Redwood retreats: Best-bet cabins in our favorite parks

Cozy, comfy, and smack in the middle of redwood forest heaven

California’s coast redwoods and giant sequoias offer an escape from the frazzled world. The soft forest floors, lush greenery, and towering trees provide some of the natural world’s best sanctuaries. It’s even more relaxing when you spend the night—but that doesn’t have to mean tent camping. For those craving a more comfortable connection with nature, cabins can be unique and reliable retreats. In a cabin, there’s no worrying about setting up a tent or getting caught in bad weather. They provide all the restful night’s sleep of a hotel room, but at a lower cost and with the added enchantment of spectacular trees just beyond the doorstep.  

Consider booking one of the following cabins for your next venture to the giants.   

Elk Prairie Campground at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Stepping onto the trails of Prairie Creek Redwood State Park, a landscape dense with some of the tallest trees on earth, feels like stepping into a mystical world. Karl Knapp Trail (formerly Prairie Creek Trail) offers a perfect path amongst the ancient forests. Fern Canyon—a must see—is named for the walls of ferns that line a shallow creek bed. It’s a sight as grand as the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.   

For a cozy home base to explore its old-growth forests, meadows, and 70 miles of scenic trails, stay at the Elk Prairie Campground cabins. These wood structures are relatively new and clean, though they’re rudimentary. No kitchen, bathroom, or bedding is provided, but they do have electricity and lighting. It’s like camping but without having to erect a tent. 

The Elk Prairie Campground has four cabins. Like the cabins at other state parks on this list, reservations are required year-round and open up six months in advance. Cabins are popular and book quickly. It’s recommended to book as soon as possible once reservations open up. Last minute cancellations do happen, and you might get lucky. But don’t count on it.  

Jedediah Smith Campground 

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park seems like an untouched pocket of the world. It contains about 7 percent of the world’s remaining old-growth redwoods. Don’t miss the Grove of Titans trail that winds among the ancient trees, and keep your eye out for banana slugs and mysterious fungi. The crystal clear waters of the Smith River run through the park, providing both a stunning backdrop and a refreshing resource for those staying at the Jedediah Smith Campground. Easy access to the beautiful Smith River makes this campground an excellent place to unwind. Bonus: You can try to spot salmon passing through on their seasonal spawning runs.  

The campground’s four cabins accommodate six guests and each has electricity. They do not include bedding, kitchens, or private bathrooms. Camping is allowed outside the cabins for up to one two-person tent. These book up quickly when available. 

Hendy Woods State Park  

Hendy Woods State Park is a great getaway for those who want variety in their vacation. You can do a little sightseeing, a little wine-tasting, and even a little kayaking along the Navarro River.  

The park’s forest feels more open than the denser, lusher redwood forests further north. Though shaded by noble giants, Hendy Woods is hot and dry in summer. But the stunning Navarro River borders the park to the east, providing a cooling respite. It’s excellent for paddleboarders, kayakers, swimmers, and those who just want to soak their feet post-hike. 

The campground’s cabins do not have electricity, but do have picnic tables, fire pits, and grills for cooking. Each cabin accommodates four guests, plus room outside for a two-person tent. Follow reservation guidelines mentioned for the Elk Prairie Campground above. 

Mount Madonna County Park

Mount Madonna County Park is close to San Jose and other South Bay cities, but the redwoods and adjoining meadows and oak woodlands are quiet and peaceful. The trails within the park’s 14-mile trail system travel through lush meadows filled with spring wildflowers and bits of history. The ruins of the Henry Miller summer estate are a must-see attraction. Some believe the spirit of the author’s young daughter resides here, haunting passersby. Or maybe the rustling in the night is just the local raccoons, skunks, and deer.

The campground’s yurts will have you falling in love at first sight. Surrounded by trees, they feel private and offer accommodations for up to 10 people. The domed tent–like structures each have a lovely wraparound deck, perfect for enjoying a morning cup of coffee. Each site has fire pits and grills, furthering that wonderful camp feeling. Inside, the yurts are cozy, with bunk beds and a pull-out couch. Out of all the cabins within the coast redwoods, these feel the most like sleeping in a tent.

Reservations open six months in advance and yurts book quickly. Book with Santa Clara County Parks as soon as possible.  

Tenaya at Yosemite  

Though located 3 miles outside of the national park, Tenaya at Yosemite is a year-round resort that’s very close to the Mariposa Grove, the park’s largest giant sequoia grove. Mariposa Grove is popular for good reason: Its trees are the noble inspiration that prompted one of the first land preservation acts in California––even before Yosemite became a national park. While there are many other giant sequoia groves in the Sierra Nevada, it’s an incredible experience to explore these big trees alongside the rest of Yosemite’s wonders, from Half Dome to Yosemite Falls. 

Compared with the other lodging options on this list, the cabins at Tenaya at Yosemite offer a far more luxurious, hotel-like stay, loaded with amenities. It’s definitely not camping, but you won’t mind when you see the views from the cabins. 

It’s about a 10-minute drive from the cabins to the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza—without traffic. However, it can take an hour and a half to reach the park’s other two groves, Merced and Tuolumne. All three groves are also accessible during the winter. Check local weather forecasts for current snow conditions to determine if winter equipment is necessary to access the groves.

Grant Grove Cabins at Kings Canyon National Park

If staying within walking distance of the magnificent General Grant Tree—the second-largest living tree in the world—sounds like fun, the Grant Grove Cabins should be on your radar. As the name implies, the cabins are right next to Grant Grove, a jaw-dropping group of mature giant sequoias featuring the General Grant Tree. Staying at Grant Grove also puts you within striking distance of other sequoia groves, including the Giant Forest, home to the mighty General Sherman Tree.

The facility has a range of cabins, 33 in all. Some are tent cabins, others are wooden, including the oldest building still standing in Grant Grove Village—the Honeymoon Cabin, which was built in 1910. Most cabins share bathrooms, though a few, including the Honeymoon Cabin, have private baths. The cabins are rustic with spotty cell service, though the nearby lodge offers Wi-Fi.