Redwood National and State Parks guide · 1 min read
Bald Hills Prairies and Redwood Creek Overlook
Bald Hills Road is the main scenic drive in the southern part of the park, and it connects many of the highlights along the way.
The road leaves U.S. 101 about a mile north of Orick and runs roughly 17 miles one way to the Lyons Ranch Trailhead, a trip of about 45 minutes without stops. The route is narrow and winding, with a steep climb, and the surface turns from pavement to gravel partway up, so a slow pace suits it best. Motorhomes, recreational vehicles and trailers are not advised on this road.
As the road climbs, the forest gives way to rolling prairies and open grasslands. The name comes from the open meadows on the higher ground, which rise above part of the forest. Wildflowers cover these grasslands in spring, and the prairies hold a long human history. Fire is used on purpose in autumn, once conditions permit, to keep the grasslands from closing over.
Watch for wildlife along the drive, since Roosevelt elk and black bears are common sights. Oak woodlands make up another habitat in the parks, alongside the prairies and the redwood forest. Partway along, Redwood Creek Overlook opens a wide view across the Redwood Creek watershed toward the Pacific Ocean. From there, you look out over the crowns of old-growth and second-growth redwoods, with wooded hills stretching toward the horizon.
An evening drive can end at the overlook, which is a well-liked spot for watching the sunset. Trailheads along the road lead to Lady Bird Johnson Grove and Tall Trees Grove, while trailheads farther along reach the historic Dolason Prairie and Lyons Ranch sites. For the redwoods up close, though, a walk through a grove conveys their size far better than a view from above.
