Plan Your Visit
Big Basin Redwoods State Park is partly open in 2026, from 8 a.m. to sunset, while it recovers from the 2020 CZU fire. Reserve parking ahead ($8) or arrive early for $10 drive-up spaces, bring all your drinking water, since the park has none, and download maps first, since there is no cell service. Allow an hour for the Redwood Loop and visitor center, or half a day for a waterfall or ocean-view hike.
Before You Go
What to Expect After the Fire
The park looks different from pre-2020 photos. Most old-growth redwoods survived, but many trunks are blackened, the historic headquarters and campgrounds are gone, and some slopes are open and sunny where they used to be shaded. An interim visitor center serves the main day-use area. The 2026 infosheet notes the park may close during adverse weather. Background on our fire and recovery page.
Getting There
- By car: Highway 9 to Boulder Creek, then 9 miles north on Highway 236 to the entrance kiosk. Every road in is curvy.
- Summer shuttle: free from the Saddle Mountain overflow lot on summer weekends and holidays.
- By bus: Santa Cruz METRO Route 35 on weekends and holidays; bus riders enter free.
- Ride-share: not recommended; there is no cell service to call a ride back.
Full details on parking and reservations.
What to Bring
- Water: there is no drinking water in the park.
- Sun and heat protection: the infosheet warns that temperatures can easily top 100°F on hot days. Know the signs of heat illness.
- A paper or downloaded map: free maps at the kiosk. See the trail map.
- Warm layers and a flashlight in case a hike runs late; trails close at sunset.
- Food, packed and packed out: Big Basin is a Crumb Clean park, to help protect the endangered marbled murrelet.
There is no electricity in the park and only limited Wi-Fi.
How Much Time You Need
The infosheet suggests:
- One hour: the accessible visitor center, then a stroll or short bike ride on the paved North Escape Road. Add the 0.6-mile Redwood Loop Trail.
- Half a day: Ocean View Summit (about 4.2 miles), Mount McAbee Overlook (5.7 miles), the Dool, Middle Ridge and Meteor loop (5.5 miles) or the Sempervirens Falls loop (4.3 miles), then a picnic in the day-use area.
- A full day: the 12-mile fire-road loop by Gazos Creek, Sandy Point, Johansen and Middle Ridge roads, on foot, bike or horse.
Weather and Seasons
The park runs from sea level at Waddell Beach to over 2,000 feet on its ridges. California State Parks does not publish monthly temperatures for Big Basin, but its 2026 infosheet singles out summer heat. Parking demand peaks on summer and holiday weekends, when reservations are recommended. Check the official page for storm closures in the rainy season.
With Kids
Pick up Junior Ranger and Litter Getters activity materials at the visitor center to earn prizes. The level Redwood Loop and Opal Creek loops suit young hikers. Free interpretive programs run through the year; see the park events calendar on the official page.
Add the Coast
Rancho del Oso and Waddell Beach are on Highway 1, a separate drive with no road or trail link from the main park. Day use there is free.
Know the Rules
No drones, no dogs on trails, bikes and horses on fire roads only, and no feeding wildlife. See rules and regulations and dogs.
Plan Your Visit FAQ
Is Big Basin open right now?
Partly. The main day-use area is open from 8 a.m. to sunset with more than 20 miles of trails, but campgrounds in the redwoods and the Berry Creek Falls trails are closed. It may close in bad weather.
What should I bring to Big Basin?
All the drinking water you need (there is none in the park), sun protection, a downloaded or paper map, warm layers and a flashlight. There is no cell service or electricity.
How much time do you need at Big Basin?
An hour covers the visitor center and the 0.6-mile Redwood Loop. Give a half day to a waterfall or ocean-view hike, and a full day to the 12-mile fire-road loop.
Is Big Basin good for kids?
Yes. The level Redwood Loop and Opal Creek loops are short, and the visitor center has Junior Ranger materials.