John Steinbeck described the sound (or lack thereof) in a grove of coast redwoods as a "cathedral hush." The trees' thick bark and massive girth work to muffle the din of the outside world, leaving visitors to do just what they came for: stand in silent awe of the planet's tallest trees. At 131,983 acres, Redwood National and State Parks is the single largest repository of protected redwoods on the planet—no shortage of tree gawking here—but it also contains bonus northern California beaches, live oak grasslands, and a few lazy rivers begging to be paddled. Lesson? You may come for the trees, but you'll encounter a whole lot more.

GAME PLAN: Because Redwood is such a varied park it's best experienced in a series of short trips. Get your dose of redwood-induced wonder with an overnight camping excursion on the Redwood Creek Trail. You'll begin at the trailhead near Bald Hills Road in the heart of the park. Eight miles in, you'll cross a small bridge into the Tall Trees Grove, home of the 368-foot Libby Tree. There's a 379-footer in the same watershed, but no one's saying just where. Camp on the banks of Redwood Creek just downstream from the bridge and hike out the next day. Since Redwood also embraces ocean and rivers, you'll want to paddle a few of the brackish lagoons that lie near the park's southern boundary. Stone Lagoon has a primitive paddle-in campsite ($12), while Big Lagoon has a fun feeder stream to explore. To top off that trip, consider a day of mountain biking on the old logging road from Bald Hills to Lost Man Creek. In 13 mostly downhill miles, great coastal views drop into Lost Man Creek's majestic redwood grove. The one hitch is that if you go unguided (i.e., no shuttle), you'll have to turn around and bike mostly uphill at the end of the day.

Vitals: Permits are required to camp along Redwood Creek; they're free at the Kuchel Visitor Center. Kayak Zak's rents kayaks for day or overnight trips (three hours, $30; kayakzak.com). Redwood Adventures guides the ride to Lost Man Creek ($195 per person; redwoodadventures.com).

The Must-Do: Walk the one-mile loop through the fantasy world of Fern Canyon. Its sheer 40-foot walls are blanketed top to bottom in swaying, glistening ferns.

Base Camp: Four reasons to consider Elk Meadow Cabins: simple but comfortable lodging; a local herd of Roosevelt elk; a hot tub; and the owners, experts at setting up trips or proffering advice (doubles from $229; redwoodadventures.com).

National Geographic's Parks Guide: Learn more about Redwood National Park here.