National parks in California

California has 9 national parks: Channel Islands, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Kings Canyon, Lassen Volcanic, Pinnacles, Redwood, Sequoia, and Yosemite.

National parks in California

Channel Islands National ParkCA
A chain of islands off southern California. Reach them by boat; expect wind, wildlife, and limited services.
Death Valley National ParkCA
Hot, dry basin and range in California. Salt flats, sand dunes, and colorful badlands; summers are extreme.
Joshua Tree National ParkCA
Mojave and Colorado desert meeting in southern California. Twisted Joshua trees, boulder piles, and clear night skies.
Kings Canyon National ParkCA
Deep granite canyon and giant sequoia groves in California’s Sierra. Shares a boundary with Sequoia National Park.
Lassen Volcanic National ParkCA
A volcanic landscape in northern California with hot springs, cinder cones, and a plug-dome peak.
Pinnacles National ParkCA
Volcanic rock spires and talus caves east of the Salinas Valley in California. Condors sometimes soar overhead.
Redwood National ParkCA
Coast redwood forest in far northern California. Tall trees, fog, and state-park stretches mixed into the visit.
Sequoia National ParkCA
Giant sequoia groves on the western Sierra slope in California. Big trees, granite, and shared access with Kings Canyon.
Yosemite National ParkCA
A granite valley and high Sierra country in California. Waterfalls in spring; valley floors get crowded in summer.

Other parks within reach of California

Parks ranked by distance from the centre of California
Park	Straight-line distance	Estimated drive	Realistic trip
Sequoia National Park	86.7 mi (139 km)	2 hr 30 min	Doable as a day trip
Channel Islands National Park	95.8 mi (154 km)	2 hr 43 min	Doable as a day trip
Kings Canyon National Park	104 mi (167 km)	2 hr 55 min	Doable as a day trip
Pinnacles National Park	127 mi (204 km)	3 hr 27 min	Best as a weekend
Death Valley National Park	152 mi (245 km)	4 hr 4 min	Best as a weekend
Yosemite National Park	171 mi (276 km)	4 hr 30 min	Best as a weekend
Joshua Tree National Park	225 mi (361 km)	5 hr 46 min	Best as a weekend
Constitución 1857 National Park	299 mi (482 km)	7 hr 32 min	Worth a longer road trip
Great Basin National Park	372 mi (598 km)	9 hr 15 min	Worth a longer road trip
Lassen Volcanic National Park	372 mi (598 km)	9 hr 15 min	Worth a longer road trip

Biggest towns and cities in California

All counties in California

Common questions

How many national parks are in California?

9: Channel Islands National Park, Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Pinnacles National Park, Redwood National Park, Sequoia National Park, and Yosemite National Park.

What is the closest national park to California?

Sequoia National Park, roughly 86.7 mi (139 km) out and about 2 hr 30 min of driving from the centre of California.