Hours & Fees

Portola Redwoods State Park is open for day use every day from 6 a.m. to sunset, and California State Parks warns it may close in severe weather. The day-use fee is $10 a vehicle, or $9 for seniors aged 62 and over; buses pay $50 for 10 to 24 passengers and $100 for 25 or more. The visitor center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Sunday.

Day-Use Hours

Day use runs from 6 a.m. to sunset. Plan your hike so you are back at your car before sunset: the drive out climbs a narrow mountain road, and there is no cell reception in the park or the area around it, so you cannot call for help or a ride if you are late.

The park can close without much notice in severe weather. Winter storms are the usual cause in this forest, which gets 40 to 60 inches of rain a year according to the agency brochure. Check the official park page or call (650) 948-9098 before a winter trip.

Vehicle Day-Use Fee

The fee is collected per vehicle, not per person:

• Regular car: $10
• Senior (62 or older): $9
• Bus, 10 to 24 passengers: $50
• Bus, 25 or more passengers: $100

Campers pay for their site through ReserveCalifornia instead; see camping.

Passes the Park Accepts

California State Parks lists these passes for Portola Redwoods:

• California Explorer Vehicle Day Use Annual Pass
• Golden Poppy Vehicle Day Use Annual Pass
• Disabled Discount Pass
• Distinguished Veteran Pass
• Golden Bear Pass and Senior Golden Bear Pass
• California State Library Parks Pass

Bring the pass itself rather than a confirmation on your phone: there is no cell reception in the park.

Visitor Center Hours

The visitor center, once the Shriners' recreation hall, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. It has exhibits, a diorama and a sales area, and the park sells firewood at the park office. More on its history on the about page.

Camping Times

• Check-in: 2 p.m. for family and group sites
• Check-out: noon
• Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.
• Generators: not between 8 p.m. and 10 a.m.

Family sites are reserved from late spring through mid-autumn. In fall and winter storms, the park may close and move campers; State Parks offers a full refund from the day of evacuation or a move to another Santa Cruz District park. Details on the camping page.

Before You Drive Up

There is no gas and no store in or near the park. The nearest gas station is at Sky Londa, 14 miles away, and groceries are at Sky Londa or in La Honda, 9 miles away on Highway 84. See parking and directions.