Is Redwood or Sequoia better?

Sequoia is the more iconic, accessible big-tree visit, home to the largest trees by volume. Redwood wins if you want the tallest trees on earth set against a wild Pacific coastline.

What is the difference between redwoods and sequoias?

Coast redwoods in Redwood are the tallest trees on earth, while giant sequoias in Sequoia are the largest by volume. One is about height, the other about sheer mass.

Which park is easier to combine with the coast?

Redwood, since its groves sit beside the Pacific with wild beaches and bluffs. Sequoia is an inland mountain park with no coastline.

Can I visit both in one trip?

Not easily. They sit at opposite ends of California, a long drive apart, so they are better treated as separate trips.

Head to head

Redwood vs Sequoia: How to Choose

The short answer

Pick Sequoia if you can only do one. The General Sherman Tree, the dense giant forest, and the clustered, easy-to-reach groves make it the more iconic and accessible big-tree visit. The exception is the traveler drawn to the tallest trees on earth set against a wild Northern California coastline: that person should choose Redwood, where towering coast redwoods, fog-soaked groves, and rugged beaches combine in a way Sequoia cannot match.

Pick Redwood National and State Parks if

Standing among the tallest trees on earth is the goal
You want forest plus rugged Pacific coastline in one park
You prefer a cooler, foggy, lush atmosphere

Full Redwood National and State Parks guide

Pick Sequoia National Park if

The largest trees by volume, like the General Sherman, are the draw
You want the headline groves clustered and easy to reach
You prefer a higher, sunnier mountain setting

Full Sequoia National Park guide

Aperture Authority rules check

Photography rules before you go

If photos are part of the trip, permit and drone rules can change the better pick. Aperture Authority keeps the sourced, dated rules library for the locations below.

Redwood National and State Parks

Park-specific rule check from Aperture Authority.

Redwood is a joint NPS and California State Parks operation, so federal land follows the EXPLORE Act exemption while state park land runs a separate permit process.

Permits: Usually fine for personal shoots; commercial or large productions can need a permit
Drones: Effectively banned on national park land: launching, landing, or operating a drone is prohibited

Checked 2026-07-01

Full photography rules

Side by side

	Redwood National and State Parks	Sequoia National Park
Best time	July through September, when the coast fog burns off most reliably.	July and August
Entrance fee	No entrance fee. The federally managed park is free. A few state park day-use areas charge fees, and Fern Canyon requires an $8 per vehicle permit in summer (a free reservation is also needed to access the Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon area in peak season).	$35 per private vehicle (valid 1-7 days); $30 motorcycle; $20 per person on foot or bike. Annual park pass $70. No reservations required.
Size	139k acres	404k acres
Visitors	1.2M / year	1.3M / year
Nearest airport	California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport (ACV) in McKinleyville, about 1 hour south. Del Norte County Airport (CEC) in Crescent City sits minutes from the northern parks but has very limited service, so most visitors fly into ACV, or into larger hubs like San Francisco or Sacramento (5 to 6 hours) and drive up Highway 101.	Fresno Yosemite International (FAT), about 1 hour 45 minutes from the Sequoia entrance

Who wins on what

Decision	Winner	Why
Tallest trees	Redwood National and State Parks	Coast redwoods are the tallest living things on earth, topping 350 feet.
Largest trees by volume	Sequoia National Park	The giant sequoias, led by the General Sherman, are the most massive on earth.
Best big-tree access	Sequoia National Park	The famous groves cluster together near the main road.
Best coastline	Redwood National and State Parks	Wild beaches, sea stacks, and bluffs sit beside the groves, unique among big-tree parks.
Fewer crowds	Redwood National and State Parks	Its remote far-north location keeps it quieter than Sequoia.
Best for a short visit	Sequoia National Park	The headline groves are compact; Redwood's highlights are spread along the coast.
Best atmosphere	Either	Both deliver cathedral-like groves; Redwood adds fog and coast, Sequoia adds alpine height.

Can you do both?

These parks sit at opposite ends of California and are a long drive apart, so they belong on separate trips rather than one pairing. Choose by the experience you want: the tallest trees and a wild coast in the far north, or the most massive trees in the southern Sierra.

Frequently asked questions

Is Redwood or Sequoia better?: Sequoia is the more iconic, accessible big-tree visit, home to the largest trees by volume. Redwood wins if you want the tallest trees on earth set against a wild Pacific coastline.
What is the difference between redwoods and sequoias?: Coast redwoods in Redwood are the tallest trees on earth, while giant sequoias in Sequoia are the largest by volume. One is about height, the other about sheer mass.
Which park is easier to combine with the coast?: Redwood, since its groves sit beside the Pacific with wild beaches and bluffs. Sequoia is an inland mountain park with no coastline.
Can I visit both in one trip?: Not easily. They sit at opposite ends of California, a long drive apart, so they are better treated as separate trips.

Plan your visit

Whichever park wins for you, here is the gear keyed to these conditions, the tools to size your trip, and related guides.

What to pack

Plan with our tools

Keep reading

Planning either trip? Each park guide has when-to-go, what-to-pack, and camping reservation details. Browse the full national parks index.