Redwood National Park closes parkway on 7 November 2026
Published on 11/07/2026 at 13:56 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSParkway access and park history
- The National Park Service lists the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway closure through 7 November 2026.
- Visitors can reach the Prairie Creek Visitor Center through Exit 753 while vehicles are excluded from the parkway.
- Redwood National Park was established on 2 October 1968 and joined the World Heritage list in 1980.
Redwood National Park closes the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway to motor vehicles through 7 November 2026, with the restriction linked to the Candlelight Walk and Hike and Bike Day. The change affects access in the Prairie Creek area, while the visitor centre and Elk Prairie Campground remain reachable from Highway 101.
Parkway closure covers 5 to 7 November
The National Park Service lists the parkway as closed from 5 to 7 November 2026. It names the Candlelight Walk event and Hike and Bike Day as the reasons for the restriction, making this a current access change rather than a general seasonal notice.
On 7 November, the first Saturday event gives walkers and cyclists use of the scenic road without motor traffic. The park authority says the parkway is open to hikers and bikers during Hike and Bike Day, while the closure to vehicles also covers the period connected with the Candlelight Walk. Current parkway conditions identify both events and the access arrangement.
The California State Parks notice gives a planned reopening on 8 November 2026. It also confirms that the Prairie Creek Visitor Center and Elk Prairie Campground remain accessible, so the restriction changes the approach by car but does not close the whole Prairie Creek destination.
Seven November access meets a 1968 park legacy
The road passes through Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, one of the four parks managed together under the Redwood National and State Parks arrangement. The wider protected landscape includes coast redwood forest, prairies, streams, seashore and woodland.
Redwood National Park was established on 2 October 1968 and expanded on 27 March 1978. The National Park Service records the combined parklands as a World Heritage Site since 5 September 1980, placing the current vehicle-free day within a protected landscape with a documented national and international history. Park history and designations also records 37 miles of coastline and a total parkland area of 138,999 acres.
The link between the November restriction and the landscape is practical: the event uses the parkway as a place for walking and cycling, while the protected redwood setting remains accessible from the southern approach. Visitors therefore encounter a different transport arrangement, not a park-wide shutdown.
Current conditions add a separate 7 November restriction
The same National Park Service conditions page records prescribed burns near Schoolhouse Lookout on 7 November 2026 if conditions are favourable. Foot traffic towards the lookout and on Eastside Road is not allowed during operations, and drivers may encounter fire crews, smoke and intermittent traffic pauses.
This separate restriction is in the Bald Hills area, away from the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. It matters for travellers planning a wider route through the parks because the vehicle-free event and the prescribed-fire operation affect different parts of the protected area on the same day.
Visiting Redwood National Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway is closed to motor vehicles from 5 to 7 November 2026 for the Candlelight Walk event and Hike and Bike Day.
- Visitors can reach the Prairie Creek Visitor Center and Elk Prairie Campground through the southern entrance at Highway 101 Exit 753, while the parkway itself is open to hikers and bikers during Hike and Bike Day.
- On 7 November 2026, foot traffic towards Schoolhouse Lookout and on Eastside Road is not allowed during prescribed-burn operations in the Bald Hills.
- Redwood National Park is headquartered in Crescent City, California, and the wider parklands include 37 miles of coastline and 170 miles of hiking trails.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Redwood National Park
What has changed at Redwood National Park?
The Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway is closed to motor vehicles from 5 to 7 November 2026 for the Candlelight Walk event and Hike and Bike Day. The Prairie Creek Visitor Center and Elk Prairie Campground remain accessible.
When does Hike and Bike Day take place at Redwood National Park?
The current event takes place on 7 November 2026, when the parkway is available to hikers and bikers rather than motor vehicles.
Where is Redwood National Park and how do you get there?
The park headquarters is in Crescent City, California. The Prairie Creek Visitor Center is reached from Highway 101 Exit 753 during the November 2026 parkway restriction.
