The 48,652 acres (196.89 km2) that make up the forest were purchased in 1947[4] and the demonstration forest was created in 1949.[5]Coast redwood is the most common type of tree in the forest, but there is also Douglas fir, grand fir, hemlock, bishop pine, tanoak, alder, madrone and bay myrtle.[citation needed] The elevation of the land varies from 80 to 2,200 feet (24 to 671 m). Precipitation near the coast averages 39 inches (990 mm) per year, but the average is 70 inches (1,800 mm) per year inland. The temperature reaches a low of 25 °F (−4 °C) and a high of 100 °F (38 °C).
Logging of the area began in 1862, and intense industrial logging has taken place for many decades. There have been several generations of harvests and replantings. The Caspar 500 timber harvest plan sparked opposition around 2020 as it included some very large redwood trees in a 533-acre area (216 ha) near the coastal community of Caspar. The area, heavily used for hiking and mountain biking, is closer to residential areas and public access roads than more remote areas that have been logged in the past.[6]