Redwood National Park horseback riding

Where can I camp with horses in Redwood National and State Parks?

• Redwood pack-animal backcountry camps (Little Bald Hills, Elam, 44 Camp): Little Bald Hills Camp: 3 miles in from the Little Bald Hills Trailhead off Howland Hill Road; corral, trough, seasonal/non-potable water, pit toilet, bear-proof lockers ^[1]
• Redwood pack-animal backcountry camps (Little Bald Hills, Elam, 44 Camp): Elam Camp: 6 miles in from the Orick Horse Trailhead; corral, trough, seasonal/non-potable water, pit toilet, bear-proof lockers ^[1]

Where do I park a horse trailer in Redwood National and State Parks?

Horse trailheads and staging named on agency pages

• Orick Rodeo Grounds (Orick Horse Trails trailhead) · National Park Service

  Horse camping

  For camping and horse camping at the Orick Rodeo Grounds, contact the Orick Chamber of Commerce at (707) 488-2885. While reservations aren't required, they're highly recommended. ^[2]

  Fee

  $5 (day-use) self-pay parking fee at the trailhead; overnight trailhead parking $10 ^[1]

  Trails

  Four loops: Ridge loop 7 miles, McArthur Creek loop 14 miles (two picnic areas, each with a hitching post, pit toilet and picnic table), Elam Creek loop 20 miles, Forty-Four Creek loop 32 miles ^[1]

  Note

  Inquire at the Kuchel Visitor Center for directions; Orick horse trail information (707) 465-7765 ^[1]

Named by California State Parks

• Mill Creek Horse Camp Trail Parking Area · Jedediah Smith Redwoods SP

  trailer spaces not published by California State Parks · Directions ^[3]

Horse staging, trailheads and entrances from the agencies' own map data. A trailer count appears only where the agency publishes one; a quoted lot note is the agency's wording. Parked a trailer here? Add it in Ride

Which Redwood trails allow horses?

National Park Service

28 trails, 83.0 mapped mi ^[4]

• 44 Creek Loop

  11.6 mapped mi ^[5] · surface: gravel, native · horses allowed per National Park Service

• McArthur Creek Loop

  7.6 mapped mi ^[6] · surface: native · horses allowed per National Park Service

• Elam Creek Loop

  7.2 mapped mi ^[7] · surface: gravel, native · horses allowed per National Park Service

• Little Bald Hills Trail

  5.6 mapped mi ^[8] · surface: native · horses allowed per National Park Service

• West Branch Road (Mill Creek)

  4.7 mapped mi ^[9] · surface: gravel · horses allowed per National Park Service

• Rock Creek Road (Mill Creek)

  4.1 mapped mi ^[10] · surface: gravel · horses allowed per National Park Service

• Childs Hills Road Trail (Mill Creek)

  3.9 mapped mi ^[11] · surface: gravel · horses allowed per National Park Service

• Hamilton Road

  3.8 mapped mi ^[12] · surface: gravel · horses allowed per National Park Service

• Rellim Ridge Trail

  3.6 mapped mi ^[13] · surface: gravel, native · horses allowed per National Park Service

• 3Hr Loop

  3.5 mapped mi ^[14] · surface: native · horses allowed per National Park Service

Plus 18 more named horse-legal trails in the same data, not listed here.

California State Parks

28 trails, 30.5 mapped mi ^[15]

• Childs Hill Road

  4.1 mapped mi ^[16] · horses allowed per California State Parks

• Crossover

  2.9 mapped mi ^[17] · horses allowed per California State Parks

• P-J Spur

  2.4 mapped mi ^[18] · horses allowed per California State Parks

• Bummer Lake Road

  2.4 mapped mi ^[19] · horses allowed per California State Parks

• Teran

  2.3 mapped mi ^[20] · horses allowed per California State Parks

• Upper First Gulch

  2.1 mapped mi ^[21] · horses allowed per California State Parks

• West Branch Road

  1.8 mapped mi ^[22] · horses allowed per California State Parks

• Park Spur

  1.3 mapped mi ^[23] · horses allowed per California State Parks

• Little Bald Hills Trail

  1.2 mapped mi ^[24] · horses allowed per California State Parks

• Hamilton Road

  1.1 mapped mi ^[25] · horses allowed per California State Parks

Plus 18 more named horse-legal trails in the same data, not listed here.

