Portola Redwoods State Park
About
At Portola Redwoods State Park, silence and tranquility rule. The road leading to its 2,800 acres drops from a ridge top into a deeply shaded redwood forest, offering a hushed getaway from the suburban bustle of nearby Silicon Valley and the South Bay. Eighteen miles of trails follow meandering creeks, where moisture-loving coast redwoods stand tall among ferns and huckleberries. Waterfalls on Fall and Pescadero creeks tumble down mossy banks over rocks and woody debris.
The park is open year-round for hiking, picnicking and other day uses. The campground is open. The park is a 1.5- to 2-hour drive from most Bay Area locations. Please come prepared: there’s no gasoline or food available at or near the park.
Registration for California State Parks Guided Backpacking Tours is now open!
Learn more in the California State Parks brochure.
Directions
The park is located at 9000 Portola State Park Road, La Honda. From San Jose and Santa Cruz take Highway 9 to Highway 35. Drive north on Highway 35 and turn left on Alpine Road. Take Alpine Road to Portola State Park Road.
From the Peninsula, take Highway 280 to Highway 84. Take Highway 84 west to Highway 35. Drive south on Highway 35 and turn right on Alpine Road. Take Alpine Road to Portola State Park Road.
Check in at the park office, which is located 1 mile inside the park on the main road. The road dead ends at Portola. Use low gear on Alpine and Portola State Park roads as they are steep and winding.
Things to do
Hiking TrailsEighteen miles of hiking trails range from easy to strenuous. The easy 0.75-mile Sequoia Nature Trail begins near Park Headquarters and crosses Pescadero Creek. The half-mile Old Tree Trail is also considered an easy hike. The moderate three-mile Slate Creek Trail winds through redwoods to the Page Mill site. For a strenuous 13-mile round-trip journey, Bear Creek Trail leads to Peters Creek Trail and its magnificent 1.3-mile loop through ancient old-growth redwoods.
Picnic AreasTo reserve the 75-person Group Picnic Area for a wedding or special event, call (831) 335-3455.
Visitor Center
The Visitor Center is open on weekends year-round and on weekdays as staffing permits. With its couches and fireplace, the Visitor Center feels like a wilderness lodge. It is wheelchair accessible and features interpretive and educational displays with a diorama and a sales area.
Fees and Passes
Parking is $10 and supports the park. Credit card payments are encouraged.
Annual State Parks passes also are available to purchase at the entrance kiosk.
Services
- Restrooms
- Picnic areas
- Visitor Center
- Interpretive programs
- Campground
- Showers
- Accessibility: One reservable campsite, the visitor center, restrooms and one picnic site are accessible.
Camping
There are no RV hook-ups; maximum length is 21 feet for trailers and 24 feet for motor homes.
Slate Creek Trail Camp, a backpacking camp with six sites, is open April 1 to Nov. 30. Limit six people per site; no fires but stoves are OK; carry water. Cost is $15 per night plus $8 reservation fee. Reservations required; call (831) 338-8861 or go online to learn more about trail camps.
There are four Group Camps at Portola: Ravine Group Camp: 25 people/six car limit, Hillside Group Camp: 50 people/12 car limit, Point Group Camp: 50 people/12 car limit, Circle Group Camp: 50 people/12 car limit, Ravine and Hillside are near each other; Circle and Point are near each other.
View the campground map here.
History
Portola Redwoods State Park is in the unceded homelands of the Ohlone Tribe known as the Olpen, who stewarded these lands since time immemorial. Centuries of colonial violence led to the removal and displacement of the Olpen. Today, their descendants continue their stewardship and presence here, in partnership with State Parks.
Portola Redwoods State Park is named for the Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portolá. In 1769, the Portolá expedition traveled overland along the San Mateo coast to the San Francisco Bay, without actually reaching this spot.
The first settler in this area, Danish immigrant Christian Iverson, built a cabin along Pescadero Creek in the 1860s and split redwood shakes for a living. In 1889, Iverson sold his property to William Page, a successful lumberman. Page ran a shingle mill just east of the present-day Slate Creek Trail Camp.
In 1924, the Islam Temple Shrine of San Francisco, a branch of the fraternal order of Freemasons and a community service organization, purchased 1,640 acres of land from John A. Hooper and the San Francisco Water Company to enjoy as a summer retreat.
They used this property as a summer retreat for the next 21 years and built cabins, kitchens, a stage and a recreation hall, which is the present-day Visitor Center. Because membership had dropped by 1945 due to the Depression and World War II, the lodge closed and the property was sold three years later to the State of California to create a new state park.
Shriners continue to use public lands — including state parks — to host their fundraising events. Proceeds from their fundraising events benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children, a hospital offering free treatments and rehabilitation services for children under 18.
Regulations
- Campgrounds are “Crumb Clean.” Visitors are required to watch this short video about the impact your food has on park wildlife.
- Dogs are allowed on leashes no longer than 6 feet. They are permitted only in campsites, picnic areas, paved roads and the Upper and Lower Escape Roads.
- No fishing is allowed in the park.
- Trails are closed to bikes, horses and dogs.
- Firewood may be purchased in the park. Do not gather firewood.
Recreate Responsibly
Before you visit, check the Recreate Responsibly page to protect yourself, family, friends and your community by following these measures during your visit.
More Info
(650) 948-9098
