Sacramento to Redwood National Park Road Trip Guide

When most people think of a quaint small town in Northern California wine country, Hopland is the vision they see. This is a small town of about 900 people. US-101 runs right through town and along the highway, and a vibrant array of small shops, winery tasting rooms, and outstanding restaurants have popped up.
Stop and see what you can find in the Country Porch Antiques shop, sample wines at Graziano Family of Wines Tasting Room, Mc Nab Ridge Winery Tasting Room, Brutocao Cellars Hopland Tasting Room, or Cesar Toxqui Cellars. After wine tasting, grab some great food at the highly-rated Bluebird, the Golden Pig, or RockSeas. All of these shops are right along US-101 so park the car or RV and wander around and enjoy this neat town.

Trade city traffic for rolling vineyards along CA-29 north of Sacramento. This optional 30-mile detour showcases world-renowned wineries and charming downtown Napa. The region's Mediterranean climate creates perfect growing conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Many wineries offer RV parking, though advance reservations are essential during harvest season (August-October).

RV-Friendly Stops: Oxbow Public Market provides easy parking for lunch and local artisan products. Castello di Amorosa offers tours of its 13th-century Tuscan castle with large vehicle accommodations. The Napa Valley Welcome Center has maps, tasting passes, and designated RV parking areas.

Like Napa to the east, Sonoma is the heart of the wine valley area that bears its name. The Sonoma region is more laid back than the Napa region. The wineries here tend to be smaller, family-operated concerns that produce a greater variety of wines than will be found in the Napa Valley. The smaller wineries and more laid-back atmosphere generally translate to Sonoma being less expensive to visit.

The best-placed RV campground in the area is Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, which is about 25 minutes north of town off CA-12. This is also only 26 minutes from the next POI, Historic Railroad Square in Santa Rosa.

Railroad Square is a historic district with shopping, food, and drink in downtown Santa Rosa. The buildings in the area have been meticulously maintained to preserve the area's early 1900s period styling. Here you'll find restaurants, wineries, and “antique row” where you can hunt for some old school treasures. You can catch a live play at the Sixth Street Playhouse, or see local art on display at Gallery 105. Finally, the West End Farmers Market is a great place to stroll and pick up everything from locally grown food products for the rest of your trip to quality local craft items as souvenirs of your visit.

This legendary 31-mile scenic drive through Humboldt Redwoods State Park showcases some of Earth's tallest living things. The two-lane road winds between ancient giants, some over 2,000 years old and 350 feet tall. Multiple pullouts allow for photos and short walks among the cathedral-like groves.

Highlight Stops: Drive through the famous Chandelier Tree (truck fee required), walk the Founders Grove Nature Loop, and visit the Humboldt Redwoods State Park Visitor Center for exhibits on coastal redwood ecology. The nearby Rockefeller Forest contains some of the world's tallest trees accessible by easy walking trails.

This magical narrow gorge features 60-foot walls draped in emerald ferns, creating an otherworldly hiking experience. The 1.5-mile round-trip trail follows a creek through the canyon, requiring water shoes or boots for stream crossings. Permit required - obtain at the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center on a first-come basis.

Access Note: Davison Road requires careful RV navigation with sharp turns and narrow sections. Large RVs over 24 feet should consider leaving rigs at Gold Bluffs Beach Campground and hiking 1 mile to the trailhead.

Experience standing among the world's tallest trees on this permit-only 4-mile round-trip hike. The trail descends 800 feet through old-growth forest to reach giants over 370 feet tall—taller than the Statue of Liberty!

The access road requires a 14-mile round-trip drive on narrow, winding gravel suitable for vehicles under 20 feet. Consider this a must-do experience for understanding the true scale of coastal redwoods.

This 8-mile alternative to US-101 provides intimate redwood forest driving through Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The narrow, winding road passes directly through old-growth groves with multiple trailheads for hiking options ranging from easy nature walks to challenging backcountry routes.

Wildlife Watching: The parkway offers excellent opportunities to spot Roosevelt elk herds grazing in Elk Prairie. These massive animals, some weighing over 1,000 pounds, are most active during early morning and evening hours.