautiful. Slept peacefully to sounds of the creek running by our site.

The visitor center was good and gave us a lot of useful information. The ranger even came around to let us know of local events.

Redwoods & Ocean: California's best

The most private site at the campground. Close to walking trails and bathrooms. Campground amenities include water, firewood $8/bundle, and pay showers. No cell service.

Site 64

This review is for the backpacking/trail camp area at Slate Creek in Portola Redwoods. Stayed here for a one-night intro to backpacking trip with my younger sister. The hike to the sites was very manageable, a great way to test out gear while also spending time in a lovely forest. Well maintained trails and brand-new food lockers at the sites. When we were there, there was only one other set of campers in the site next to ours--they were so quiet we hardly could tell they were there. This trail camp has a composting toilet which was well stocked with toilet paper, and Slate Creek is not a far walk to collect and filter water. We loved all the banana slugs and little calochortus wildflowers on our hike. The park's visitor center has great displays about the local flora and fauna.

Solitude, redwoods, a hidden little gem

Campsite #9 and it was right by the bathroom but the site was spacious and waking up nestled amongst all those redwoods is just the best. Host was super nice and accommodating and the girls loved riding the scooters all around the campground. Slugs and meets all over the place . The mosquitoes drove us nuts so make sure you have candles and repellent!

Amenities were great!

This was my favorite campground in our northern california tour. Campimg among the redwoods, so quiet and shady we slept in late each morning. The elk prarie is a few steps away, we didnt have the right season to see any, but the morning fog on the meadow was still beautiful.

Camp hosts were lovely, scenery beautiful, bathrooms had coong operated shawers and were very well maintained.

Very peaceful!

the site was very secluded, slightly “hike-in” pretty close to the parking lot but not close enough to see headlights or hear too much from our site. lots of tall trees and bushes hiding away our little plot. great hikes and waterfalls, only issue was mosquitos ate us alive in July. 

beautiful hike in site

This spot has the coast and desolate beaches as well as the magnificent fern canyon trail that takes you into a wonderland of green and inlet streams. I only wish I had stayed here longer.

Best of everthing

When staying in this area I explored two campgrounds one more beach view (around 25 miles south) and another with more of the true Redwood Forest feel. This one being that one!  

We first drove up to this area mid afternoon, which in fall is the time that you start to see the clouds pushing back in from the ocean and the sun slowly start making its decline.  While it isn’t dark super early it also isn’t light and it is during this time that you see the elk moving across the area to graze. That was our first impression of this area, one of such awesome beauty!

We then explored the area even more to realize this campsite was much more than just a campsite it was a part of the State Park which held so much information about these unique and beautiful trees that you had to just stop to take it all in.

We opted to take in one of the shorter trails before fully settling in so we picked up a map at the visitor center area which also had a lot of really interesting items inside and took to the trail right outside the center. When we were inside we were told they offer cabins as well as camping and you can bring your RV as long as it doesn’t exceed a certain length.

We had a group of 4 and yet if we were only a few feet away it was odd to even hear one another speaking.

The world is completely quiet around you when you are in this forest and so the campsites are muffled by the forest moss and ground around them.  It is so surreal to be in a slightly improved area but yet feeling like you are a million miles from anything or anyone.  

Campsites themselves are far from typical, despite offering typical amenities.  They are set in the most serene place you can possibly find and have these huge trees peering over your every move.  It is as though time stands still when you are here because you stop to truly realize just how small you are in the big picture.

The one thing we kept trying to remind ourselves of is that because we were in nature to remember that this was one of the more open areas for animals since we were right in the middle of it all and to not forget that while being in such awe.  For this reason we were mindful of keeping containers closed and in the car, nothing in our packs that could attract any unwanted visitors and to always keep a light at hand when traveling as the sun began to set.

TIPS:

*   Don’t rush this is a place you want to take your time. If you are on a trail fully allow yourself time to enjoy that trail don’t try to set a pace typical of other locations.
*   Try hiking toward the shore from camp, it is one of the best views you will find of the California coast.

Words Cannot Explain Til You Visit

The old growth redwood forest is spectacular. The dirt road to our campsite was 6 miles long winding and narrow and beautiful. Camping as close to the beach as you can get at Gold Bluffs Beach Campground at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. A very nice campground. Nice bathrooms. A favorite and we will for sure go back.

beach camping

Easy shady campsites. Miles of trails and very easy to get to from most parts of the Bay Area.

