Campgrounds and RV parks near Fort Dick, CA

The Smith River, California's longest undammed river, runs through Jedediah Smith - Redwood National and State Park and offers swimming, kayaking, and seasonal fishing for salmon and steelhead. Fishing for steelhead and salmon in the Smith River is best from October through February. Popular redwood hiking trails are the Stout Grove Trail loop, the Simpson Reed Grove Trail, and the Boy Scout Tree Trail, all accessible from inside the park. Closer to the coast, families can walk the beaches around Crescent City harbor, tour the Battery Point Lighthouse at low tide, and drive south to see Roosevelt elk along the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. Tide pools, scenic pullouts on Highway 101, and the Smith River National Recreation Area round out a typical day-trip rotation.

The climate of this stretch of coast is oceanic, with mild, rainy winters and cool, sunny summers, in the extreme northwest of California near the Oregon border. Summer is the most reliable window for RV travel: rainfall drops to almost nothing in July and August, and daytime highs stay comfortable for hiking under the redwood canopy. The best time to visit is from June to September, the mildest and driest part of the year. Fog can form all year round, even in summer, at night and in the early morning, so layers matter. Fall brings the warmest single days of the year along this stretch of coast, often into September and October, before the rainy season builds. The warmest days, when the temperature can reach or exceed 25 degrees Celsius, typically occur in September and October. Winter is wet and windy but rarely freezing, and the Jedediah Smith campground stays open year-round for those willing to trade crowds for quiet, soggy groves, though in winter only the northernmost loop and the cabins are open.

Expect cool, damp conditions even in summer: morning fog burns off slowly along the coast, and temperatures in the redwood groves run noticeably cooler than the rest of California. Big-rig drivers should note that campsites can accommodate tents, trailers up to 21 feet and RVs up to 25 feet at Jedediah Smith, with no hookups; private parks closer to U.S. 101 are easier for larger Class A and fifth-wheel rigs. Food storage rules are strictly enforced. All North Coast redwood parks are very strict that every crumb of food must be stored in the locker, not in the car and not in coolers sitting outside, except during mealtimes. The wildlife can get very aggressive about pursuing food and raccoons have been known to tear into tents while people are inside. Cell service is spotty once off Highway 101, mosquitoes are common in the river area in summer, and firewood should be bought locally to prevent spreading tree pests.