Maison Law and our Redwood National Park personal injury lawyers can help you if you’re injured in a bicycle accident there. The park’s numerous trails and paths represent a great change of pace for a lot of riders. But no matter how skilled or experienced you are, accidents can still happen. That brings problems, but our team can help you through them. Set up a free consultation today.

Should I Get a Lawyer?

There’s a lot that goes into biking around Redwood National Park. If you want a ride through the park, there’s more traditional trails. If you want a bigger challenge, you can test out one of the dirt paths that climb through Fern Canyon. There’s even trails that give you access to the beach. But everything changes when you’re hurt in an accident. It brings up one big question: should I get a lawyer?

The answer depends on your injuries and how complicated your situation is. Hopefully, your injuries are minor and you can take care of it yourself. But typically, it helps to have someone who can take the pressure off of you. We can do that by:

Sitting down with you and listening to what actually happened, without rushing or pressure
Explaining your rights and options in plain language, not legal jargon
Looking at whether the accident involved a driver, another cyclist, trail conditions, or park maintenance issues
Making sure evidence is preserved before it disappears
Dealing with insurance companies or government agencies so you don’t have to

We work on a contingency basis, which means there’s no upfront cost. And a consultation doesn’t lock you into anything. Sometimes people just need clarity—someone to say, “Here’s what this looks like, and here’s what you can do next.”

What Kinds of Details Should I Look For After My Accident?

After a bicycle accident in Redwood National Park, your first priority is safety and medical care. Once that’s handled, certain details can make a big difference if you need to file a claim. Because the park includes a mix of federal land, state roads, and shared trails, knowing what information matters can help protect your options:

Exact location. Saying “in the park” isn’t enough. Whether it happened on Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, a shared trail, or near a campground affects who may be responsible. Trail markers, mileposts, GPS data, or nearby landmarks help clarify jurisdiction.
Conditions at the time. Fog, damp pavement, moss, fallen branches, or loose gravel often play a role. Photos or videos can show hazards that weren’t obvious.

Damage and injuries. Your bike, helmet, gear, and early photos of injuries document the impact. These details fade once repairs are made or bruises heal.

Official reports and medical records. Park rangers, CHP officers, or law enforcement reports, plus ER visits, follow-ups, imaging, and therapy, all connect the accident to your injuries.

Witness statements. Other riders, hikers, or drivers may have seen the accident or conditions. Names and contact information can be valuable later.

If you didn’t collect everything immediately, that’s normal. Reports can be requested, records retrieved, and witnesses contacted afterward. What matters is knowing which details help a claim and preserving them as soon as you can.

Where Do Bicycle Accidents Happen in Redwood National Park?

Redwood National Park doesn’t look dangerous at first glance. That’s part of the problem. The environment is calm, quiet, and beautiful—which can make hazards easier to miss. Some of the most common problem areas include:

Scenic parkways and park roads. Roads like Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway are popular with cyclists for good reason. But narrow lanes, limited shoulders, sharp curves, and vehicle traffic—sometimes from drivers unfamiliar with the area—can create risky situations quickly.

Shared-use trails. Trails used by cyclists, hikers, and families can become crowded, especially during peak tourist seasons. Blind corners, uneven surfaces, and loose debris are common. Add different speeds and distractions, and collisions can happen even when everyone means well.

Campgrounds and trailheads. These areas often involve backing vehicles, pedestrians stepping into paths, cyclists weaving through tight spaces, and drivers focused on parking rather than watching for bikes.

Shaded and coastal areas. Moisture sticks around in the redwoods. Moss, sand, wet leaves, and slick pavement can show up where you least expect them—especially in shaded stretches that don’t dry out quickly.

Many accidents happen not because someone was reckless, but because conditions lined up in an unfortunate way. Understanding where and how the accident happened is key to understanding your options.

Who’s Legally Responsible When There’s a Bicycle Accident in Redwood National Park?

This is often the hardest question to answer—and the one people worry about the most. Responsibility isn’t always obvious, and it’s rarely limited to just one factor. It still is going to come down to negligence, but again, there’s a lot of moving parts:

Drivers. Cars, trucks, RVs, and service vehicles travel through and around the park every day. A driver may be responsible if they were distracted, speeding, failed to give enough space, or didn’t see a cyclist until it was too late.
Government agencies. Federal or state agencies are responsible for maintaining certain roads, trails, and warning systems. If poor maintenance, missing signage, or known hazards played a role, responsibility may extend beyond a single person.
Other riders. Collisions between riders do happen, especially on busy or narrow paths. Inattentive or aggressive riding can make another cyclist legally responsible.

Again, the big issue here is that responsibility can overlap. It actually all depends on two things:

Who was negligent?
Where did the accident happen exactly?

Answering these two questions will typically be enough to help you move forward with a claim.

How Do I File a Claim After My Bicycle Accident?

The main takeaway for you to know with a bicycle accident in Redwood National Park is that your rights don’t change. What does change is how you file a claim. The easiest way to break it down is to separate into a federal claim, state claim, or private claim:

Federal claims. If the accident occurred on federal land or involved a National Park Service employee, the claim usually falls under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). This process starts with:
- Filing a claim directly with the federal agency in charge. Typically, that’s the National Park Service.
- It means filling out and turning in Standard Form 95. This gives the basic details of what happened.
- The government has six months to investigate and respond. If they deny your claim—or don’t answer in time—you can move on to a lawsuit in federal court.

State or local claims. Accidents on state-maintained roads or nearby public land may fall under California’s claims process—the California Tort Claims Act (CTCA). With that, you have to:
- File a Notice of Claim within six months of the accident
- Have more than $10,000 in damages
- Give the government 45 days to respond.

Private injury claims. If another cyclist or driver caused the accident and no government agency is involved, the claim looks more like a typical California bicycle accident case:
- You have up to two years to file either an insurance claim outside of court or a personal injury lawsuit.

No matter how you file your claim, the goal is the same: recover damages. This typically includes things like:

Medical treatment and ongoing care

Time missed from work or reduced earning ability

Damage to your bike and equipment

Physical pain and emotional strain

Loss of enjoyment of activities you used to love

Funeral and related expenses in fatal accidents

Even though your overall options don’t change, it’s worth repeating that the timeline can be seriously crunched if the government is involved. That alone should be enough reason to start early, but no matter what, our team will be there to support you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I file a claim if I didn’t get everything at the scene?

Yes. Reports can be requested, witnesses contacted, and medical records gathered afterward. Early guidance helps make sure nothing important is missed.

Can I file a claim if nobody saw my accident?

That’s common, especially on more difficult trails deep in the park. But you can still file a claim if it happened because the path or trail wasn’t kept up.

What if a park ranger or other official responded?

Their reports can help support your claim. Even a brief report from a ranger, CHP officer, or local law enforcement can establish when, where, and how the accident happened.

Get a Free Consultation After a Bicycle Accident in Redwood National Park

A ride through Redwood National Park should leave you feeling grounded—not overwhelmed by injuries, bills, and unanswered questions. If you were hurt while cycling in or around the park, you don’t have to figure everything out on your own. Our Redwood National Park bicycle accident lawyers will help you understand how things work and what you need to do to recover. Set up a free consultation today to get started.

Bicycle Accident Lawyer Near Redwood National Park