OpenStreetMap

15 trails, 51.8 mapped mi ^[26]

• 44 Creek Loop

  11.9 mapped mi ^[27] · surface: ground · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• McArthur Creek Loop

  7.6 mapped mi ^[28] · surface: ground, wood · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• Tall Trees Access Road

  6.1 mapped mi ^[29] · surface: gravel · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• Elam Creek Loop

  5.1 mapped mi ^[30] · surface: gravel, ground, metal · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• Ridge Loop

  4.7 mapped mi ^[31] · surface: ground · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• Rellim Ridge Trail

  3.5 mapped mi ^[32] · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• Mill Creek Horse Trail (North)

  3.1 mapped mi ^[33] · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• Mill Creek Horse Trail

  2.7 mapped mi ^[34] · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• 44 Camp Trail

  1.5 mapped mi ^[35] · surface: ground · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• Mill Creek Horse Trail (East Loop)

  1.4 mapped mi ^[36] · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

Plus 5 more named horse-legal trails in the same data, not listed here.

Horse trails named on agency pages

• Redwood pack-animal backcountry camps (Little Bald Hills, Elam, 44 Camp): Little Bald Hills Trail 9.5 miles one-way (multi-use); Mill Creek Horse Trail 10-mile loop with the 1.3-mile Rellim Ridge spur, Hamilton Road access on weekends only ^[1]
• Orick Rodeo Grounds (Orick Horse Trails trailhead): Four loops: Ridge loop 7 miles, McArthur Creek loop 14 miles (two picnic areas, each with a hitching post, pit toilet and picnic table), Elam Creek loop 20 miles, Forty-Four Creek loop 32 miles ^[1]

Trails in and around the park where the managing agency or OpenStreetMap marks horses as allowed. Mileage is the mapped length of segments with that name.

Is Redwood open to horses right now?

No National Park Service alerts for Redwood National and State Parks as of October 25, 2026.

• Status (National Park Service): 44 Camp is currently open to BACKPACKERS ONLY at this time; no water is available. ^[1]
• Redwood pack-animal backcountry camps (Little Bald Hills, Elam, 44 Camp): Mill Creek fords closed for salmon spawning: North ford October 15 to March 31, South ford October 15 to May 31 ^[1]

As of October 25, 2026. Check with the agency before you haul: seasons move with snow and fire.

What are the horse rules in Redwood National and State Parks?

• Redwood pack-animal backcountry camps (Little Bald Hills, Elam, 44 Camp): Pack animals (horses, ponies, mules, burros, goats, and llamas) are welcomed on designated park trails and beaches. ^[1]
• Redwood pack-animal backcountry camps (Little Bald Hills, Elam, 44 Camp): Pack animals are allowed on Crescent, Gold Bluff, Hidden, and Freshwater beach. ^[1]
• Redwood pack-animal backcountry camps (Little Bald Hills, Elam, 44 Camp): Feed for stock must be in the form of pellets or certified weed-free feed. Camp only in backcountry camps designated for pack animals. Pack animals may not freely graze park vegetation. Pack animals must be corralled, tied, picketed, or hobbled when unattended. ^[1]
• Redwood pack-animal backcountry camps (Little Bald Hills, Elam, 44 Camp): Overnight stay limit is five consecutive days, 15 days per calendar year. Eight people per site. Overnight camps need a free permit. ^[1]

Is there water for horses in Redwood National and State Parks?

Water for horses at trailheads: Not published by the National Park Service or California State Parks. Ridden here? Add it in Ride

Ridden here?

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What other horse campgrounds are near Redwood?

