Mill Creek Campground — Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park

We loved this campground! It is about a mile off the highway so you don’t have any road noise. You are immersed in the redwoods with a creek flowing next to the campground. The staff is very friendly and they do a great job keeping everything clean.

We loved this campground! You are immersed in the redwoods and surrounded by a creek that runs along the campground. The restrooms were clean, staff very friendly and it was nice and quiet when we were there.

Beautiful campground among trees. Campsites feel private despite being a large campground. They had a range talk when we were there that we wish we attended but didn’t line up with our timeline. Staff was friendly.

Had a great time with my family camping at this site. Bathrooms were very clean and well stocked with single ply toilet paper and soap. Showers are also clean with a bench and hook for hanging your clean clothes. As many people have said showers are 25 cents per minute.

Each campsite layout is different and ours had the fire pit in a weird spot. That being said we appreciated the big picnic table and with maneuvering we could fit 3 cars (2 SUV and one compact). The site has ranger talks and plays movies occasionally which is nice for families.

As for wildlife: Lots of blue jays, chipmunks and we saw deer. Bears do roam the area and we never saw any but they were spotted two days before we checked in.

Short drive to Crescent City to see the sites (lighthouse, Ocean World Aquarium, shops, SeaQuake Brewery-great food & beer) or the larger trees in the redwoods. We hiked the Grove of Titans with 2 toddlers which is about 20 mins away. We would love to come back again.

spots were pretty private & campground was really quiet. very tall redwoods. need quarters for shower, had a lot of spiders though. no service (t-mobile). right outside of the campground is a really stunning overlook of the ocean

Drive from the highway to the campground is captivating. Campground staff were both pleasant & informative. We were concerned about theft as many signs mentioned this, but were reassured it has not been a recent problem. We had no issues leaving our kitchen items in the bear box during the day as well as tents & sleep systems in place for many hours while gone exploring. Sites were tucked close together, but there are many large ferns and overgrowth forest that provided a sense of privacy despite this. Busy place. Facilities were clean. Many trails close by. Would not recommend our site as it was close to the bathrooms and we did have an overwhelming scent of sewage during the nights while sleeping, though I didn’t notice this during the daytime. Overall would camp here again, but would prefer a different site.

Near by notes: Crescent City had an overwhelming homeless population. Was told by locals this is much lower in Brookings and received recommendation to camp at Harris Beach next time. We drove to Klamath and stopped at the beach along the highway (we believe this to be False Klamath Cove) as well as Trees of Mystery. Rode the gondola up & enjoyed the hike down. There was one black bear off the trail.

Loved this campground . Loved the showers . The redwoods were great to bike around . Sites are not right on top of each other also .

We stayed here on the way down from the Oregon coast. Great camp site although wet from all the early June rain. Some other sites are elevated above the access loop so would aim for those.

Make sure you get up early or late as they seem to service the restrooms between 7:30 and 8a. 

Great camp host with wood available for fires. Bear boxes at every site. Easy access to get to Prairie Creek and Elk Prairie campground for a scenic walk on the beach or access for Fern Canyon.

Close access to Crescent City for groceries and laundry if needed.

Campground was 6 hrs away for us and we arrived at 3am, checked in no problem but discovered we are next to other campers. It was super close. We were in site 58. It also rained all of the sudden at 4am and the entire weekend was pouring so we left around 12pm decided not to come back for the second night. I would not come back here due to showers only with quarters and no privacy sites. If you want that might as well stay in RV park.

Maybe more like 4.5 stars. Our site was just so weirdly adjoined to another site and by the second night a whole bunch of families moved on in to that site and a couple others and loudly partied until late and then early in the morning, more loudness. Complete with penned up dogs that yelped and whined and barked the entire time. Right. Next. To us. Some other sites that aren't adjoined like this would be amazing I think.

However, the bathrooms were decent. No paper towels or dryers in California so bring a towel to dry your hands, because it was cold in July. Flush toilets, running water, coin showers. I didn't use one, but my teenager did, which is beneficial to everyone.

