National parks near San Andreas, California
Yosemite National Park is the closest national park to San Andreas, California — 66 mi (106 km) in a straight line, which works out to roughly 2 hr 1 min behind the wheel.
Yosemite makes a full day trip — leave early. Pinnacles, Kings Canyon, Sequoia, and Lassen Volcanic are better with a night booked nearby.
Nothing near San Andreas gates the entrance itself, but 5 of the parks in range put a road, hike, or backcountry trip behind a permit or timed ticket.
San Andreas has a population of about 2,783.
National parks near San Andreas
| Park | Straight-line distance | Estimated drive | Realistic trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yosemite National Park | 66 mi (106 km) | 2 hr 1 min | Doable as a day trip |
| Pinnacles National Park | 121 mi (195 km) | 3 hr 20 min | Best as a weekend |
| Kings Canyon National Park | 146 mi (236 km) | 3 hr 55 min | Best as a weekend |
| Sequoia National Park | 164 mi (263 km) | 4 hr 19 min | Best as a weekend |
| Lassen Volcanic National Park | 165 mi (266 km) | 4 hr 21 min | Best as a weekend |
| Death Valley National Park | 252 mi (405 km) | 6 hr 24 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Redwood National Park | 278 mi (447 km) | 7 hr 1 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Channel Islands National Park | 298 mi (479 km) | 7 hr 30 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Crater Lake National Park | 336 mi (541 km) | 8 hr 24 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Great Basin National Park | 349 mi (561 km) | 8 hr 42 min | Worth a longer road trip |
What to book before you leave San Andreas
| Park | What needs booking | Covers | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yosemite | Half Dome Permits | One hike or backcountry trip | Permit or lottery |
| Kings Canyon | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness Permits | One hike or backcountry trip | Permit or lottery |
| Sequoia | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness Permits | One hike or backcountry trip | Permit or lottery |
| Lassen Volcanic | Lassen Volcanic National Park Wilderness Permits | One hike or backcountry trip | Permit or lottery |
| Death Valley | Death Valley National Park Wilderness Permits | One hike or backcountry trip | Permit or lottery |
Camping near San Andreas
Within reach of San Andreas, 62 campgrounds across 9 parks appear on Recreation.gov: 16 at Yosemite, 14 at Lassen Volcanic, 9 at Kings Canyon, and 7 at Sequoia, plus 5 more parks with fewer sites.
Recreation.gov releases most national park campsites six months before the arrival date, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. Windows are set per campground, so confirm yours on the Seasons and Fees tab on that campground page.
Once a date is gone, cancellations are the real supply, and they get taken within minutes of appearing.
When to make this trip
Yosemite National Park is generally best July through mid-September, once the high country is clear of snow, with late June and late September as the quieter shoulder either side.
High passes and trails hold snow from October into June, and some roads close entirely for the winter.
Afternoon thunderstorms build fast above treeline in summer. Start early and be off exposed ridges by early afternoon.
Seeing more than one
Several parks near San Andreas are close enough to each other to combine on one trip, so the drive from home only has to happen once.
| Pair | Apart | Estimated drive |
|---|---|---|
| Kings Canyon → Sequoia | 21.1 mi (33.9 km) | 48 min |
| Yosemite → Kings Canyon | 88 mi (142 km) | 2 hr 32 min |
| Yosemite → Sequoia | 108 mi (174 km) | 3 hr |
| Yosemite → Pinnacles | 131 mi (211 km) | 3 hr 33 min |
Planning a trip from San Andreas
Distances here are straight-line and the drive estimate adds a road factor on top, but mountain passes and seasonal closures can change it a lot — a route that looks like three hours in June can be shut entirely in February. Confirm road status with the park before you commit to a date.
Other towns in Calaveras County
Common questions
What is the closest national park to San Andreas?
Yosemite National Park. It is about 66 mi (106 km) from San Andreas, roughly 2 hr 1 min of driving.
Can I do a national park day trip from San Andreas?
Yes — Yosemite National Park is within about a three-hour drive.
How many national parks are near San Andreas?
10 parks are within reach of San Andreas, 1 of them close enough for a day trip.
Do you need a reservation for the national parks near San Andreas?
None of them gate the entrance itself. 5 put a specific road, hike, or backcountry trip behind a permit or timed ticket — Half Dome Permits at Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness Permits, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness Permits. These requirements are usually seasonal, so check the date you plan to arrive.
Where can you camp near San Andreas?
Recreation.gov lists 62 campgrounds at the national parks within reach of San Andreas. They are spread across 9 of those parks.
When is the best time to visit the parks near San Andreas?
For Yosemite National Park, the closest one, generally July through mid-September, once the high country is clear of snow. Either side of that, late June and late September stays quieter.