RT Bald Hills Road

Scenic mountain drive winding through open prairies, oak woodlands, and remote highlands with sweeping views, wildlife sightings, and access to some of the tallest trees on Earth.

General Information

Hours:

Open daily for day use, generally sunrise to sunset; park accessible year-round with seasonal road conditions

Fees:

No entrance fee required to access the drive or park roads
Some nearby designated areas may require permits or day-use fees

Pet Policy:

Pets allowed on roads and developed areas only, must be on a leash; not permitted on trails

Closest cities with hotels:

Orick (3 mi)
Crescent City (45 mi)
Arcata (45 mi)

Seasons:

All year, with spring wildflowers, summer wildlife viewing, and fall clear skies offering the best visibility

Location:

Bald Hills Rd, Orick, CA 95555

Website:

nps.gov/redw

How to Get There

From Orick (3 mi): Head north on US-101 for about 1 mile, turn right onto Bald Hills Road, and follow the winding route uphill into the interior highlands and scenic overlooks.

Overview

The Bald Hills Road offers a dramatically different perspective of Redwood National and State Parks, trading dense coastal forests for sunlit prairies and expansive ridgelines. Beginning near Highway 101, the route climbs steadily from fog-draped redwood groves into open grasslands known as the “bald hills,” where sweeping vistas reveal valleys of ancient trees below and distant ocean views beyond. Along the way, travelers encounter landmarks such as the Lady Bird Johnson Grove and access roads to the famed Tall Trees Grove, home to some of the tallest trees on the planet. [1](https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/drivebaldhillsrd.htm)[2](https://www.visitredwoods.com/listing/bald-hills-scenic-drive/524/)

This remote and lightly traveled drive rewards those willing to venture beyond the park’s more visited areas, with frequent opportunities to spot Roosevelt elk grazing in meadows, raptors soaring overhead, and even the occasional bear. Parts of the road remain narrow, winding, and unpaved, emphasizing its rugged, backcountry character, but the journey reveals a landscape shaped by both natural forces and generations of human stewardship. From wildflower blooms in spring to crisp, clear panoramas in fall, the Bald Hills showcase a quieter, expansive side of the redwoods that few visitors fully experience. [1](https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/drivebaldhillsrd.htm)[3](https://visithumboldt.com/bald-hills-road/)

This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles and official tourism pages for the Redwood National and State Parks, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.