Awesome Creeks and Redwoods

We stayed at two different state park campground in the redwoods and this one was my favorite. Out of our whole two week camping excursion, this was my favorite. The landscape was just amazing, such massive awesome trees. Did not see any elk but there is always the possibility at this campground. Several hiking trails to explore. There is a visitor center and you can buy firewood from the camp hosts. Th restroom were decent and had nicer showers then the other campground we stayed at. Our campsite was nice and spacious. If you get the chance to go here do, and take the scenic highway to get to it. Also check out fern canyon, the road to get there is narrow and crappy but totally worth it. 

Probably my favorite so far

Campsites encircle bathroom buildings with private bathrooms (with flushing toilets) and private shower stalls. Very well maintained. Miner's ridge trail passed through several groves of redwoods and minor altitude changes.

Beachside campsites with redwood trails you can walk to from your tent!

This was a fantastic location in Prairie Creek Redwoods SP.  Not too far from the highway was great on a road trip.  We saw a family of elk before even getting into the park.  Our campsite #58 was a little small and pretty squeeze by our neighbors, but overall it was fine.  

  

I would highly, highly recommend taking the hike down through the redwoods to the beach and then back up through fern canyon.  Was one of the best hikes I've ever done.

Redwoods, Prairies, Ferns & Beaches

We loved this campground! We had site number 29 and think it is one of the best ones in the campground. The site was large enough to fit our 10x10 tent. It was also very close to being near the bathrooms without us being right next to them. We were right next to the prairie creek which was beautiful. The campground and bathrooms were clean, with soap provided as well as potable water. The showers were good as well, although it was hard to get hot water sometimes. We also camped here on the weekends when the rangers had their talks in the evenings. We highly recommend attending these! They are geared towards a younger audience, but they are fun to experience and learn more about the area you are in. This campsite also has plenty of access to amazing hikes. We hope to visit again!

Amazing campground! Beautiful! 

Beautiful setting, most sites are under the redwoods. We did see elk in areas nearby, but not in the campground. We were there in a small travel trailer. There was no place to fill with water (bring your water bandit). And there is no dump station, the one at Patrick’s Point State Park is also closed. We were told to go to Emerald Forest RV  to dump for $20  if you are in an RV you may want to consider a private RV Park for the price  

Beautiful setting, but not much to offer for RV  

This is a wonderful redwood park geared toward tent camping. It not particularly well suited to RVs. There are herds of Roosevelt Elk throughout the park, grazing in the meadow outside of the camping area. The elk are accustomed to people, but keep your distance. There are nice restroom facilities with hot showers. Bring quarters. The sites are close together but there is lush greenery to create a sense of separation. The big complaint are the bear boxes. They are impossible to close quietly so be considerate and plan your late night snack and beverage needs in advance. Reservation absolutely required months in advance for the summer season. This is a great place to go off-season.

Beautiful Redwood Setting

When traveling to the Redwoods there are so many amazing campgrounds to visit. I have been to the Elk Prairie area once before but was not able to camp so made sure that on my most recent trip to make it happen. 

  

One of my favorite locations within the Redwoods the campground itself is only a short distance to some of my favorite trails in the area. 

  

You cannot go wrong at $35 a night to be in the direct footprint of the gigantic tree canopies in an area known widely for the frequently traveled paths of some of the forests most majestic elk herds. 

  

The campground comes with all the basics, fire pits and picnic tables are located at each of the sites. The sites range in overall sizing with some large enough to fit smaller RVs but many designed for the smaller set up such as my tent. 

  

While the ground is cleared, much like the rest of the location the soft wooded padding of the forest floor made for a comfortable place to settle in for the night. One thing you will want to remember when staying at this location is rain. 

  

Rain seems to come and go frequently and can occur without any warning. While staying here I was periodically inundated by the persistence of rain both light and heavy. 

  

While staying at this campground there are many benefits related to the overall location itself. Unlike many who will search for parking in small lots, you will have the built in benefit of having access to parking and thus some of the best entry points to trails. In addition, there is a small museum and Ranger Post at the entry to this camping area which makes for easy access to maps and additional restrooms. 

  

However with all the benefits there are a few disadvantages as well including the lack of cell and internet service. This is only a disadvantage if you do not have a offline map. Come prepared and you will not struggle at all and will be at an advantage.

