Welcome to one of the Bay Area’s best kept secrets: Portola Redwoods State Park. I’ve never seen this park busy, with more famous tree spots to the north (Muir Woods), and to the south (Big Basin). However, neither (currently) have backcountry sites that allow you to sleep beneath these towering giants. As of posting, Big Basin’s trail camps are all currently closed due to the CZU Lightning Complex Fire in 2020.

After many years of coming to this state park, I finally ticked off my bucket list item of hiking into Slate Creek Trail Camp. Here are all the details you need for your own successful trip to sleep beneath the redwood trees.