National parks near Burbank, California
Burbank sits inside the Los Angeles area and reaches the same parks. See national parks near Los Angeles for the full write-up.
Channel Islands National Park is the closest national park to Burbank, California — 64.7 mi (104 km) in a straight line, which works out to roughly 1 hr 59 min behind the wheel.
Channel Islands makes a full day trip — leave early. Joshua Tree, Sequoia, Death Valley, Kings Canyon, Constitución 1857, and Pinnacles are better with a night booked nearby.
Nothing near Burbank gates the entrance itself, but 6 of the parks in range put a road, hike, or backcountry trip behind a permit or timed ticket.
Burbank has a population of about 105,319.
National parks near Burbank
| Park | Straight-line distance | Estimated drive | Realistic trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Islands National Park | 64.7 mi (104 km) | 1 hr 59 min | Doable as a day trip |
| Joshua Tree National Park | 141 mi (226 km) | 3 hr 47 min | Best as a weekend |
| Sequoia National Park | 161 mi (259 km) | 4 hr 16 min | Best as a weekend |
| Death Valley National Park | 165 mi (266 km) | 4 hr 22 min | Best as a weekend |
| Kings Canyon National Park | 182 mi (293 km) | 4 hr 46 min | Best as a weekend |
| Constitución 1857 National Park | 198 mi (318 km) | 5 hr 8 min | Best as a weekend |
| Pinnacles National Park | 226 mi (364 km) | 5 hr 48 min | Best as a weekend |
| Yosemite National Park | 264 mi (425 km) | 6 hr 42 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Sierra de San Pedro Mártir National Park | 279 mi (449 km) | 7 hr 3 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Zion National Park | 365 mi (588 km) | 9 hr 6 min | Worth a longer road trip |
What to book before you leave Burbank
| Park | What needs booking | Covers | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Tree | Joshua Tree National Park Wilderness Backpacking 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 |
| Death Valley | Death Valley National Park Wilderness 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 |
| Yosemite | Half Dome Permits | One hike or backcountry trip | Permit or lottery |
| Zion | Angels Landing: Fall (Hikes on September 1 – November 30) | One hike or backcountry trip | Permit or lottery |
Camping near Burbank
Within reach of Burbank, 54 campgrounds across 8 parks appear on Recreation.gov: 16 at Yosemite, 9 at Joshua Tree, 9 at Kings Canyon, and 7 at Channel Islands, plus 4 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
Channel Islands National Park is generally best May, June, September, and early October, with April and late October as the quieter shoulder either side.
Winter is cool and wet at low elevation and snowy in the mountains, with reduced hut and refuge service.
July and August combine peak heat with peak domestic holidays. Shoulder months are both cooler and quieter.
Seeing more than one
Several parks near Burbank 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sequoia → Kings Canyon | 21.1 mi (33.9 km) | 48 min |
| Sequoia → Death Valley | 101 mi (162 km) | 2 hr 50 min |
| Death Valley → Kings Canyon | 110 mi (177 km) | 3 hr 3 min |
| Joshua Tree → Death Valley | 177 mi (285 km) | 4 hr 39 min |
Planning a trip from Burbank
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 Los Angeles County
Common questions
What is the closest national park to Burbank?
Channel Islands National Park. It is about 64.7 mi (104 km) from Burbank, roughly 1 hr 59 min of driving.
Can I do a national park day trip from Burbank?
Yes — Channel Islands National Park is within about a three-hour drive.
How many national parks are near Burbank?
10 parks are within reach of Burbank, 1 of them close enough for a day trip.
Do you need a reservation for the national parks near Burbank?
None of them gate the entrance itself. 6 put a specific road, hike, or backcountry trip behind a permit or timed ticket — Joshua Tree National Park Wilderness Backpacking Permits, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness Permits, and Death Valley National Park Wilderness Permits. These requirements are usually seasonal, so check the date you plan to arrive.
Where can you camp near Burbank?
Recreation.gov lists 54 campgrounds at the national parks within reach of Burbank. They are spread across 8 of those parks.
When is the best time to visit the parks near Burbank?
For Channel Islands National Park, the closest one, generally May, June, September, and early October. Either side of that, April and late October stays quieter.