Redwood National and State Parks Launches Gold Bluffs Beach Day-use Area and Fern Canyon Pilot Permit Program this Summer

California State Parks and Redwood National and State Parks will launch a new pilot permit program this summer for Gold Bluffs Beach Day-use area, including Fern Canyon, within Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.   

Starting May 1 – September 30, permits will be required to enter all locations within the Gold Bluffs Beach Day-use area, including the popular Fern Canyon parking area. Permits will be free and will be available online only on the Redwood National and State Parks website, https://www.nps.gov/redw/index.htm. A day-use fee of $12 (cash or check only) will be charged upon entry, or visitors can also use their California State Parks or National Park Service Day-use passes.

The Gold Bluffs Beach Day Use-area and Fern Canyon is one of the most visited areas within Redwood National and State Parks. Unrestricted access to this location during peak summer months has caused public safety concerns and an increase in resource damage. The implementation of a permit system will allow Redwood National and State Parks to provide a high-quality visitor experience by reducing overcrowding  in  parking lots and trail systems. In addition, a permit system during peak summer months will allow for the protection of natural resources while providing adequate access for Law Enforcement and Emergency Services to provide responses during emergencies. Permits to access to Gold Bluffs Beach Day-use area and Fern Canyon will be required May 1 – September 30. Permits will not be required from October 1 – April 30.  

Access to the popular Fern Canyon area using the James Irvine Trail from Prairie Creek Visitor Center will not require a permit.   

“Fern Canyon, with its cascading walls of several species of ferns in all shades of green, captures the hearts and imaginations of thousands of visitors every year. Redwood National and State Parks is responsible for ensuring that the experience that visitors have today is consistent with the experience that visitors have been able to experience in the past. With the exponential growth in visitation at Fern Canyon, park managers are charged with developing solutions that will allow us to protect both the quality of our visitors’ experience while also ensuring the protection of the natural, cultural and historical resources that they have come to see.  We feel that this pilot permit program will accomplish this, allowing for the legacy of our park lands to be enjoyed in perpetuity for current and future generations.” – Erin Gates, Deputy Superintendent of Redwood National and State Parks and North Coast Redwoods District, California State Parks.  

For information and to reserve a permit for Gold Bluffs Beach Day-use are and Fern Canyon this summer, visit https://www.nps.gov/redw/index.htm.