Great Access To Forest Hiking

Was here for 3 nights and couldn't have been better. weather is great with all the shade provided by the beautiful trees. Plenty of hiking!!

Simply amazing!!

Long, sometime harrowing downhill to get to the park. Beautiful redwood grove with large campsites and a lot of space.  All the site I saw were under the redwoods so well shaded.  Have regular ameneties and all seemed well maintained.

  

We did a lot of hiking here - there are waterfalls and ponds to find.

Redwoods Retreat

First of all this is Not Gold Bluffs Beach. This is Cal state park adjoining Praire Creek next to a quiet meadow often featuring Elk. It is located off hwy 101 and in the midst of a pristine redwood forrest with well groomed trails.
We have RV trailer and the sites are private, quiet with bear boxes and fire pit with water spigot. No other amenities- no Dump
Station. Didn’t matter to us.. we were content to park,sleep, and walk the trails in the am. Lovely.

Redwood Giants in a Quiet Setting-Elk Praire Campground

I love to return to this place.  It has campsites in a redwood forest along a small stream. And then there is a meadow in front where the elk come down to graze.  They have benches all around the meadow so you can watch the elk from a safe distance.

  

There are miles and miles of trails through old growth (and second growth) redwoods.

Magical. You can hike to the beach, pick up a section of the coastal trail, or simply visit different groves of redwoods.

  

It can be damp here - think beach and redwoods, so be prepared fro dampness.

Siate ahe typical tables, fire rings and food lockers. Clean rest room and coin showers as well.

  

You can strike out north to the mighty Klamath River, over the hill to the Fern Canyon or hang with the elk.

North Coast Camping At It's Best

Stayed here last weekend and it was absolutely magical. Word of advice, unless you want a small amount of light into your campsite, avoid site 30 as it is right next to the bathrooms (which were super clean by the way) and there is a large light outside of it and there is a clearing from that site to the restroom so the light isn’t blocked at all. It can also be quit noisy, and the walk up to the bathroom is right next to your campsite so there is a lot of foot traffic. Otherwise great place to camp. 

Gorgeous state park 

Well screened and large campsites with tables and fire rings Mine was in the FF (first come, first served) section on the creek. There are well maintained hiking trails through out the magnificent Redwoods forest and excellent trail signage  Showers and toilets clean. Friendly,helpful staff. Stayed mid-Nov. for two nights at $33 per. 

Stay Here

Nothing compares to camping out amongst Sequoias. It's a great site.  Coin showers are little cold, but run the sink  faucets until they're hot and then start your shower.  Your neighbors will be very close, but the foliage makes you feel slightly secluded at night especially.  Each site is compact for tent camping... You'll be able to fit two 4-person tents comfortably. Firewood is $10 per person.  Access to some amazing redwoods hiking trails are a short walk through the grounds.  I didn't have cell service at all.  Bring walkies for the trails.  

Amazing Experience

I really love this campground, especially because of how lush all the plants are. Some sites back up to the small river running through the park, and the lush vegetation give some privacy which is a huge plus! This park has TONS of trails, you will certainly not run out of things to do. I did the ~8 mile hike to Fern Canyon in the rainy winter and it was beautiful. 

  

Star gazing in the clearing right before the campground is spectacular on clear nights, and the last time I was there a family of deer were grazing next to us while we stargazed. I have stayed here 2 times and each time I was very happy I did!

Stargazing wonder!

Beautiful! 
Showers and bathrooms. Awesome spots to roam around and check out the site. Can’t see main road from site. Good amount of space between spots. 

We camped spot 40 and would absolutely want it again! 

Incredible camp site 

Excellent facilities, stunning location, great hiking. Spot 20 is secluded, choose wisely here! One of the few sites I've wanted nothing more than just stay and hang.

Redwoods Magic

I didn't expect there will be actual elk there. I woke up to bunch of elk in front of my tent! Beautiful hikes, nice camp host and camp spots are in nice wooded area, some are by the creek, lots of privacy. 

Beautiful and tranquil

Wonderful campground in the redwoods. Lots of good sites, mostly mostly in the northern loop. Plenty of hiking trails around and elk everywhere!! Fern canyon is just a short way up the road and a definite must hike!! We will be returning here often







Absolutely Beautiful 

We reserved the last site in the campground.  It was great.  Bathrooms were a little far away, but there was plenty of room.  4 family shower rooms.  You can get creek side spots just below us.  Hiked from camp.  Saw elk in the prairie.  Like someone else said, close to Fern Canyon.  

