Redwood Creek flows 67 miles from the Coast Range to the Pacific Ocean near Orick, draining 285 square miles of the northern California coast. As a tributary of Prairie Creek entering at river km 5.6, this freestone stream remains remarkably free-flowing without a single dam impeding its path. The lower 18 miles wind through fog-drenched Redwood National Park, shaded by ancient coast redwoods. Nearly the entire Prairie Creek sub-basin sits in public ownership, providing 78.4 km of stream length accessible to anadromous fish. The watershed encompasses forested terrain from 8 m to 692 m elevation, creating diverse habitat conditions throughout its length. While past timber harvest activities and major floods have caused sediment and temperature impairment, coordinated restoration efforts continue to improve this vital salmon and steelhead system.