The 9 Best National Parks In California [2022]

There are a plethora of national parks to choose from in California. The abundance of national parks to select from may be one of the finest aspects of visiting California. Did you know that California has the most national parks in the United States?

California includes nine national parks and 28 national park units, including a national seashore. National recreation areas and monuments, for example, are among the additional units. While Lava Beds and Whiskeytown Lake may not have the same name recognition as the others, they are both must-see California vistas.

This is a summary of your options, whether you’re searching for a weekend escape or a road trip to see a few sites. You might wish to go to the desert or visit the lowest place in the United States; both are fantastic options. California offers it everything, including some of the world’s tallest temperate redwood trees and active volcanoes.

Here’s an overview and some highlights of why you shouldn’t miss these 9 California national parks.

Keep reading for more on the 9 best national parks in California. If you enjoy our blogs, make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

---

9 National Parks In California

California’s national parks are open to the public all year. Many desert parks, such as Joshua Tree, have a visiting season that extends into the winter. So, whatever the season, it’s the ideal time to visit one of California’s best national parks.

With our list of the best national parks in California, you can cross some items off your bucket list.

To guide your adventure through the wondrous Golden State, here are the best national parks in California — and what makes each one worth a visit.

1. Yosemite National Park

Yosemite is at the top of everyone’s list because it may be one of the most famous and beautiful national parks in California. El Capitan and Half Dome are two huge granite cliffs that rise above ancient sequoia trees.

There is nothing quite like driving into the valley and seeing Half Dome towering in the distance for the first time. Even though the valley is small in terms of driving distance, it has a lot of places to visit.

In 2021, 3.3 million people will visit Yosemite, making it the most popular national park in the state. Yosemite is popular for a reason. The cherry on top is the waterfalls that flow down the cliffs. There’s a reason why Ansel Adams couldn’t get enough of this landscape, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

There are hiking trails that lead to waterfalls, and you can even climb one to get to Glacier Point. The park is usually open all year, but during the winter, you may need chains or 4WD to get there. There are restaurants, cafes, and even a Starbucks that is well-hidden in the park itself.

If you want to avoid crowds, try to go to Yosemite National Park during the week. Traffic backs up to the entrance of the park, making it very busy. It takes about 4 hours to drive from San Francisco.

---

2. Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park is one of the largest and most beautiful national parks in California and the continental U.S. (topped in size only by Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in Alaska). Salt flats, dunes the size of mountains, and colorful canyons that look like they belong on Mars cover 3.3 million acres.

Death Valley is the hottest and driest place in America and has the lowest point in North America (summer temps exceed 120 degrees). But if you like rough terrain, be prepared to fall in love with Death Valley, where every view seems almost impossible to understand.

Death Valley is known as the “park of extremes,” and its weather may make it one of the more difficult national parks to visit.

With some careful planning, a trip here at the right time will let you see some amazing scenery. You might even think you’re on a different planet. You can’t miss Zabriskie Point’s scenery or Artist’s Drive’s rainbow of colors.

Death Valley should be on your list of places to see, but you should only go from late fall to early spring. One of the best national parks in California. It’s one of the best places to see the night sky in California.

---

3. Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree is a unique place because it is where the Mojave and Colorado deserts meet. Because of this, the park has stark desert landscapes with rough rock formations. It is a popular place for a weekend getaway in Southern California. It is also home to the famous Joshua Tree. Hiking in Joshua Tree is beautiful, but make sure to bring a lot of water.

The twisted shape of the Joshua tree is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of this park. It is one of the biggest draws, but Joshua Tree National Park is so much more than just its plants.

At night, the sky is clear and dark, making it a great place to look at the stars. During the day, the sun shines high and bright. It’s one of the best places to see the night sky in California.

Many people come to hike the trails and get out into nature and really get away from it all. People often ask what makes Joshua Tree so special. It’s a place that shows how beautiful something can be if you keep at it. The harsh weather here has changed this desert into a place where plants and small animals now live.

Go to Joshua Tree to see how different the landscape is, and stay to get to know it. It is one of California’s most magical national parks. You might even want to come here for a day.

---

4. Lassen Volcanic National Park

Lassen Volcanic National Park is all about volcanoes, just like its name says. Lassen Peak, the most famous volcano in the park, is quiet, but the area around it is very much alive. The park has sulfur vents that steam, hot springs that boil, and mud pots that bubble.

And because it is in Northern California, all of that beauty is surrounded by thick forests and clear alpine lakes. If you go at the right time, you might even see the wildflower season, which is often set against peaks that still have snow on them.

Lassen Volcanic is one of the best national parks in California, and a great place to visit, especially from early summer to mid-fall, before it starts to snow. This beautiful place in Northern California has a lot of different kinds of land. You’ll be amazed by how much there is to do here when there aren’t many people.

