Newton B. Drury Center — Local services in Crescent City

We visited the "Redwood National and State Park headquarters and visitor center" as a stop in between various hiking spots in the parks and beaches, hoping for our typical museum-esque visitors center and national park passport stamps. We WERE able to get passport stamps.

Otherwise this is a very small gift shop on a less than beautiful city street corner, without even the standard National Park pamphlets (they did have several of the state park maps), and staffed by (very knowledgable!) gift shop employees, but not rangers with information about the parks and trails (at least when we visited.)

There were a couple picnic tables in a rather shabby courtyard, but NO PUBLIC BATHROOM. (Public bathrooms are available across the street by the beach/playground.)

If we were to chose one single visitors center from Redwood National park in the future, it wouldn't...

A shout out to my woman, Gail! She's amazing! My sister and I stopped by before venturing into the Redwoods park (because we needed advice). Gail is positive, kind, and knowledgeable. She talked with us, gave us maps, advice, stories. Gail helped us find great souvenirs for our families there in the shop. The most incredible part of all of this is that Gail volunteers in the off season (which is now). She is there at 9am, sharp, and isn't even being paid to be her amazing self!...

Glad we weren’t the only ones who noticed Gail is a real treasure to the Redwoods national treasure! Someone who does something because they love it. The amount of information available on the web is overwhelming. You don’t need it. Just stop and see Gail and you’ll have more than you’ll need. No map will tell you the best place to view a sunset, but Gail will! That’s the local knowledge all national treasures need. Well...