Grizzly Creek Redwoods is a California State Park campground in Carlotta, California, surrounded by coast redwoods and located right along the Van Duzen River. The campground allows both tents and trailers, with a maximum trailer length of 24 feet.
We spent some time camping here and put together everything you need to know before planning your own visit, including campsite details, amenities, road noise, cell service, nearby activities, and a few things worth knowing before you go.
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Grizzly Creek Redwoods has campsites for both tents and trailers, with a maximum trailer length of 24 feet. The campsites have paved parking pads, and the site we stayed in was very level from side to side. We didn’t need to level the wheels at all; we only needed to level the tongue from front to back.
The campground is in a beautiful redwood setting, although the campsites are fairly close together and most don’t offer much privacy.
Campsite Layout & Amenities
Each campsite has:
- A paved parking pad
- Picnic table
- Tall metal fire pit
- Metal bear box
The campground itself is relatively small, and the sites are fairly close together. Most sites don’t have much privacy, but the beautiful redwood surroundings make up for that.
There are several interesting campsite locations, including sites with gazebos and some with river views.
The campground map also provides recommendations for which sites are best suited for trailers, motor homes, and tents. Those details are included at the bottom of this article where we share the best campsites at Grizzly Creek.
Highway 36 Road Noise
About half of the campground is located right alongside Highway 36, which is a fairly busy road.
There was noticeable road noise during our stay. We were on the opposite side of the campground, and the noise didn’t bother us too much, but the sites immediately next to the highway felt very close to the road.
It’s something we’d definitely consider when choosing a campsite. If you’re looking for a quieter site, we’d recommend looking at the campsites on the opposite side of the campground from Highway 36.
The proximity to the road may also be something to consider if you’re camping with young children, since vehicles are traveling fairly quickly right next to some of the campsites.
Hookups & Dump Station
Grizzly Creek Redwoods is a dry campground, so there are no hookups at the campsites.
There is:
- No electricity
- No water hookups
- No RV water-fill station
- No dump station
The campground does have drinking water available, but the spigots aren’t threaded, so you can’t connect an RV water hose to them.
If you’re camping in a trailer, you’ll want to arrive with your fresh-water tank filled.
There is also no dump station at the campground. During our visit, we found that you could dump at the Chevron station in Fortuna, which is about 20 miles from the campground.
Facilities & Supplies
The campground has several convenient facilities, including:
- Flush toilets
- Showers
- Trash
- Recycling
There was also a visitor center at the campground, although it was closed during our visit, so we weren’t able to see what was available inside.
One fun feature is the campground’s lending library. If you’re looking for something to read while camping, you can borrow a book, or you can leave one behind for another camper.
There aren’t many other supplies available at the campground, so you’ll want to stock up before arriving.
If you do need something, Fortuna is about 20 miles away. Although it’s only 20 miles, the drive takes around 40 minutes. Fortuna is a fairly large town, with a Safeway and plenty of other options for groceries and camping supplies.
Cell Service & Wi-Fi
We had some Verizon cell service at the campground, but the signal was weak and inconsistent.
We were able to find a little bit of signal by walking around the campground, but it wasn’t something we’d count on for reliable internet access.
There is no Wi-Fi at the campground.
Highway 36 Construction
During our visit in June 2026, there was construction on Highway 36 just before reaching the campground.
The construction was related to slide stabilization, and traffic was reduced to one lane. This created a delay when traveling to and from the campground.
The amount of time we waited varied. One time we only waited a few minutes, while another time we were delayed for about 30 minutes.
If this construction is still taking place when you visit, be prepared for the possibility of extra travel time when arriving at the campground or heading toward Fortuna.
Trees & Animals
The campground is located in a redwood forest, with coast redwoods being the primary trees you’ll see around camp.
You’ll also find:
- Douglas fir
- Tanoak
- Big-leaf maple
It’s a relatively small redwood area, but it’s still really nice to have so many redwoods surrounding the campground.
The campground says visitors may encounter wildlife including black bears, mountain lions, moles, and steelhead trout.
During our visit, the animals we noticed most were birds and a lot of mosquitoes. The mosquitoes make sense given that the campground is located right next to the river, so bug spray is definitely something we’d recommend bringing.
Activities
Ride Bikes Around Camp
The campground is a nice place to ride bikes around. Because the campground is relatively small and level, biking provides an easy way to explore the campground and surrounding area.
