Redwood National Park hosts Hike and Bike Day on 3 October
Published on 10/04/2026 at 03:14 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Redwood National Park hosted Hike and Bike Day on 3 October 2026, when the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway closed to motorised vehicles through the redwood country near Crescent City, United States. The event opened the 10-mile route to walkers, cyclists, skaters, strollers and people with leashed pets.
Hike and Bike Day closed the parkway on 3 October
Hike and Bike Day takes place on the first Saturday of each month from October to May. California State Parks identifies the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway as the event venue and says the road closes to vehicles on the evening before the event, with reopening planned for Sunday morning.
The National Park Service listed the parkway as closed from Friday evening through Sunday morning for Hike and Bike Day. The closure applied from Prairie Creek Visitor Center northwards, while walkers and cyclists could use the road. The visitor centre remained accessible from the southern exit, number 753, as well as from nearby trails and the campground.
The 3 October date was the first Saturday in October 2026. The event therefore gave visitors a defined access change rather than a general seasonal suggestion: motor traffic was removed from the parkway for the weekend period, while non-motorised travel was permitted.
Redwood National Park links the event to old-growth forest
The event route passes through Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, one of the four units managed together as Redwood National and State Parks. The shared management arrangement was signed by the National Park Service and California State Parks in May 1994.
Redwood National Park was established on 2 October 1968, one day before this year’s Hike and Bike Day. The wider parks were inscribed as a World Heritage Site on 5 September 1980. UNESCO’s World Heritage record describes a coastal mountain region beside the Pacific and a major remaining area of ancient coast redwood forest.
The park service lists the co-operative parklands at 138,999 acres and records 37 miles of coastline. Its facts page also identifies 170 miles of hiking trails and 54 miles of bicycle trails, placing the October road closure within a much larger network of outdoor routes.
The October closure changes how the redwood route is used
For visitors, the event’s significance lay in the change from a scenic drive to a shared route for people travelling without motor vehicles. The parkway is paved, and its closure allowed the road itself to become part of the visitor experience rather than only a link between forest areas.
The arrangement also kept the event connected to normal park access. The National Park Service reported that other roads not listed on its conditions page were open, while access to the Prairie Creek Visitor Center was available from the south. Conditions on individual roads and trails can differ from the event arrangement.
Visiting Redwood National Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Hike and Bike Day took place on 3 October 2026 on the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.
- The parkway was closed to motorised vehicles from Friday evening through Sunday morning, while walkers, cyclists and other non-motorised users could enter.
- The route lies within Redwood National and State Parks, which has visitor information centres near Crescent City and Orick in California.
- Fern Canyon has no seasonal footbridges listed on the current conditions page, and visitors should expect water between ankle and knee depth on the route.
- The park contains old-growth coast redwood forest, coastal habitats, streams and prairies within a World Heritage Site.
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Frequently asked questions about Redwood National Park
When did Hike and Bike Day take place at Redwood National Park?
It took place on 3 October 2026, the first Saturday of October, on the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway.
Where is Redwood National Park and how do you get there?
The parks are in north-western California, with visitor information centres near Crescent City and Orick. The Prairie Creek Visitor Center can be reached from U.S. 101 via the southern exit to the parkway.
What is Redwood National Park?
It is a protected coastal redwood landscape established on 2 October 1968. Together with three California state parks, it forms Redwood National and State Parks, a World Heritage Site since 5 September 1980.
