Redwood NP — Roosevelt Elk
Redwood National & State Parks · near Orick · North Coast
Wildlife Watching
At a glance
- Best season
- Year-round; autumn rut (Sep–Oct) is most dramatic
- Open year round
- Yes
What is here
- Wildlife
- land-mammals · birds
- Species
- Roosevelt elk (large herds), black-tailed deer, black bears, Steller's jays, marbled murrelets
- Amenities
- Roosevelt elk herds · Elk Prairie & Gold Bluffs Beach · Old-growth redwood setting · Visitor center & meadow trails
- Best for
- Reliable, easy big-mammal viewing
- Features
- Herds beneath the tallest trees · Near-guaranteed elk sightings · Dramatic autumn rut · Easy roadside & meadow viewing
Worth knowing
- Hazards
- Elk are wild & dangerous — keep 50+ yards · Never approach during rut or with calves · Roadside traffic near herds · Cool, wet rainforest weather
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Wildlife Watching detail
- Viewing
- drive
- Effort
- easy
- Habitat
- mountain
- Sighting
- 5
- Viewing notes
- Herds of massive Roosevelt elk grazing in meadows beneath the world's tallest trees — near-guaranteed, easy viewing at Elk Prairie and Gold Bluffs Beach
- Intl tip
- Herds of Roosevelt elk (North America's largest elk) grazing in meadows beneath the world's tallest trees — some of California's most reliable big-mammal viewing. Elk Prairie (Prairie Creek) and Gold Bluffs Beach offer near-daily sightings; the autumn rut (Sep–Oct) is dramatic, with bugling, antlered bulls. Easy roadside/short-trail viewing, great for families. But they're wild and powerful: stay 50+ yards back, never approach rutting bulls or cows with calves, watch for roadside traffic. Pair with the old-growth redwoods.
The guide
In the meadows and fog-draped forests of Redwood National and State Parks, herds of magnificent Roosevelt elk — the largest elk…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Redwood NP — Roosevelt Elk — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 41.36, -124.02