Lots of elk!

I camped here many, many years ago. In fact, it was over two decades ago. We spent a night here as part of a road trip that took us up the Pacific Coast all the way to Seattle. I had just moved to California from the East Coast, and the sheer size of the country north of San Francisco (where I was living at the time) blew my mind.  We had a hike-in site, but I can't seem find on the current maps which one it was exactly.  Again, this was over 20 years ago.  But we checked in at the Prairie Creek visitors center.  I remember this clearly, as we were given a bear canister for our food, which was the first time I'd ever had to use one of these. When I'd go camping back east, I'd just hang my food in bags. But the ranger was adamant we'd want this canister for the site we'd be camping at. More on this later.

The hike in was about 2 miles and took us deep into ancient groves of Redwoods. At the time, I thought this was the most beautiful spot on Earth that I'd ever visited. It's still probably in the top 10, maybe top 5. The site itself was on a bluff overlooking the Pacific.  It was your typical California state park primitive site with a picnic table and fire pit.  We made dinner and listened to the waves crashing on the beach below.  It was July, and we had daylight until almost 9PM. It was actually sunny that evening, which at the time didn't strike me as unusual, but that's because I was a newcomer to the state. Fog is very common along the northern California coast, so even in summer, it can be quite cool - indeed almost downright cold. I'd like to think that we came prepared with warm clothes and layers, but we probably didn't (again, I was a recent transplant from the East Coast and still associating summer with hot and humid weather.) We were were lucky it happened to be a warm and balmy day.

Now, about that bear canister. I loaded all our food and toothpaste into it and placed it about 50 yards away from the tent. I recall thinking that this was purely precautionary - there was very little chance a bear would actually come to our site.  I was wrong.  At about 2AM, we heard a large creature walking around the campsite. I admit that I panicked for a moment or two. I had no idea what I was supposed to do. But then I remembered that black bears do tend to be timid, and will often be scared off by loud noises. For reasons I've never been able to explain, I grabbed my flashlight, jumped out of the tent, and started making barking sounds, like a dog. As embarrassing as that is to admit, the bear ran off into the woods.  I barely caught a glimpse of it. We obviously didn't sleep too well after that, but as the morning broke we began to convince ourselves that there was no way we were actually visited by a bear.  It had to be an elk. When I returned the canister to the ranger, he disabused me of that notion. If we had heard something loud enough to wake us in that part of the park, it almost certainly was a bear, he said.  Over the next 25 years, we'd camp in areas with lots of bears (Yosemite, King's Canyon), and we'd see bears often, but this remains the only time a bear would actually come to our site while we were sleeping.

Per my rating system, this is an easy 5-stars as the Redwood National Forest and the CA state parks within it are some of the most beautiful spots on this planet. You can easily spend a week or more exploring the area. I've not returned to this specific spot since that July night so many years ago, but I've visited several of the other state parks in the area. Having written this, perhaps it's time for me to see if I can find this particular site again. That would be a fun adventure.

Camp under the Redwoods with a view of the Pacific

We stayed at one of the hike into camp sites. The hike in isn't very far at all but it's separated with from the other campers that it creates a peaceful and private environment.  There is a specific campsite that you can really hike into, that one is a 3 mile hike and you have to call ahead to reserve that space.  But our little hike (a few hundred feet) was wonderful.  The forest was so quiet and peaceful I've never experienced such a quiet forest.  There were showers, bathrooms,  lots of hiking spots, fire pits, near by pond for fishing, and a little cute town 20 min drive away.  I will definitely be coming back to this camp site again.  

It's so quiet

[Internet. No Verizon or T-Mobile signal in the campground. You might get a blip by the park entrance but the park entrance also has a wifi station you can park near and use.]

PROS

→ Lots of sites on the creek!
→ Provides a wonderful outdoorsy camping experience.
→ On Fridays (and perhaps Saturdays too) you can walk to the visitor center and catch a ranger guided tour.
→ You are guaranteed many elk sightings.
→ The bathrooms and showers were clean.

CON

→ The showers are quarter operated at 25¢/minute. The water pressure is very low and the shower rooms are chilly. The water is warm. Not all showers have signage on how to operate the shower. Put a quarter in and pull the shower handle towards you.

4.5 stars - As always, the shower gets me. But as always, I mark 5-stars on my 4.5 star reviews since I believe it’s a great campground overall and don’t want my shower obsession to affect the rating at all. 