There was a spigot and drain right at our site, and that was very useful. No hanging lines from the trees, so I had to get creative and hang some stuff over a branch. Not that that did anything, lol. Stuff does not dry outside there.

You have to drive down a very long road to get into the campground, which is totally worth it when you're dispersed camping or it's otherwise isolated, but it didn't seem AS worth it being crowded in next to others. No redwoods in the campground area, but plenty nearby. Same with trails. A couple small ones within walking distance, but not really worth it if you want to see the big mamas!

Nearby Crescent City was a really charming town with a great park, natural foods coop, and (cold) beach. We also saw lots of elk in the field across from the beach. 

No service in the campground, but if you drive up to the ranger station, you can hook up to their wifi.

Overall, a beautiful campground with a mostly good experience.

We loved our site, it felt quite private, even though we were between two roads and right across from the bathrooms. We were able to fit a 5 man tent and a 2 man tent in the space, though they were closer together than I’d like. Beautiful campground, clean bathrooms. Bring quarters for the showers.

We stayed in site 87 which is a “hike in” site, which basically means that you have to walk up a few steps, maybe 100 feet, to get to the campsite. Having to haul our stuff up the stairs was well worth it to be tucked away in the woods off the road. Site 88 shares the entry from the road and sits up above 87, so I would say 88 is the more private of the 2 sites.

My husband and I enjoyed walking around the campground and seeing the remaining stumps of the giant redwoods that used to be here. This area has no old growth left but was still very pretty. There are also a number of trails around the campground to explore.

This campground has showers for 25¢ a minute. The water was hot and it had great water pressure, which I was thankful for since it gets pretty chilly in this area.

I have T-Mobile and had no cell service at any time while I was in this campground.

Nice site offers showers, clean bathrooms, bear boxes, fire rings and benches. As well as trash cans and recycling. Some spots looked big and some/most were pretty small. The spots are pretty close together but, that’s okay. I feel it was kinda expensive for the size of the spots and how close they were together but, you are in a state park. The trees were very beautiful and you’re right in the middle of the red woods. The camp host was very sweet and offered a wood for purchase ($10).

I don’t recommend getting spot 27. Very weird set up the bench was in the center of the spot and the fire was really close to the vegetation it kinda scared me. It looked to be all the odd 20s were set up kinda funky.

oh, the campsites very clean, well maintained Park 100 %. family 👪 fun all the time!!

Incredible campground surrounded by the redwoods. Site 75 was decent, there’s definitely better ones. We had a good time out here.

Be sure to bring mosquito repellent!

Loved camping in the big trees. Good campfire rings, clean air and trees provide ample privacy for quiet camping. We did a lot of tree hugging!

The campground is gorgeous and lots of the sites have beautiful stumps and downed trees separating the sites. But some sites are quite close with no vegetation separation. My experience got real awkward with all the fighting the family next to me engaged in 😳 No cell service (Verizon)

This campground is a great stop if you’re looking for something in the redwoods besides the popular Jedidiah. There are two full loops to choose from.

There were plenty of open sites last minute but we heard that it does get busy. Some sites are SMALL but the reservation website lists the dimensions of each site and contains a picture as well. It makes it easy to book, site unseen. Some sites are open while others are secluded. There are hike/bike in campsites as well.

There are RV amenities within the campground but not at each individual site. I would say that this campground isn’t too RV friendly just because it’s a smaller campground in general. It might be hard to maneuver around but it is allowed.

There are bathrooms with flush toilets as well as showers with hot water. It’s .25 cents per minute for the showers, maximum 12 minutes. Everything was cleaned each morning. Bring extra TP, as it usually ran out mid day.

Bear boxes are provided and you are asked to keep everything in there at all times. We had a chipmunk try to get into ours but didn’t see any bear. Fires are permitted, just make sure you put it out completely at night.

No hammocks or tying to trees allowed. That was a bummer, as I love my hammock but totally understandable. You have to protect the redwoods that remain.

