National parks near Hawthorne, Nevada
Yosemite National Park is the closest national park to Hawthorne, Nevada — 67.2 mi (108 km) in a straight line, which works out to roughly 2 hr 2 min behind the wheel.
Yosemite makes a full day trip — leave early. Kings Canyon, Sequoia, Death Valley, Pinnacles, and Lassen Volcanic are better with a night booked nearby.
Nothing near Hawthorne gates the entrance itself, but 6 of the parks in range put a road, hike, or backcountry trip behind a permit or timed ticket.
Hawthorne has a population of about 3,269.
National parks near Hawthorne
| Park | Straight-line distance | Estimated drive | Realistic trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yosemite National Park | 67.2 mi (108 km) | 2 hr 2 min | Doable as a day trip |
| Kings Canyon National Park | 119 mi (192 km) | 3 hr 16 min | Best as a weekend |
| Sequoia National Park | 140 mi (225 km) | 3 hr 46 min | Best as a weekend |
| Death Valley National Park | 186 mi (300 km) | 4 hr 52 min | Best as a weekend |
| Pinnacles National Park | 198 mi (319 km) | 5 hr 8 min | Best as a weekend |
| Lassen Volcanic National Park | 205 mi (330 km) | 5 hr 18 min | Best as a weekend |
| Great Basin National Park | 235 mi (378 km) | 6 hr 1 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Channel Islands National Park | 315 mi (507 km) | 7 hr 54 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Zion National Park | 315 mi (508 km) | 7 hr 55 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Redwood National Park | 343 mi (552 km) | 8 hr 35 min | Worth a longer road trip |
What to book before you leave Hawthorne
| 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 |
| Death Valley | Death Valley National Park 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 |
| Zion | Angels Landing: Fall (Hikes on September 1 – November 30) | One hike or backcountry trip | Permit or lottery |
Camping near Hawthorne
Within reach of Hawthorne, 64 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 Hawthorne 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 |
| Sequoia → Death Valley | 101 mi (162 km) | 2 hr 50 min |
| Yosemite → Sequoia | 108 mi (174 km) | 3 hr |
Planning a trip from Hawthorne
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.
Common questions
What is the closest national park to Hawthorne?
Yosemite National Park. It is about 67.2 mi (108 km) from Hawthorne, roughly 2 hr 2 min of driving.
Can I do a national park day trip from Hawthorne?
Yes — Yosemite National Park is within about a three-hour drive.
How many national parks are near Hawthorne?
10 parks are within reach of Hawthorne, 1 of them close enough for a day trip.
Do you need a reservation for the national parks near Hawthorne?
None of them gate the entrance itself. 6 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 Hawthorne?
Recreation.gov lists 64 campgrounds at the national parks within reach of Hawthorne. They are spread across 9 of those parks.
When is the best time to visit the parks near Hawthorne?
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.