California national parks
9 California national parks are spread from Redwood National Park in the north to Joshua Tree National Park in the south.
6 of the 9 have something on Recreation.gov to book before you arrive, and every one of those covers a single hike, road, or tour rather than getting into the park.
Driving between these parks
5 of them form one chain in which every park is within a 4-hour drive of another in the group: Death Valley, Kings Canyon, Pinnacles, Sequoia, and Yosemite.
| From | To | Distance | Estimated drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kings Canyon National Park | Sequoia National Park | 21.1 mi (33.9 km) | 48 min |
| Kings Canyon National Park | Yosemite National Park | 88 mi (142 km) | 2 hr 32 min |
| Death Valley National Park | Sequoia National Park | 101 mi (162 km) | 2 hr 50 min |
| Pinnacles National Park | Yosemite National Park | 131 mi (211 km) | 3 hr 33 min |
| Lassen Volcanic National Park | Redwood National Park | 142 mi (228 km) | 3 hr 48 min |
Drive times come from straight-line distance and a road-circuity factor, not from a routing service, so use them to sort options rather than to plan an arrival time.
Parks no road reaches
Channel Islands National Park has no road link to the rest of California, so it cannot join a driving route. Reached by concession boat or small plane from Ventura or Oxnard.
What to book before you go
Recreation.gov lists 7 permits or lotteries and 4 guided tours for California national parks, and each park's own page carries its full list.
Recreation.gov lists 65 campgrounds at 8 California parks, all of them bookable in advance.
When to go
California national parks run on 4 seasonal calendars rather than one, and the largest group is 4 parks best July through mid-September, once the high country is clear of snow.
Afternoon thunderstorms build fast above treeline in summer. Start early and be off exposed ridges by early afternoon.
Pick the park before the month. A date that works for Kings Canyon National Park can be the wrong month for Death Valley National Park, which is best March through May, then October through November.
All 9 California national parks
| Park | Where | Best window | Book ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Islands National Park | CA | May, June, September, and early October | Campsites only |
| Death Valley National Park | CA | March through May, then October through November | Permit or reservation |
| Joshua Tree National Park | CA | March through May, then October through November | Permit or reservation |
| Kings Canyon National Park | CA | July through mid-September, once the high country is clear of snow | Permit or reservation |
| Lassen Volcanic National Park | CA | July through mid-September, once the high country is clear of snow | Permit or reservation |
| Pinnacles National Park | CA | May, June, September, and early October | Campsites only |
| Redwood National Park | CA | May through October | Nothing on Recreation.gov |
| Sequoia National Park | CA | July through mid-September, once the high country is clear of snow | Permit or reservation |
| Yosemite National Park | CA | July through mid-September, once the high country is clear of snow | Permit or reservation |
Go state by state
Each state page lists that state's parks and the towns closest to them, which is the quicker route when you already know where you are starting from.
Other U.S. regions
Common questions
Do any California national parks need a reservation just to get in?
No California national park sells a park-wide entry reservation on Recreation.gov, where the bookings cover individual hikes, roads, tours, and campsites. Entry rules are set park by park and change between years, so check the park's own site for your dates.
Which two California national parks are closest together?
Kings Canyon National Park and Sequoia National Park are the closest pair in California, roughly 48 min apart by road.
When is the best time to visit California?
4 national parks in California are best July through mid-September, once the high country is clear of snow, which is the largest single group. The remaining 5 run on different calendars, so the answer depends on which park you are going to.
How many campgrounds do California national parks have?
California national parks have 65 campgrounds on Recreation.gov, all of them reservable in advance.
Which states this covers
California on this site means California.
One state, split out of the Census Bureau Pacific division because it holds nine parks in four different climates.