Portola Redwoods State Park

Location: County: San Mateo. Nearest City: La Honda. See map 1.

Campsites, facilities: There are 59 sites for tents or RVs up to 24 feet long. Piped water, fire rings, and tables are provided. Toilets, coin-operated showers, ice, and firewood are available. There are nature hikes and campfire programs scheduled from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The nearest gas is 13 miles away. Pets are permitted on paved surfaces only.

Reservations, fees: Reserve by phoning 1-800-444-PARK/7275 ($7.50 reservation fee); $14-$18 per night, $1 pet fee. No reservations October through mid-May.

Contact: Phone 1-650-948-9098 or fax 1-650-948-0137.

Portola Redwoods SP
9000 Portola SP Rd Box F
LaHonda CA 94020-9717

Operating hours, seasons: Call park for information.

Park Kiosk Hours:

    • Hi Season: 8am-9pm
    • Lo Season: 8am-4pm

Directions: From Palo Alto on Interstate 280, turn west on Page Mill Road and drive (slow and twisty) to Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35). Cross Skyline and continue west on Alpine Road (very twisty) for about three miles to Portola State Park Road. Turn left on Portola State Park Road and drive about three miles to the park entrance.

Weather, clothing: The weather can be changeable; layered clothing is recommended.

Trip notes: Portola Redwoods State Park has a rugged, natural basin forested with coast redwoods, Douglas fir and live oak. The park is very secluded, the result of visitors being required to travel on an extremely slow and winding series of roads to reach it. Eighteen miles of trails crisscross the canyon and its two streams, Peters Creek and Pescadero Creek. A short nature trail along Pescadero Creek introduces visitors to the natural history of the area. Visitors can see clam shells and other marine deposits from the time when the area was once covered by the ocean. The park has one of the tallest redwoods (300 feet high) in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The park features redwoods and foothill grasslands on the western slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains and the headwaters of Pescadero Creek. A four-mile hike links up to nearby Memorial Park. At times in the summer, a low fog will move in along the San Mateo coast, and from lookouts near Skyline, visitors can peer to the west at what seems like a pearlescent sea with little islands (hilltops) poking through.

 

 

 

 

 Where to go Camping

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 Miwok Lodge 439