The park was created in the early 1920s by the generosity of the Save-the-Redwoods League as a sanctuary of old growth coast redwood.

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is home to Atlas Grove (location undisclosed) includes Iluvatar, the 3rd largest Coast Redwood. The location of Atlas Grove's Iluvatar is undisclosed to protect its sensitive ecosystem. Other notable trees disclosed to visitors are Big Tree, Corkscrew Redwood and the Cathedral Trees. Besides Coast Redwood, other tall coniferous tree species in the park's forests include Coast Douglas-fir, Sitka Spruce and Western Hemlock.

Plenty of redwoods in this park have reached 300 feet tall. Some like Godwood Creek Giant and Gemini, are over 340 feet high.

Roosevelt Elk are frequent visitors in the meadow along the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, located near the information center and campground. Other popular sites in the park are Fern Canyon and Gold Bluffs Beach. The park is also home to the tailed frog and several species of salmon.

From the Prairie Creek Visitor Center on the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, a network of over 70 miles of hiking trails awaits your boots or bike. Trail lengths vary from 1/2 mile to nearly 20 miles round-trip, and offer two options for backpacking (at Ossagon Creek and Miners Ridge) and one option for developed camping (Gold Bluffs Beach). While most of the trails travel through primeval redwood groves, some descend to the beach and others offer a peek at elk and deer herds.

The best way to navigate this area is to buy a specific trail guide at the Prairie Creek Visitor Center, constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps shortly after the establishment of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The Visitor Center is theperfect spot to get oriented to the many trails available throughout the park, as well as to learn about the parks' history and wildlife.

Campgrounds and trails are open year round.