• Stanshaw · 30.1 mi away

• Tolowa Dunes SP Horse Camp · 30.6 mi away

• Carter Meadows Horse Group · 60.1 mi away · Klamath National Forest

• Hidden Horse Equestrian Campground · 60.2 mi away · Klamath National Forest

More horse trails in California

Sources

1. National Park Service: https://www.nps.gov/redw/planyourvisit/upload/HorseTrails_SB_2021-508-2.pdf, read and verified by hand October 24, 2026
2. National Park Service: https://www.nps.gov/redw/planyourvisit/horses.htm, read and verified by hand October 24, 2026
3. California State Parks: https://services2.arcgis.com/AhxrK3F6WM8ECvDi/arcgis/rest/services/ParkingPoints/FeatureServer/0/query?where=FID%3D58076&outFields=*&f=html, fetched October 25, 2026
4. National Park Service: https://mapservices.nps.gov/arcgis/rest/services/NationalDatasets/NPS_Public_Trails/MapServer/0, fetched October 25, 2026
5. National Park Service: https://mapservices.nps.gov/arcgis/rest/services/NationalDatasets/NPS_Public_Trails/MapServer/0/query?where=OBJECTID%3D15343&outFields=*&f=html
6. National Park Service: https://mapservices.nps.gov/arcgis/rest/services/NationalDatasets/NPS_Public_Trails/MapServer/0/query?where=OBJECTID%3D15220&outFields=*&f=html
7. National Park Service: https://mapservices.nps.gov/arcgis/rest/services/NationalDatasets/NPS_Public_Trails/MapServer/0/query?where=OBJECTID%3D14942&outFields=*&f=html
8. National Park Service: https://mapservices.nps.gov/arcgis/rest/services/NationalDatasets/NPS_Public_Trails/MapServer/0/query?where=OBJECTID%3D18032&outFields=*&f=html
9. National Park Service: https://mapservices.nps.gov/arcgis/rest/services/NationalDatasets/NPS_Public_Trails/MapServer/0/query?where=OBJECTID%3D14846&outFields=*&f=html
10. National Park Service: https://mapservices.nps.gov/arcgis/rest/services/NationalDatasets/NPS_Public_Trails/MapServer/0/query?where=OBJECTID%3D15213&outFields=*&f=html
11. National Park Service: https://mapservices.nps.gov/arcgis/rest/services/NationalDatasets/NPS_Public_Trails/MapServer/0/query?where=OBJECTID%3D18258&outFields=*&f=html
12. National Park Service: https://mapservices.nps.gov/arcgis/rest/services/NationalDatasets/NPS_Public_Trails/MapServer/0/query?where=OBJECTID%3D14860&outFields=*&f=html
13. National Park Service: https://mapservices.nps.gov/arcgis/rest/services/NationalDatasets/NPS_Public_Trails/MapServer/0/query?where=OBJECTID%3D19290&outFields=*&f=html
14. National Park Service: https://mapservices.nps.gov/arcgis/rest/services/NationalDatasets/NPS_Public_Trails/MapServer/0/query?where=OBJECTID%3D15829&outFields=*&f=html
15. California State Parks: https://services2.arcgis.com/AhxrK3F6WM8ECvDi/arcgis/rest/services/RecreationalRoutes/FeatureServer/0, fetched October 25, 2026
16. California State Parks: https://services2.arcgis.com/AhxrK3F6WM8ECvDi/arcgis/rest/services/RecreationalRoutes/FeatureServer/0/query?where=FID%3D1067823&outFields=*&f=html
17. California State Parks: https://services2.arcgis.com/AhxrK3F6WM8ECvDi/arcgis/rest/services/RecreationalRoutes/FeatureServer/0/query?where=FID%3D1067825&outFields=*&f=html
18. California State Parks: https://services2.arcgis.com/AhxrK3F6WM8ECvDi/arcgis/rest/services/RecreationalRoutes/FeatureServer/0/query?where=FID%3D1067830&outFields=*&f=html
19. California State Parks: https://services2.arcgis.com/AhxrK3F6WM8ECvDi/arcgis/rest/services/RecreationalRoutes/FeatureServer/0/query?where=FID%3D1067822&outFields=*&f=html
20. California State Parks: https://services2.arcgis.com/AhxrK3F6WM8ECvDi/arcgis/rest/services/RecreationalRoutes/FeatureServer/0/query?where=FID%3D1067838&outFields=*&f=html
21. California State Parks: https://services2.arcgis.com/AhxrK3F6WM8ECvDi/arcgis/rest/services/RecreationalRoutes/FeatureServer/0/query?where=FID%3D1067839&outFields=*&f=html
22. California State Parks: https://services2.arcgis.com/AhxrK3F6WM8ECvDi/arcgis/rest/services/RecreationalRoutes/FeatureServer/0/query?where=FID%3D1067843&outFields=*&f=html
23. California State Parks: https://services2.arcgis.com/AhxrK3F6WM8ECvDi/arcgis/rest/services/RecreationalRoutes/FeatureServer/0/query?where=FID%3D1067832&outFields=*&f=html
24. California State Parks: https://services2.arcgis.com/AhxrK3F6WM8ECvDi/arcgis/rest/services/RecreationalRoutes/FeatureServer/0/query?where=FID%3D1062427&outFields=*&f=html
25. California State Parks: https://services2.arcgis.com/AhxrK3F6WM8ECvDi/arcgis/rest/services/RecreationalRoutes/FeatureServer/0/query?where=FID%3D1067829&outFields=*&f=html
26. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/, fetched October 25, 2026
27. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/10256611
28. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/10252512
29. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1312520197
30. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/10255841
31. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/485453306
32. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/10249969
33. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1386016577
34. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/10249392
35. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/842891004
36. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1386016573