No cell service but if you drive up to the ranger station, they have WiFi. Doesn’t reach the campsites though.

The campground is in a perfect location if you want to explore the redwoods. It’s not far from the Prairie Creek Visitor Center (James Irvine Trailhead) to the south and the trailheads for the Boy Scout Trail/Stout Grove trailheads to the north. You’re also really close to Crescent City if you need any groceries or want to eat at a restaurant one night. The campground itself was great too! Some campsites are more private than others and they’re definitely not uniform in layout, so if that’s important to you then it might be worth it to take a look at your individual spot. However, I took a walk around and didn’t see any “bad” layouts so I wouldn’t be too worried. Definitely recommended!

The closed Mill Creek day-use area has access to trails through old growth redwoods. This Mill Creek campground has limited access to a few short trails. See notes below. 

WARNING: Trestle Loop Trail is not a loop (since 2018 according to CH). The first bridge when hiking clockwise is in excellent condition. The second crossing is at a wide section of creek without any bridge or trail markers. The third crossing is impassible due to a ~6ft abrupt drop. Aug 2019 there was a single laminated sign on the trail floor stating "Stay on trail," an A-frame marker tied to a tree by caution tape over 100ft away from the abrupt drop.

Caution: The campground map dated 2006, rev 2019 is missing important campground details and vaguely marks the path of the Trestle Trail.

Most disappointing, this campground has no old growth redwoods and no immediate hiking access to old growth, rivers, lakes, or beaches and ocean.

The map provided on paper, PDF, and on signs is inaccurate. The good: There are many potable water sources on both north and south loops, not just one as on the map. Some of the bad: 

1/ Several camp sites have stairs. 

2/ Many camp sites are generously graveled making tent camping less comfortable and difficult to drive stakes.

3/ Site 27 is currently (summer 2019) the end of the Trestle Trail. Expect guests passing through.

4/ Camp sites vary significantly. This could be a positive if documented accurately: Some are stacked with one entrance path deeper into the forest. Some have stairs leading to tent sites above road grade. Some have both such as 5, 6, and 7. Recommendation: Read each site detail on ReserveCalifornia carefully or ask the camp staff at the entrance kiosk.

5/ A few sites are inaccurately placed on the map such as site 20 which is on the main loop, not on the side road.

6/ The map is missing trail details such as another creek crossing and switchbacks on the west side which would be helpful progress indicators.

7/ Especially for RVs and trailers: The campground map makes no mention of the poor entrance road conditions. In addition to a steep grade and tight turns there are several small sections of uneven roadway due to slides. A small section is washed out and only graveled. There are also abrupt speed bumps near the kiosk.

8/ The campground map includes info for some nearby trails, but only the Trestle Trail is indicated on the map. Nearby trails are accessible only from the WEST entrance to the Trestle Trail across from camp site 8.

Huge trees, slugs, and the ocean. Perfect campground. Out first day there we were mesmerized by the elk we saw. So beautiful. Definitely recommend if you love the redwoods.

We camped with Rv,campsite were amazing with fireplace,shower and clean toilet

This campground was a lovely find on the northern coast of California. All the campsites were very private and had a picnic bench, firepit, and bear proof box for storage. Host on site was very kind and helped direct us to a good site, cleaned it on the spot, and supplied us with left over firewood for the night. They had well kept bathrooms with roomy hot showers. The campsite we had was by a creek that lulled us to sleep and added a lovely nature ambiance to drown out rowdy nearby campers. In the morning, as we made breakfast we were greeted by playful chipmunks that ran in and out of our campsite and birds flitted above us in the trees singing. It was quite magical how unbothered they were by us. Felt like a Disney movie.

Can be damp and shady, so-so facilities. Plan in advance for reservations. Group camping and hike/ bike in is located near meadow and will likely see elk grazing nearby. However, excellent location to explore beaches and hiking in the most fantastic redwoods!