——————————
[Rig. Mercedes Sprinter. 22 feet]

Dump station? - No
Water fill? - No but there are water spigots
Clean site? - Yes
Clean bathroom? - Yes
Flush toilet? - Yes
Showers? - Yes but they are 25¢/minute
Laundry? - No
Dish washing sink? - No

Guaranteed elk sightings!

What an amazing place to stay. It was a little chilly and wet from the rain. It was my first time camping in the rain but was still absolutely amazing. Pack for the colder weather if you’re visiting in April. There are a lot of banana slugs to see and mushrooms to find. The hikes throughout the redwoods are breathtaking. It was the perfect place to unplug from the world.

Very quiet! Would love to stay again in the summer.

Green and GORGEOUS!!

Beautiful, private campsites carved into a mixed forest of redwood, fir, and maple trees. There are some truly fine sites along Prairie Creek and a handful of unique sites skirting the meadow that might not be for everyone (they’re much less private).

An abundance of awesome hikes give you the chance to wander amongst old growth redwoods — one of the greatest privileges nature offers.

If you have a pup like me, it’s tough to beat Cal Barrel Road, a rad 180 out that’s around 6 miles round trip. Since it’s technically a road, dogs are allowed! The entire hike winds through stunning upland old growth, starting near the famous Atlas Grove. It’s a rare opportunity to hike through ancient redwoods with your furry friend.

Closest supplies are in Orick and quite limited, though it’s its can be found, so it’s all good.

Peace and quiet in the trees

Loved this campground. Some sites sacrifice size for awesome water feature. I had a large site but no direct access. There is a trail that starts at the campground that leads you to direct water access. Each site had its own bear box. Lots of elk, chipmunks, ducks and these large aggressive blue jays. No bears seen directly but there was recent claw activity on my bear box. 

Green and Gorgeous 

Wonderful place to stay among the Redwoods if you don't mind being without hookups and love the all nature experience. Our site was right next to the creek!

Magical place to stay along the Redwoods

I know that recreation.gov let you reserve the site. I know that it looks DELIGHTFUL on paper. Trust me though, unless you have a small class C or a van, or a TINY teardrop trailer, you're going to have a bad day parking your rig. Both entrances into the main loop are steep, narrow, and crooked. The sites are shorter than promised and challenging to back in to.  All this for no water, no electrical. Fun! Oh, but the trails are nice...

Your RV Will Not Fit

I try to go to different places. But this is my favorite place to camp. Always clean, most sites feel private, clean restrooms and showers. So many hikes right around the campsite. On the first Saturday of the month, Newton B Drury Pkwy is closed, and everyone rides their bikes up and down the Pkwy. You are guaranteed to see elk and moose.

My favorite place to camp

This is a nice campground with little campsites. We had a 21’ travel trailer and could barely fit down the roads in campground. Very dark because of trees. Not solar friendly. Showers and flush toilets. Potable water. 

Close to redwood

Because they do not have running water had to close 

Close since Aug 2022

In August 2019 we rode from Seattle to Santa Barbara, staying most night in hiker/biker sites. Elk Prairie was our first campground in Redwood National State Parks. Biker/hiker sites were nice, picnic tables and bear boxes but was missing the USB charging station we had found in most Oregon state park. We did not see any elks during our short stay(one night) here but had seen quite a few on our way there just before entering Redwood National State Parks. From the campground you can get to some very nice(not technical) hiking trails that will allow to appreciate and the huge trees found here.

Nice Biker/hiker sites 

Stayed near Thanksgiving.  First day was absolutely beautiful.  Second day — despite the weather forecast — had light rain all day and night.

Camp spaces are nicely marked, with a table, fire-pit, bear locker.  Couldn’t buy firewood there despite what’s said in the literature.

Had a small cargo trailer and a free-standing canopy, so the rain wasn’t really an issue.

Wet … And Beautiful 

My friend and I stayed here on our bike tour from Seattle to San Diego in 2019 and it was great. We stayed at a hiker/biker site under a tree. There were elk and lupins all over the prairie—it was so beautiful! I highly recommend.

Elk and lupins everywhere!

Perfect spot right by so many incredible hikes. The campground is secluded and you aren’t on top of everyone which is nice. 

Great spot! 

This was tied for my favorite redwoods campsite. We stayed for 1 night in march and it was almost entirely booked so I would reserve a spot. It was a little buggy in the woods but not too bad. The prairie itself was really beautiful especially at dusk. The surrounding woods is exactly what you look for when going to redwoods.

