California has the most national parks of any state in the United States. There are 9 in total, each with its own uniqueness. If you are a nature lover, a landscape photographer, or an outdoors enthusiast, you might want to add these California national parks to your bucket list.
I know the question you might be asking is: Which of these parks is worth visiting? Which of these parks should you not miss out on? Well, let’s find out based on my ranking of the best and most visited national parks.
Best National Parks in California
1. Redwood National Park
2. Joshua Tree National Park
3. Pinnacles National Park
4. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
5. Death Valley National Park
5 Best National Parks in California
1. Redwood National Park
Redwood is another world of its own, which many find more otherworldly. The redwoods are a real sight to behold as they create many hiking opportunities, especially for families with kids. The weather at this park is always moist, which helps the trees thrive in the area. The one challenge that keeps many away from this park is the distance from where humans live and from the major road network, which takes about 7-hour drive from the San Francisco Bay Area. This park once made an appearance in two Hollywood Movie films.
To keep the Tall Tree Grove safe, the park controls the number of cars that visit daily; hence, visitors are to choose their hiking options. There is also a half-day trip to get enough pictures of this beautiful park. The best time to visit is usually around Spring, Fall, and summer. There are plenty of popular attractions in the park: Fern Canyon (every photographer’s love), Lady Bird Johnson Grove (for hikers), and Gold Bluffs Beach ( coastal camping)
Fee: Free
2. Joshua Tree National Park
The park is about 784,000 acres sitting in the area where the Mojave, Colorado and San Bernardino deserts meet. The Cahuilla people named the tree humwichawa to make ropes, baskets, and clothing out of the tree. The upward pointing branches of the tree remind early travellers of the prophet Joshua who lifted up his arms in prayers. Joshua Tree serves as a national park hub and tourist attraction in the area of Pioneertown. Rock climbers best love Joshua Tree as the place to climb, scrambling up & down around the giant boulder, which is always fun.
Those who hike enjoy the shady spots as the tree is close to natural springs, and mountain bikers love the sight of the desert that stretches far ahead.This park houses many wildlife and other formed rock formations. The Joshua Tree is a great place to camp. The mystical boulder of this tree is a great inspiration to several artists who have spent time trying to capture the tree’s beauty. The best time to visit is around spring or fall to avoid extreme heat. There is so much life from the trees that gave the park its name. This park is one of the easiest to visit from LA.
Fee: $30 per vehicle
3. Pinnacles National Park
It’s a surprising fact that not too many people are familiar with this park since its creation in 2013. It is located on the San Andreas fault which has some unique rock formations and caves best to explore. The park should be on the itinerary of families because it’s very close to Monterey, a popular tourist destination that can be made to in a day trip if paying the aquarium a visit. Aside from hiking and climbing, the park highlights two caves – Balconies Cave for adventure lovers and Bear Gulch Cave, known for its big-eared bats. There is no road joining both caves but one can hike between them for roughly an hour. It is a great spot for condor watching, and spring or fall are the most comfortable times to go since summer is usually hot.
Fee: Free
4. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
These parks are two separate parks, but are adjacent to each other which are usually visited together. This park is worth visiting as it is home to the largest trees in the world, which makes many visitors feel their inner child say thank you again where everything here is very large. Both parks house some of the famous trees – The General Sherman (Sequoia) & General Grant (Kings Canyon). Sequoia is home to many attractions, like Mount Whitney which is a place to be for many mountaineers and the Moro rock that offers rewarding panoramic views of the park. Kings canyon on the other hand, has a lot of dramatic landscapes, deep canyons, waterfalls and underground taverns.
This park competes with the Yosemite National park in terms of beauty. There are plenty of hiking activities to get up close and personal with these largest trees in the world. It’s best to visit in spring when the waterfalls are in full force. During the park’s peak season, it can be very busy, and large crowds are always an issue. Meanwhile, the park’s stunning views and gorgeous nature make this place a must visit.
Fee: $35 per vehicle
5. Death Valley National Park
This park gets enough hype and is one of the most popular parks in California. The expectations from this park are always on point and never disappointing as there are plenty of things to see and do here. Death Valley actually holds the record for the hottest temperature ever on earth. The park’s name brings all that is hellish, harsh and hot – it is the hottest, lowest and driest park with water canyons, sandy dunes and plenty of wildlife. The park is the largest outside of Alaska and combines the resilience of nature with one of the most barren landscapes in the world.
Some common activities here include stargazing, camping, and off-roading. Currently, there is a temporary lake in Badwater Basin – Lake Manly, that only occurs every decade or even more. The best period of visit should be in winter or winter adjacent months, except if you love extreme heat. Tourists can find Furnace Creek, the commercial home to the park visitors, lodging area and gas station. It happens to be the last remnant of human civilization before tourists start to lose access to call service.
Fee: $35 per vehicle
CONCLUSION
Every park in California has its own story to tell, and each is full of natural beauty and adventure. Whatever activity or hobby you love, hiking, taking photos, or just the breath of fresh air, these parks are the best places to start with.
