State Parks near Redding, CA

Located in the north-western mountains of California, Castle Crags State Park has become a popular haunt for those who have an RV rental in Siskiyou County. Conveniently located just off Highway 5, this spectacular park has direct access from both Sacramento and Eugene, OR.

Established as a state park in 1943, Castle Crags State Park was recognized for its remarkable glacial rock formations. However, this state park is much more than just stunning landscapes. In fact, it was once the location of a bloody battle between the Modoc Indian tribe who settled in the area, and gold miners who were on the hunt for the valuable metal.

Today, visitors choose to rent a camper near Castle Crags State …

Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park gets you up close with some of the tallest trees on the planet. The sheer grandeur of the redwoods is incredible, with some of the oldest specimens towering more than 350 feet tall and dated at more than 2,000 years old. Del Norte Coast is part of the legendary Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP) system, which also includes Jedediah Smith, Prairie Creek, and Redwood National Park. Together, the four parks protect around 45% of California's remaining old-growth redwood forests and are classed as a World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve. Beyond majestic old-growth coast redwoods, the park occupies eight miles of pristine Pacific coastline fringed by sandy beaches and rugged cliffs.

Planning …

Set on the Van Duzen River, Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park gets you up close with the tallest trees on the planet. While the pocket-sized park occupies less than one square mile, it protects several important groves of old-growth coast redwoods. Unlike other parks such as Humboldt Redwoods and Jedediah Smith, Grizzly Creek is wonderfully off the radar and receives far fewer visitors. This makes it a fantastic place to reconnect with nature and soak in the grandeur of California's redwood forests. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the redwood forest, whether you're hiking scenic nature trails, cooling off in the Van Duzen River, or relaxing at the secluded campsite.

Are California's majestic redwood forests on your bucket list? …

The sunny state of California is home to beautiful Hendy Woods State Park which is spread over 945 acres of forestland and mostly comprised of ancient redwood groves. Located in the northern part of the state, in the heart of Anderson Valley wine region, Hendy Woods State Park is just eight miles northwest of Boonville. The park is close to the cities of Ukiah and Navarro, and it’s a good idea to book an RV in Mendocino County so that you are able to head out to explore the state park and its surrounding areas easily. With the Navarro River running the length of the park, it’s an ideal getaway for a motorhome camping trip filled with some …

Humboldt Redwoods State Park is the oldest park in the Redwood National and State Parks complex, comprised of three other state parks in this region of northern California. The park started as an experiment in 1921 when the Save The Redwoods League was able to save one small grove of old-growth redwoods from loggers. It wasn't just the redwoods they saved; they also preserved habitat for numerous species of birds, river otters, salmon, bobcat, bald eagles, and black bears. The moody coastal rainforest system has a lush undergrowth of ferns, trillium redwood sorrel, and orchids.

Since its founding, the park has expanded to approximately 53,000 acres, a third of which is made up of old-growth redwood forests. The massive …

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is the northernmost state park on California’s “Redwood Highway” where you can find these massive, endangered trees. The park lies along the Smith River, nine miles east of Crescent City, which is 350 miles north of San Francisco. Covering 10,000 acres, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is home to seven percent of all of the remaining old-growth redwoods left in the entire world. This is a great starting point to book an RV in Del Norte County and journey south to visit the other national and state parks in this part of California that features these redwoods.

Jedediah Smith is believed to be the first explorer of European descent to navigate the interior …

Lake Oroville State Recreation Area lies in Butte County in Northern California. Located about seven miles from Oroville and approximately 25 miles north of Marysville, Lake Oroville State Recreation Area covers 29,447 acres. This state park was designated in 1967, and Lake Oroville is the primary attraction. Spanning 15, 500 acres, this is considered one of the largest lakes in California and offers 167 miles of shorelines and a maximum depth of 695 feet.

