National Parks

12 Best National Parks in California For Stunning Nature and Minimal Crowds

Skip Yosemite this year—hardened lava tubes, underwater kelp forests, and towering redwoods await.

January 9, 2023

The Painted Dunes as seen from the top of the Cinder Cone in Lassen Volcanic National Park.

National parks in California are an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, graced with generally mild weather and flush with jaw-dropping scenery at every turn. Of course, that means you might have to jostle for permits, photo ops, and parking spaces at well-loved marquee destinations like Yosemite, Sequoia, and Joshua Tree.

Luckily, the Golden State boasts a packed slate of equally wondrous public lands that showcase its stunning natural diversity, but draw only a fraction of the crowds. California is home to 9 national parks, the most of any state in the country—and they represent just a portion of a formidable 33 public lands overseen by the National Park Service in California, including state parks, national monuments, national historic trails, and more.

We invite you to expand your bucket list beyond the states classic national park destinations with the twelve places listed below, which include craggy seashores, biodiversity hotspots, geologic marvels, volcanic landscapes, alpine shangri-las—nearly all of which are criminally underrated. Keep in mind that due to the ongoing effects of climate change, wildfire has become a year-round threat across most of the western United States, including California; be sure to call ahead or check park websites for information on fire-related closures before hitting the road.

Below, the public lands and national parks in California you need to visit.

This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

Kojihirano/Getty
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Although the 2021 Dixie Fire charred over 70,000 acres within its boundary, the geothermal wonderland that is Lassen Volcanic National Park is (mostly) back in business. Luckily, its namesake feature, and everything else located west of the park’s main road, remains unscathed. Score awe-inspiring views of Lassen Peak from the 1.7-mile Manzanita Lake Loop, or grab a set of trekking poles and haul yourself up to the dormant lava dome’s 10,457-foot summit via a 5-mile round-trip hike; it’s worth the short detour to traverse the massive crater en route. Save time to savor the strange sights at the ominously named Bumpass Hell, a burbling collection of boiling springs, mud pots, and steaming fumaroles that hint at all the red-hot action happening just below the earth’s crust.
Getty
Carrizo Plain National Monument
This expansive grassland is best known for the vibrant wildflower displays that carpet its rolling hills following a wet winter. But that’s not the only reason to visit this quiet Central Valley outpost, whose dynamic topography was formed by seismic action along the San Andreas Fault. This biological hotspot teems with wildlife, including tule elk and pronghorn antelope. A good set of binoculars will bring you closer to the action, but you won’t need them to take in the bright white alkali flats of massive Soda Lake, which occupies much of the park’s northern end.

Michael Pumilia/Getty
Emerald Bay State Park
Perched on Lake Tahoe’s southwest shore, what this small slice of glacier-carved heaven lacks in acreage more than makes up for with expansive views of gemstone waters and towering peaks. From the parking lot, enjoy a postcard vista that includes tiny Fannette Island, then descend a steep mile on foot to reach lakeside Vikingsholm, a nearly 100-year-old Scandinavian-inspired castle that offers paid tours between Memorial Day weekend and late September. If snorkeling or scuba diving’s your thing, don a pair of flippers to kick around the underwater Maritime Heritage Trail, which features interpretive signage and a bevy of sunken vessels. After coming up for air, swim, SUP, or steer your favorite watercraft to the park’s boat-in campground, where you can bed down beneath a stand of fragrant pines.
Getty
Giant Sequoia National Monument
Many folks who venture into the western Sierra Nevada make a beeline for the superstar duo of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Avoid the resulting automotive conga lines by instead visiting this arboreal sanctuary, which is split across two sections of the Sequoia National Forest. This preserve contains almost three-dozen groves of its namesake specimen, considered the largest tree in the world for its impressive girth. To feel small in the best possible way, head straight for the Long Meadow Grove’s paved, 1.3-mile Trail of 100 Giants.

