Portola Redwoods State Park

Getting There
From Highway 35, turn west onto Alpine Road, go 3 miles, and turn onto Portola State Park Road. The road dead-ends in the park. Use low gear as both these roads are steep and winding.

Due to mountain roads, expect a 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive from most Bay Area locations. There is no gasoline available at or near the park. There is no store in or near the park.

The Day Use Annual Pass is accepted at this park.

Seasons/Climate/Recommended Clothing
Summer: highs in the 70s to 80s, lows in the 50s.
Winter: highs in the 40s to 50s, lows in the 30s.

Visitors should come prepared for any type of weather. The park receives between 40 and 60 inches of rain per year and the summer months can be foggy and cool. Layered clothing is recommended at any time of the year.

Operating Hours & Contact
Please contact the park for operating hours.
In severe weather the park might be closed.

Telephone: 650-948-9098

Camping
Family drive-in campsites
Family drive-in campsites are in the Main Campground (limit 8 people per site, including children). The fee includes your first vehicle. There is a fee for additional vehicles. Campgrounds are closed in December, January, February and March.

Group Camps
All group camps are for tents only - no RVs, motor homes or trailers - and require a 50- to 200-yard walk from their parking areas. Reservations are required. Reserve group camps by calling (800) 444-7275. Limits on the number of persons, including children, are strictly enforced.
• The Point and Circle Group Campgrounds each have a 50-person and 12-car limit. Circle and Point are adjacent to each other.
• Ravine Group Campground has a 25-person and six-car limit.
• Hillside Group Campground has a 50-person and 12-car limit. Ravine and Hillside are adjacent to each other.

Trail camps
Six campsites are available at Slate Creek Trail Campground, a three mile hike from park headquarters. Trail camps can be reserved by calling the trail camp reservation number at Big Basin Redwoods State Park, (831) 338-8861, during regular business hours. Fires are prohibited, but backpack stoves are allowed. Water must be packed in or purified from nearby Slate Creek about 1/4-mile from camp. No dogs allowed at trail camps.

Make Online Reservations

Max Camper Length: 24 Feet
Max Trailer Length: 21 Feet

Tips & Rules
Hours: The park is open at 6am for hiking and picnicking and closes at sunset (including all trails). Only registered campers in designated campsites may remain overnight.
Quiet time: Quiet hours are 10pm until 6am - radios off, voices lowered to a whisper. Voices carry at night and sound seems to be magnified in the still of the forest. Generators may operate from 10am until 8pm only. During the day, outside of “quiet hours,” electronic equipment, machinery or other devices must be used at a low enough volume that the sound does not extend beyond your campsite or picnic area.
Dogs: Dogs must be on leash (maximum 6 feet length) at all times and kept inside your tent or vehicle at night. Dogs are allowed on paved roads (campground roads, the park entrance road, the service road between the Campfire Center and the Pescadero Bridge and on Upper and Lower Escape Roads). Dogs are not allowed on trails, at any of the creeks, or in the county parks.
Fires: Fires must be completely out when not being personally tended.
Wood: Wood collecting, including leaves and twigs, is not allowed. This material protects the soil, decaying over time and forming the natural mulch necessary for the health of the forest.
Vehicles: The wheels of all vehicles must stay on pavement. Park in designated spots only. No parking along the roads or in any dirt area. Day-users park in Madrone or Tan Oak picnic areas. Scooters, skates and skateboards are prohibited.
Fishing: All of Portola’s streams are closed to fishing. All stream life, including crayfish, is protected.
Weapons: Firearms, spears, bows and arrows and slingshots are prohibited.
Hammocks or other lines may not be hung from trees less than 12 inches in diameter.
Games: Ball games, Frisbee, badminton and similar activities must be safe and not damage or impact natural resources. No bats, hardballs, nets, airsoft weapons, paint ball guns or horseshoes. If in doubt, please ask staff.
Bicycling: Bicycles are restricted to the paved roads and are not allowed on Portola’s trails. Riders under 18 years of age must wear a helmet. Helmets are recommended for adults.
Old Haul Road for Bicycling: Access to the Old Haul Road in Pescadero County Park is via the Service Road (one mile). Turn right (west) for a five-mile ride through the redwoods to Memorial County Park. Return by the same route (10-mile round-trip dirt road). There are also trails open to bicycles in Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District located along Skyline Blvd.

Accessible Features
Disclaimer
We are working to improve accessibility throughout our parks but we regret that there are currently no (wheelchair) accessible activities at this park. This may be an undeveloped park, or there may be terrain, historic or resource protection issues or other limiting factors. However, there may be some wheelchair accessible features, such as parking areas, restrooms, and routes of travel, that meet some of the current accessibility guidelines. Call the park or email us at access@parks.ca.gov for details.