Jedediah Smith Campground

The Ranger that checked us in was very helpful - Michael Shaw. He let us go drive around to see what campsite we wanted and when we came back he gave us a bunch of info about hikes and the various redwoods state and national parks. He was incredibly knowledgeable and personable. The campsite itself is almost otherworldly. We had never been to redwoods before and we came in a bit after before dark, so we couldn't see a whole lot. Waking up surrounded by old growth trees and a lush green forest was such an incredible experience. Several hikes were very accessible from the campground itself which was also nice. Be warned, this place is not for big rigs. We were in a truck camper and it was a bit tight. But if you can squeeze in, it is absolutely worth it. No cell service. It also contained the most picturesque dump station I've ever used. Felt like I was a woodland creature dumping our black tank. And there was potable water about 30 feet up from the dump area.

We just stayed at the campgrounds.The park was beautiful, and the cabin was pretty awesome too! We really enjoyed the nature trails. The only problem we had (which is a pretty big problem) was that all the bathrooms were locked. We brought this up to the park ranger at the booth, and although she seemed concerned and said she would call someone to get it fixed, she shut down the check-in booth shortly after. She never got the bathrooms unlocked, and we could tell she was still there because her car was there and the lights in the booth were still on. Super disappointed overall as this dampened our experience.

This is hands down the nicest campground I’ve ever stayed in. Just to give perspective, I’ve camped for five weeks just this year. To start, the camping spots are beautiful and private. The camp hosts were really nice and helpful. (They have change for the showers which are 3$ for 12 minutes and are fabulous.) The bathrooms are private and in pristine condition. At least at the visitor center one with the showers. I assume the rest are as well. Staff was friendly and the location is ideal. Grab a paper map at the entrance station because there is almost no cell service. Do the stout and titan groves and there are multiple hikes. Perfect campground in an epic and magical area.

BEWARE OF PEEPHOLES IN THE SHOWERS. I stayed at Site 43 on September 20, and when I put two quarters in the shower, it timed out at 2 minutes with nothing but cold water. I put another quarter in for another minute as the sign instructed, but nothing happened. I thought the quarter got stuck, so I looked into the slot and was shocked to have a clear-as-day view into the utility room. I'm pretty sure this waist-level view goes both ways. This was at 5 a.m., so I checked the other showers, and they were all like this. If the light hadn't been on in the back room, I wouldn't have seen anything. I contacted the local sheriff, and they weren't concerned; however, as a husband and dad, this was deeply concerning.

Great campground right in the redwoods! I was impressed with the bathrooms and showers. They were pretty clean and fairly modern looking. My site was closest to the facilities next to the visitor center so I’m not sure if the other facilities were as nice. My site was pretty large where you could probably fit at least two tents if you wanted to. It was also very private where you couldn’t really see the neighbors. Definitely recommend if you plan on camping in the redwoods.

Campsites are nestled between beautiful redwoods. Location is fantastic. Showers are clean. Bathrooms semi decent. Only a short walk to swim in the crystal clear smith river. Couple issues: - Bathrooms were all the way on the other side of campsite. Only porta potties close to #76 where we stayed. - MANY sites were free yet they told us that they were all booked because they were flustered with the traffic coming through the registration line. - there were kids running around and yelling at 6am. We came to enjoy the peace and serenity of being in nature. The last thing we wanted to wake up to were little human screeches. There should’ve been someone patrolling.