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Grizzly Creek Redwoods Campground

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This tiny campground is surrounded by redwood groves!

They may not be AS impressive as the ones further up in northern California, but many are old-growth trees that deserve some love. This campground has both Grizzly Creek and the wild Van Duzen river, which merge right below the campground for some great swimming, fishing, kayaking, you name it. If you’re looking for peace and quiet, beautiful scenery AND cool adventures all packaged together, Grizzly Creek is the place to go.
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Available campgrounds nearby

Top-rated for location, privacy, and amenities near Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park

More to explore nearby

58%
6 ratings · 5 reviews
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Kris S.
July 28, 2020
Nice spot, good swimming for kids, clean, but the highway noise is pretty bad, no fun hearing traffic so close to your head when you're trying to sleep. I think in the past the road wasn't as heavily utilized, but on a weekday the evening cars were constant.
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Danielle W.
February 2, 2018
This is right off the highway and when I saw "right off" I mean when you get there & you take 5 steps for forward you are quite LITERALLY standing on the highway. Beautiful scenery, but traffic all night long. Imagine 18 wheelers zooming by your tent all night...that's pretty much this. Unless you book one of the 5 spaces that isn't butted up to the highway.
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Gihane H.recommends
June 27, 2017
No soap in the bathrooms and a strict weekend night ranger. AWESOME for families, wonderful mild weather and a fantastic swimming hole.
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Brooke N.
December 21, 2015
We camped here and were the only people at the site. The camp host was great, and there's lots of good hiking nearby (no dogs allowed on the trails). The river is nice and the lots are big and private.
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Rob G.
July 22, 2015
Often overlooked, but nice for hiking or camping right on the river. Good redwood hike right from camp. Quiet; highway 36 (a GREAT road) gets little traffic.

Your guide to camping in Grizzly Creek Redwoods Campground

Overview

Biking

There is one hike/bike site, but it doesn’t seem like there are any biking trails in the park. The hike/bike site is close to the park entrance right on the beach of the Van Duzen River, the perfect part of the river to go swimming. Romantic date with your bike, yes? (Don’t bring it into the water though.)

Boating

The Van Duzen River is great for non-power boating. Although the river fluctuates depending on the season (it can get pretty low in the summer), during the winter the currents can be pretty strong for class III kayaking and rafting! Don’t be a Van Doofus and miss out on this Van Duzen adventure. See the kayaking section below.

Fishing

Grizzly Creek remains cool year-round for some relaxing, secluded fishing. Catch and release fishing is allowed in the Van Duzen River for steelhead and salmon migrating from the ocean. Sit back on the beach, take in that earthy redwood smell, and let the fish bite! Make sure you have a California fishing license!

Hiking

Hikes here are short and sweet: the Memorial Trail, open during the summer thanks to a seasonal footbridge over the Van Duzen River, is a 1.25 mile loop through the forest. The Nature trail in the campground explains some of the local flora in a small hill of old-growth redwoods. The Fisher-Wouk trail has the most impressive redwoods, and if you follow the river west you’ll find the Devil’s Elbow for a great view of the park. There are 4.5 miles total of hiking that wind through the redwoods and the river, making for some rad scenery! Read all about it here.

Paddling

The Van Duzen is a rad river for kayaking and canoeing. The rapids are class III for those with intermediate experience. Be wary that the water level changes each season, so the best time to head there is in the winter and early spring. If you’re up for a challenge, check out this hole-in-the-wall park!

Swimming

The section of beach below the campground is a designated swimming spot in the river. The currents can be strong, so be careful out there! (Don’t let your swimsuit wash away!) There’s also a swimming hole nearby if you’re down for some discovering. Take a dip in the river and dry off on the beach or under some redwoods while it’s hot!

Whitewater paddling

Paddling downstream on the Van Duzen River is sure to become one of your favorite rafting spots once you try it! The scenery is absolutely astounding: before you hit some waves, take in the muted redwood forests and the birds chirping. Then round the Devil’s Elbow and paddle through some wild waves! If you’re not convinced, check out this blog post about the glories of paddling the Van Duzen.

Wildlife watching

Among the silent redwoods, you can hear twigs cracking beneath your feet. If you were one of the black-tailed deer living here, you’d probably be dinner for bobcats by now. Lucky for you, you’re just a camper who can do some wildlife watching: there are black bears, raccoons, spotted owls, Stellar’s jays, woodpeckers, and endangered marbled murrelets living in these redwoods. Maybe you’ll see river otters sprawling on the banks while great blue herons peck the waters for their lunch!

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