Getty
Channel Islands National Park
Accessible only via boat or plane, this string of islands anchored off the southern California coast comprises one of the least-visited national parks in California—and the country. Its isolation makes the chain a biodiversity hotspot, home to endemic species like the tiny (and impossibly cute) island fox. Plan to spend at least one night camped on the largest island, Santa Cruz, where you can split your time between hiking its mountainous interior and sea kayaking along its cave-dotted shoreline.
Getty
Mojave National Preserve
The Mojave Desert sits between the Great Basin and Sonoran Deserts at this 1.6-million-acre wonderland, located just an hour from Las Vegas. While it’s dotted with rugged peaks, calcified lava flows, and volcanic cinder cones, there’s also plenty of soft sand, and some of the best is located at Kelso Dunes. A two-mile round-trip hike (or slog) deposits you at its crest. There, listen for (or create) a rare natural booming sound, best heard when a large group shoves sand off the top while descending. For something a little more solid, tackle the 1.5-mile Rings Loop, which ventures past petroglyphs before ascending a steep rock wall via a set of metal holds.

Getty
Sand to Snow National Monument
The name says it all—this ecologically diverse gem stretches from the sun-baked Sonoran Desert in its lower reaches up to the snow-capped granite of San Gorgonio Mountain, the tallest peak in southern California. Beginning at the Whitewater Canyon Preserve visitor center, a 10-mile round-trip hike along the Pacific Crest Trail deposits you at a viewpoint where you can soak in the jaw-dropping contrast. Save time to visit Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, just east of the monument. Its lush wetlands—a desert anomaly—serve as a popular stopover for migrating birds.
Hadel Productions/Getty
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
While Redwoods National Park might get all the glory, its northerly neighbor offers just as much arboreal magic with endless groves of coast redwoods, the tallest trees on earth. Gawk at these giants from the comfort of your vehicle while cruising the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, or get up close via a spider web of short trails fanning out from the visitor center, several of which are accessible to mobility devices. While you’re in the area, hop on the 1.3-mile Elk Prairie loop for a chance to spot majestic Roosevelt elk hoofing around the idyllic meadowlands. Then, step back in time on a 0.7-mile jaunt through Fern Canyon, a verdant cleave in the hills that served as a prehistoric set piece in Jurassic Park.

Getty
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Located less than two hours northeast of San Diego, California’s largest state park occupies over a half million acres of primo Colorado Desert real estate laced with sandy canyons, palm oases, and rocky peaks. View a handful of the park’s estimated one thousand plant species at the visitor center garden, which explodes with blooms come early spring. While there, request directions to The Slot, a winding 1.5-mile roundtrip trail that’s an easy, but thrilling, hike for all ages. Be sure to pack your tent and download a night sky app before arriving—this International Dark Sky Park is a stargazer’s paradise.
Getty
Pinnacles National Park
Despite the title upgrade, California’s newest national park (designated by President Obama in 2013) is also one of its best-kept secrets. Its namesake rock formations—ancient volcanic spires carved by erosion—serve as critical habitat for endangered California condors, a species whose nearly 10-foot wingspan makes it the largest flight bird in North America. Immerse yourself in condor country with an 8.4-mile loop that links a fun scramble through Balconies Cave with a traverse of the park’s vertiginous High Peaks section.

Getty
Point Reyes National Seashore
One of the state’s most beloved features is its 3,427 miles of coastline, much of it—including this spectacular stretch—far more rugged than SoCal’s urban beaches might have you believe. The star attractions here are craggy bluffs, where you can scan for gray whales during their winter migration, tule elk roaming the striking Tomales Point peninsula, and elephant seals reclining on isolated beaches below Chimney Rock. Don't forget to get low—when the tide recedes, shoreline pools teem with colorful aquatic life.
Getty
Devils Postpile National Monument
It might appear as a blip on the map, but this tiny chunk of the Ansel Adams Wilderness holds an impressive geologic marvel—a soaring, geometric stack of basalt columns formed after a lava flow cooled and fractured over 80,000 years ago. After viewing it from both its base and the top (which looks like a perfectly laid tile floor), make the five-mile roundtrip to bask in the spray at Rainbow Falls. Backpackers can reserve a permit to hike even further along the Nüümü Poyo (John Muir Trail), which passes through the monument.