Best Time to Visit Redwood National Park
Crowds and weather by month · California · NPS visitor counts through 2025
The short answer
Mild weather, fewer people: February — 30% as busy as July, about 1,700 visitors a day, average high 56°F (13°C).
Also mild and quieter: March (39%), April (53%), October (58%), November (33%).
Quietest month: December — about 1,248 visitors a day, average high 54°F (cool).
Busiest month: July — about 5,621 visitors a day.
Redwood month by month
| Month | Crowds · visitors/day | High / low · precip. |
|---|---|---|
| January× Cool | Quiet27% of peak · 1,529/day | 55° / 39°F13° / 4°C · 13.4 in · 15 wet days |
| FebruaryBest◎ Mild weather, fewer people | Quiet30% of peak · 1,700/day | 56° / 39°F13° / 4°C · 10.7 in · 14 wet days |
| March◎ Mild weather, fewer people | Moderate39% of peak · 2,165/day | 57° / 40°F14° / 5°C · 10.7 in · 12 wet days |
| April◎ Mild weather, fewer people | Moderate53% of peak · 2,989/day | 59° / 43°F15° / 6°C · 6.6 in · 11 wet days |
| May○ Mild weather, busy | Busy73% of peak · 4,081/day | 61° / 46°F16° / 8°C · 3.6 in · 7 wet days |
| June○ Mild weather, busy | Peak99% of peak · 5,548/day | 64° / 46°F18° / 8°C · 1.8 in · 3 wet days |
| July○ Mild weather, busy | Peak100% of peak · 5,621/day | 66° / 53°F19° / 12°C · 0.3 in · 1 wet days |
| August○ Mild weather, busy | Peak87% of peak · 4,863/day | 66° / 51°F19° / 10°C · 0.3 in · 1 wet days |
| September○ Mild weather, busy | Busy81% of peak · 4,539/day | 67° / 50°F19° / 10°C · 1.3 in · 2 wet days |
| October◎ Mild weather, fewer people | Moderate58% of peak · 3,270/day | 63° / 45°F17° / 7°C · 5.0 in · 5 wet days |
| November◎ Mild weather, fewer people | Quiet33% of peak · 1,870/day | 58° / 41°F14° / 5°C · 10.1 in · 12 wet days |
| DecemberQuietest× Cool | Quiet22% of peak · 1,248/day | 54° / 38°F12° / 3°C · 15.3 in · 15 wet days |
Crowds = visitors per day as % of the busiest month: ●●●●● Peak (85–100) · ●●●●○ Busy (60–84) · ●●●○○ Moderate (35–59) · ●●○○○ Quiet (15–34) · ●○○○○ Very quiet (under 15). ◎ mild weather, fewer people · ○ mild but busy · △ very few visitors (often seasonal closures) · × cold or hot. Wet days = days with at least 0.1 in of rain or melted snow.
Visitors per year
| Year | Recreation visits | |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 527,143 | |
| 2016 | 536,297 | |
| 2017 | 445,000 | |
| 2018 | 482,536 | |
| 2019 | 504,722 | |
| 2020pandemic | 265,177 | |
| 2021pandemic | 435,879 | |
| 2022 | 458,400 | |
| 2023 | 409,105 | |
| 2024 | 622,883 | |
| 2025new count method | 1,202,480 |
NPS improved how visits are counted here in 2025 (new traffic counters). The park says most of the jump from about 600,000 to 1.2 million is due to the new method, so totals before and after 2025 are not directly comparable. The month-by-month pattern is still useful. NPS announcement.
Where the weather numbers come from
Temperatures and precipitation are 30-year averages (1991–2020) from the NOAA station KLAMATH — Klamath (inside the park area), at 26 ft (8 m). Higher viewpoints and trails can be much colder and snowier than the station.
Months with very few visitors often have roads, campgrounds or visitor centers closed for the season. Check current conditions on the official Redwood National Park website before you go.
How “best” is chosen: the least crowded month with an average high between 55°F and 85°F (13–29°C), skipping months with under 30% of peak visitors because those are often seasonal closures. Crowds compare visitors per day, so short and long months are treated fairly.
Sources. Visitor counts: National Park Service, Visitor Use Statistics (recreation visits, final figures through 2025; typical months use 2022–2025). Weather: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (station KLAMATH, USC00044577, 26 ft / 8 m). Both are U.S. Government works in the public domain. How we calculate.
Park Months is an independent site and is not affiliated with the National Park Service or NOAA.