After climbing up, up, up along the coast, the Mill Creek access road takes you twisting down into a valley among the trees. 

Upon arrival the rangers assigned me a campsite but worked hard to figure out which is the available sites best suit my needs. We settled on a site along an out of the way loop. On a Thursday night mid-September there were many open campsites and the campground was pretty quiet. It was incredible just to wander around the campground and wonder at the trees. Mill Creek is in a second generation forest. The old growth trees had been cut for logging years ago but their awe-inspiring stumps are scattered throughout the campground. The trees that grow today are impressive in their own way. 

Roughly 20 minutes from Crescent City, there's relatively quick access to the beach and coastline. Check out the Battery Point Lighthouse which can only be accessed at low tide. The campground has flushing toilets, drinking water, and pay showers. There are also fire pits, picnic tables, and large bear lockers in each campsite. The roads down to the campground and throughout are a little rough, keep an eye out for big dumps and dips. The campground hosts sell firewood and have quarters for the showers and are incredibly friendly. I loved staying at Mill Creek and had a wonderful experience yet, $35 dollars a night feels a little pricey.

Definitely my favorite campground in the redwood area. I will be back!

This camp ground has relatively small tent sites. Bathrooms were adequate. Showers were pay to use which lost it 1 star. However the people were great. And the bear lock boxes were great.

We stayed here three nights, the first night we stayed in spot 57, which was uncomfortably close to 58, only a large log separating the two, would be awesome for two groups, the next night we moved across to 59, better, but very small spots. the high teens, low 20's of this campground have wonderful spots, and I think my review would have been 5 stars had we stayed in one of those spots. Overall in was a good campground, rangers were friendly and knowledgable, there are giant redwood stumps throughout the campground for kids to play on. Good location, close to crescent city and Stout Grove.

If you’re looking to immerse yourself in the Redwoods, this is the campground for you. I’ve been camping here for more than half my life and I just can’t get enough! Here’s why...

Set down in a little Redwood valley just south of Crescent City, CA to the east of Hwy 101 is what I describe as heaven on earth. As you turn off the highway, you head down the mountain on a paved road for about a mile and a half. You’ll take a short stop at the Ranger Station to check in and get the latest updates on weather, Ranger Talks, tide schedules and anything else you need to know for your stay. Head down another mile and you’ll enter the campground.

At the stop sign, you can either go left or right. The spots to the right will hug you next to the mountain and along the creek that runs through the campground. The small and cozy amphitheater also sits among these spots for the ranger talks and activities for the kiddos. These spots are a bit more open and let you interact with your fellow campers. There a few loops to choose from so you’re sure to get the perfect one for you.

Turn left at the stop sign and you’ll find my favorite loop. These spots vary widely from more open spots to more secluded ones. Some are by the creek, some are back in little nooks of the mountain and some have a short hike to get to. I’ve stayed in all kinds and have never been disappointed. They feel a bit more secluded, though it could just be me romanticizing my favorite place on earth.

Whatever loop you choose to stay in, rest assured you’ll be in the heart of the Redwoods. Lush ferns, new and old growth trees and beautiful flora surround every site. You can join the Ranger Talks, take a hike on one of the trails around the campground or just sit and relax, taking it all in.

Bonus points always go to this campground for coin operated showers (perfect after a long day of adventuring) amazingly friendly and knowledgeable camp hosts and a stellar location to venture out from on your daily adventures.

Thiugh my favorite time to visit has always been August (to escape the heat of the valley), any time of year is a good time to go.

Book your stay through Reserve America, and don’t forget to start mapping out your adventures!

Beauriful scenery at every turn! Our girls felt like they were in a fairie land. The shade was welcomed from the huge trees and helped us sleep in a little later in the mornings. Each site was quiet and secluded! The girls loved biking to the creek, hiking at Prairie Creek state Park, and Jedidiah Smith is just a short drive where we went stand-up paddle boarding. Overall a great park, although it was confusing on weather you were in the National Park or the State Parks.