Walk the paths that lead to Bumpass Hell, which is the park’s main geothermal area. If you take the steep trail, you can even climb up a cinder cone volcano.

---

5. Channel Islands National Park

Especially along the coast, California is not known for its large areas of undeveloped land. This is one reason why Channel Islands National Park is so great. The park is made up of five islands off the coast of Southern California and is a great place to get away from people.

The Channel Islands are known as the “Galapagos of North America” because they have a lot of wildlife and a few plants that only grow there. However, there are no hotels, stores, or restaurants on the islands.

This national park is a great place to get away from it all because it has sea caves, seals, and seabirds nesting, and you can hike and camp there.

It is home to more than 2,000 different kinds of plants and animals, and the marine life here is amazing. You can hike and enjoy the natural scenery on the islands themselves. People often call it the American Galapagos because it is so unique.

---

6. Pinnacles National Park

Since Pinnacles National Park only became a national park in 2013, not many people know about it. This makes it feel like a place away from the crowds. Here, trails wind around dome-shaped rocks that stick out of the ground and go through caves, canyons, and forests.

The California condor, which is very rare and has a huge nine-foot wingspan, lives in this park. This is probably the most important thing about it.

Pinnacles National Park is in Central California, not far from Salinas. It is known for its interesting rock formations. There is a lot of wildlife to see in the woods and canyons, and spring flowers are a big draw.

There are many trails that lead to different geological formations, so make sure you know which is the East side and which is the West side before you go.

---

7. Redwood National and State Parks

Redwood National Park is one of the most northern and beautiful national parks in California. It is home to the tallest trees on Earth. The plants and animals in this park are so important that it is both a national park and a state park, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It has almost half of the world’s old-growth redwoods.

Some of them are over 370 feet tall, which is five stories taller than the Statue of Liberty. But Redwood National and State Parks do more than just protect valuable trees. They also have 40 miles of rough coastline and Fern Canyon, a 50-foot-deep gorge filled with bright green ferns.

Most people don’t know that it’s actually four parks in one: Redwood National Park, Del Norte Coast State Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and Jedediah Smith State Park. So there are a lot of different things to see and do when you go.

People love to hike and bike in this area, and many get permits to stay overnight. If you only do one thing there, you should go for a walk through Fern Canyon. It is a unique place to visit, with steep walls covered in ferns and a beautiful valley in the middle.

---

8. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Sequoia and Kings Canyon are two different parks, but they are run as one. Sequoia was made in 1890, and Kings Canyon was made in 1940, 50 years later. Together, they cover more than 1,300 square miles.

They have the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states (Mount Whitney, at about 14,500 feet) and the world’s biggest tree by volume (General Sherman, at 275 feet tall with a 36-foot diameter). Hikers love the parks because they can hike on the famous Pacific Crest and John Muir trails.

Since two national parks are close to each other, you can visit both of them on the same trip. Both Sequoia and Kings Canyon are very impressive. The tallest sequoias can be found in the parks, which are up high in Sequoia state park California.

You can hike through canyons, take scenic drives, and even climb to the top of Moro Rock, which is a granite dome. Those who want to spend time outside will have plenty of room to do so.

---

9. Point Reyes National Seashore

The Point Reyes National Seashore is one of my favorite places to visit in Marin County. It’s a great place to spend a weekend because it has a protected coastline with beautiful beaches and landscapes.

The beautiful cliffs rise high above the Pacific Ocean, and each headland has its own kind of wildlife. Two of them are the elephant seal colony and the Tule Elk, both of which you can see when you go there.

Point Reyes is an hour north of San Francisco. It is the only seashore on the West Coast that is protected by the federal government. There are over 150 miles of hiking trails in the national seashore’s estuaries, forests, and marshes, as well as on the many wild beaches with beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. One of the most beautiful national parks in California.

This coast is popular with both tourists and animals. During their annual migrations, you can often see elk, seals, and grey whales. Tourists come from all over the world to see the Point Reyes Lighthouse, which looks like it should be on a postcard.

---

You Might Also Like

• The 11 Best things to do in San Antonio, Texas [2022]
• The 10 Best Breakfast in Key West For A Refreshing Start To The Day [2022]
• The 10 Best Restaurants on Grand Bahama Island [2022]
• The 10 Best Restaurants In Scottsdale For Romantic Dining [2022]
• The 10 Best Beaches In The Space Coast For An Amazing Vacation [2022]
• The 10 Best Islands for Beaches In The World [2022]
• The 10 Best Romantic Dining in Naples For A Memorable Date Night [2022]
• The 13 Best Hotels On The Northern Coast Of California That Aren’t Like Anything You’ve Seen Before [2022]

---

Booking.com

---

FAQs About 9 National Parks In California

---

Tell Us In the Comments About One Of Your Favorite Best National Parks In California

Also, don’t forget to book your personalized holiday package with Tripononline. Let us make your vacation a romantic as well as a dreamy getaway.