For the great outdoor lovers, Lake Oroville State Recreation Area offers a wide array of recreation. The most popular activities include hiking, horseback riding, wildlife watching, hunting, and picnicking. With the park surrounding a lake, nature lovers can easily engage in water sports such as …

Northeastern California is home to the southernmost ridges of the Cascade Range. A quick drive east of Redding will land you at the vibrant Lassen Volcanic National Park. Just three hours west of Reno and three hours north of Sacramento, this national park gets its name from Lassen Peak: the largest plug dome volcano in the world. With wilderness making up nearly 75% of the landscape, Lassen Volcanic National Park is 166 square miles of natural wonder.

Originally designated as two national monuments (Cinder Cone National Monument and Lassen Peak National Monument) by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1907, the two monuments were looped in with the surrounding area and became a national park after nearly a decade of volcanic …

Lava Beds National Monument in California is an inspiring area to visit. It proves that life can flourish amid some of the harshest conditions. Geographically, the area has been shaped by the eruptions from Medicine Lake Volcano, leaving behind a desert wilderness molded by volcanic formations, lava tubes, and over 800 caves. The region also contains one of the largest panels for historic Native American rock art paintings.

Historically, this area offers a number of old battlefields to visit, like the Modoc War of 1872–1873. The lava beds made an excellent stronghold; Captain Jack (leading the Kintpuash) was famed for using it to avoid deportation to the Klamath Reservation in Oregon. The story has many bitter twists in it, with …

Along the cliff-lined shoreline of the golden state of California, occupying almost 2,300 acres of land, is the gorgeous MacKerricher State Park. Sheltering different coastal habitats, from beaches and dunes to forests and wetlands, the park is highly praised among camping enthusiasts, water sports aficionados, and marine biologists for its pristine lake and coves, magnificent headlands, and biodiversity.

Due to the abundance of natural resources, such as shellfish, seaweed, and acorns, the indigenous tribes of California, most notably the Pomo and Yuki, both lived in and frequently ventured to this region. During the second half of the 19th century, the MacKerricher family moved in, bought the land, and built a ranch. The land belonged to the MacKerricher family up until …

Situated in the scenic pine woods of the Sierra Nevada foothills, 26 miles away from Nevada City and 30 miles away from Colfax, Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park protects over 3,000 acres of land. The park is also home to one of the biggest hydraulic gold mines in the state, which makes it an embodiment of a California Gold Rush history lesson.

Blair Lake, hiking trails, volcanic rocks, and diverse wildlife and vegetation make the park one of the favorite places for RV campers, mountaineers, anglers, geologists, and ecologists. Another interesting fact about the park is that the surrounding area used to be the home of the Nisenan tribe, which was tragically ravaged by the malaria epidemic back in …

Mendocino Headlands State Park is situated toward the northern portion of California and overlooks the Pacific Ocean on a rugged cliff. The park is packed with stunning landscapes and is often filled with colorful wildflowers during the spring and summer. In addition to its vast landscapes, Mendocino Headlands State Park is home to a few historic structures, like the Historic Ford House that tells more about the history of the local area and wildlife.

During July, this state park hosts the Mendocino Music Festival, which celebrates different music genres. Mendocino Headlands State Park is close to cities such as Fort Bragg and Willits.

Visitors to Navarro River Redwoods State Park will be able to enjoy camping with an RV, swimming, boating, hiking, and even picnicking. Be sure to book an RV in Mendocino County so you can spend a weekend or even longer exploring northern California. Navarro River Redwoods State Park has 660 acres of redwood forest to explore. The Navarro River runs through the park to the confluence with the Pacific Ocean.

The park is only about 15 minutes to the east of Navarro, where you can stock your rental RV with camping essentials before checking in to the state park RV campgrounds. While visiting Navarro and the state park, be sure to take a scenic drive along Highway 128 to …

The Siskiyou Mountains of southwestern Oregon are home to the scenic Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve. Covering a whopping 4554-acres of protected forested parkland, the park is managed by the National Park Service, and is a great spot for a motorhome camping trip. Located about 20 miles from the city of Cave-Junction, Caves National Monument is known for one of the largest, untouched, and most complete segments of oceanic crust in western America. Unlike other caves that are usually made of limestone and dolomite, the caves here were formed in limestone that changed into marble during geological processes, and dates back some 190 million years!

Renting a campervan is a convenient way of getting around the area, and …