One of my favorites!

Very quiet, but tight campground in the Redwood National Forest. We enjoyed proximity to trails and other parks, along with the ranger talks each night. Sadly, the facilities aka the bathrooms are badly degraded and need to be updated. They don’t charge entrance fees for the park, rangers can explain why if you ask. I think this should be changed so they can afford to install new bathrooms. A lot of sites were supposedly reserved but no one present for days. Host are able to forfeit their reservations if they don’t show up by the second day, but it seems like they were very relaxed about this. Many sites were empty but the campground was listed as full. I suspect people book for the weekend and just show up late, which is not fair for those who would have liked to visit.

Redwood National AND State Park

We loved this campground. It's proximity to many trails with beautiful Redwoods was amazing. Some sites were in the prairie as opposed to nestled in the Sitka Spruce trees, so that's something to take into consideration. Bathrooms and showers were clean. Showers were about $1.00 and took quarters. We had site 62 and think we got the best site in the park. It was a drive through site however there are two tight trees that you would struggle to get a larger RV through on the road to get there. It had enough room for 2 large tents and two trucks. It also has a secret tent pad behind the driveway in the trees! 

Beautiful campsite

I don't have a lot to add beyond what has been said by others.  This campground is about the location.  It is nestled right in the state park w/old growth redwood trees and hikes accessible directly from the campground.

  

However, it is very tight, which is difficult for anyone with a larger trailer.  The facilities are showing their ages as well.  The showers were in decent shape, but the bathrooms could use some work. 

  

It is still the best campground for exploring the park though.  And the negatives should not turn you away.

Good but older campground

I’m probably giving this an extra star for nostalgia. I camped here decades before,  before it became a more modern campsite, and it was formative. I’d suggest LATE summer, like August, or better yet, after Labor Day. It’s the warmest, nicest time. Or when the Elk are in mating season! LOL. Or spring, when the Lupin arrives. There are also INCREDIBLE day trips into California’s interior, Indian history, little known parks and trails everywhere. Bring all the yummy foods you want… you’re not going to be near a grocery store. Feel a side of California few know about.

The Majestic Elk. The hypnotic Lupin. The crash of the Waves.

This is a lovely campground with hiking trails accessible from the campground. Some of the sites have no shade, but it wasn’t a problem for us. The campsites are close together but everyone was respectful and kept the volume at a decent level. The bathrooms were clean and had flushable toilets. It was an amazing stay!! 

Awesome campground! 

Very nicely kept campsite. Sites were clean, bathrooms well kept, sites nicely spaced out. Lots of easy walks/trails around the area. Tons of Elk to see! There are showers, but they were out of service at the time I was there. 

Chill Spot!

Well shaded campground, but with tight turns and smallish sites relatively close together.  Even with a small (16') camper, we had to unhitch to fit.  Still, the location is lovely, the adjacent visitor center is staffed with friendly people and helpful advice, and the trails from the campground lead through spectacular redwoods.  And (true to the name) most mornings or evenings there is elk viewing on the adjacent prairie.

Trees & Elk!

One of the best sites I’ve ever camped at. Super green&amp; lush. Amazing weather. We saw so many animals: elk, a bear, scrub jays, chipmunks, tadpoles, rabbits, deer, etc. We were able to hike a bunch on the campground (very accessible), drive to Fern Canyon, and visit Jedediah Smith all in 3 days. Would definitely visit again. 

Best Site Ever 

We were at site 67; the sites on that loop are set up in a way that everyone has a private tree cubby so it didn’t feel like you were camping by a bunch of people. Bathrooms were close; quarter showers; hiking trail beginning super close to the site

Private feel among the trees

This campground was perfect for our trip to the Redwoods for the first time. We stayed four nights and utilized the shower services (paid for with quarters). Everything was clean and easily accessible. Trashes were taken out daily and the staff were kind and helpful. Our site, #50 was a bit smaller than expected but situated perfectly along the creek, just under a tree that has huge maple leafs turning the beautiful
Autumn colors. We took the trail located within the day park area and was surprised to see really big trees within walking distance of our site. The weather was perfect, not too cold and we missed the rain by a day. Couldn’t have asked for a better location as we were within 45min of every state park and the national park. Will be returning!

Photos of Elk Prairie Campground — Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Real photos from real campers