Van Duzen River
One of the best features of Grizzly Creek Redwoods is its location right along the Van Duzen River.
There’s a path from the campground that makes it easy to walk down to the river. Some campsites have river views, although the river isn’t easily accessible from every part of the campground.
The path through the main group picnic area is one of the best ways for campers to reach the river.
There’s also a nice swimming hole that looked like a great place to spend a warm day. Even if you don’t want to swim, the river is a beautiful place to walk and enjoy the scenery.
If you’re camping with a dog, keep in mind that dogs are not allowed on the trails or in the river.
Hiking Around Camp
There are some hiking trails around the campground, although this is a relatively small campground and there are fewer than five miles of trails.
For a more memorable hike, we’d recommend driving about four miles down the road to Cheatham Grove.
Cheatham Grove
Cheatham Grove is a small redwood grove that was used as a filming location for Return of the Jedi. It served as the backdrop for the famous speeder chase scene.
Even if you’re not a Star Wars fan, Cheatham Grove is a really cool place to explore.
One of our favorite things about the grove was the massive ferns. The ferns were incredibly tall and created a unique forest environment that we haven’t seen at many other redwood groves.
For Star Wars fans, there’s an additional layer of fun because some of the trees, logs, and other features are recognizable from the movie. It was fun to walk through the grove and recognize locations from the speeder chase.
The entire trail is less than a mile, so it’s a fairly short hike. We visited on a rainy day, which made the shorter trail especially convenient, but on a nicer day we could easily see ourselves walking through the grove multiple times.
Explore Fortuna
Fortuna is about 20 miles from the campground and takes roughly 40 minutes to reach.
In addition to being the closest place to stock up on supplies, there are a few things worth checking out.
Eel River Brewing is a fun option if you’d like to grab something to eat and have a beer.
If you’re camping with a dog, the Rohner Park Loop is another option. It’s a dog-friendly hiking trail that’s a nice way to get some exercise outside of the campground.
Camping Costs
At the time of our visit, the camping fee at Grizzly Creek Redwoods was $35 per night.
Best Campsites
- Site 5
- Site 5 is a nice, relatively large campsite with great trees. It’s located in the middle of the campground and is surrounded by other campsites, so it isn’t the most private option. However, it’s larger than many of the other sites and has some beautiful trees around it.
- One thing to know is site 5 backs up to Site 28, which is a small tent site. If you’re camping with friends or family who are tent camping, these two sites could work really well together.
- If you’re camping by yourself, Site 5 would still be a good option, although you’ll be fairly close to the other campers around you.
- The campground recommends Site 5 for motor homes, but we think it would work well for a travel trailer too.
- Site 10
- Site 10 was probably our favorite campsite in the campground. It felt like one of the most private sites, which is especially nice at a campground where many of the sites are fairly close together.
- It also has some great trees surrounding the campsite, and one of the biggest perks is that Site 10 has its own gazebo.
- Site 20
- Site 20 is another relatively private campsite, so it stood out to us compared with some of the more closely packed sites in the campground. The main tradeoff is its location near Highway 36. Because it’s close to the road, you’ll hear more traffic noise and may feel more aware of the highway than you would at some of the other sites.
- Campground Recommended Sites
- The campground also provides recommendations for the best sites based on your type of camping setup:
- Best sites for trailers: 6, 8, 9, 10, 19, 22, 30
- Best sites for motorhomes: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 17, 20, 23, 25
- Best sites for tents: 3, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21, 26, 27, 28, 29
- ADA Accessible Sites: 12, 24
- The campground also provides recommendations for the best sites based on your type of camping setup:
Recap
Overall, Grizzly Creek Redwoods is a nice campground if you’re looking for a simple camping experience surrounded by redwoods and located right along a river. Being able to walk to the Van Duzen River, camp among the redwoods, and visit nearby Cheatham Grove makes this a unique place to stay.
Here’s a summary of the items you need to know before visiting Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park:
| Tents Allowed | Yes |
| Trailers Allowed | Yes |
| Max Trailer Length | 24 Feet |
| Hookups | None |
| Drinking Water | Yes |
| RV Water Fill | No |
| Dump Station | No |
| Flush Toilets | Yes |
| Showers | Yes |
| Internet | Weak |
| Cost | $35/night |
Campground Details:
Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park
16949 CA-36, Carlotta, CA 95528
Can reserve online at reservecalifornia.com. Reservations open 6 months ahead at 8am PST.
