9 national parks. Choose the landscape and pace that suit your visit.
California’s nine national parks range from offshore islands and coastal redwoods to desert basins and Sierra Nevada mountains. The most useful first decision is which landscape you want, rather than how many parks you can fit into a single trip.
| Park | Landscape | Suggested stay |
|---|---|---|
 Channel Islands | Coast & islands | 1–3 days |
 Death Valley | Desert | 2–4 days |
 Joshua Tree | Desert | 1–3 days |
 Kings Canyon | Forests | 1–3 days |
 Lassen Volcanic | Volcanic | 1–3 days |
 Pinnacles | Caves | 1–3 days |
 Redwood | Forests | 2–4 days |
 Sequoia | Forests | 1–3 days |
 Yosemite | Forests | 3–5 days |
Stay recommendations are editorial starting points, excluding travel to and from the region. This list covers designated national parks, not all NPS units.
Compare Sequoia and Kings Canyon together, but check the specific roads and areas you intend to visit. Channel Islands requires separate transport planning. Northern coastal parks, Sierra parks and southern deserts are distinct regional trips; this list is not a suggested driving route.
Official NPS directory for California
Explore reviewed multi-park circuitsCoastal, desert and mountain parks need separate seasonal plans. Historical climate near Death Valley cannot stand in for Yosemite’s high country, and a mainland climate station cannot describe every Channel Islands landing. Review the named source town and park guidance together.
Compare monthly climate
Channel Islands National Park encompasses five remarkable islands and their ocean environment, preserving and protecting a wealth of natural and cultural resources. Isolation over thousands of years has created unique animals, plants, and archeological resources found nowhere else on Earth and helped preserve a place where visitors can experience coastal southern California as it once was.
In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Yet, each extreme has a striking contrast. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. Lush oases harbor tiny fish and refuge for wildlife and humans. Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life thrives in Death Valley.
Two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado, come together in Joshua Tree National Park. A fascinating variety of plants and animals make their homes in a land sculpted by strong winds and occasional torrents of rain. Dark night skies, a rich cultural history, and surreal geologic features add to the wonder of this vast wilderness in southern California. Come explore for yourself!
Huge mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, vast caverns, and the world’s largest trees exemplify the diversity of landscapes, life, and beauty here. Explore these pages to plan your visit or to learn about the plants and animals here and the threats they face. Ancient giant sequoias may seem invincible, but they, too are vulnerable.
Lassen Volcanic National Park is home to steaming fumaroles, meadows freckled with wildflowers, clear mountain lakes, and numerous volcanoes. Jagged peaks tell the story of its eruptive past while hot water continues to shape the land.
Around 23 million years ago, a series of volcanic eruptions shaped the landscape that is now Pinnacles National Park. The remnants of these ancient eruptions have formed a striking terrain of rocky spires and deep canyons. Visitors can explore diverse environments, from chaparral and oak woodlands to the cool, shaded depths of canyon floors.
Renowned for the world’s tallest trees, Redwood’s landscapes span from open prairies and oak woodlands to pristine rivers and untamed coastline. This ancient home has supported people for thousands of years. The National Park Service and California State Parks now work to safeguard and rejuvenate these lands for everyone’s enjoyment, learning, and inspiration.
Huge mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, vast caverns, and the world’s largest trees exemplify the diversity of landscapes, life, and beauty here. Explore these pages to plan your visit or to learn about the plants and animals here and the threats they face. Ancient giant sequoias may seem invincible, but they, too are vulnerable.
Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra. First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.
Open a park guide to choose a daily itinerary and save the park to your trip. Check official conditions and access guidance before making bookings.
Find a trip for your month and timePark descriptions and official links: National Park Service. Planning synthesis: National Parkwise. Sources and methodology.