This realistic List of Best National Parks in California helps you plan your next fall adventure in “The Golden State”.

California is full of natural wonders. National parks protect some of the most iconic sights in this state.

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National Parks in California

California is home to 9 national parks. There are more national parks in California than in any other state in the US. Only Alaska comes close with 8 parks. All other states are quite far behind.

These national parks spread from California Oregon state line in the north to Southern California deserts. About half of the parks are in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.

The other parks protect deserts, islands, and giant trees. In a nutshell, there is a lot to see in California National Parks.

There is hardly a better time to visit these parks than the fall. All of the parks remain open at least through half of the season. The temperatures are milder. And the fall crowds are thinner.

America the Beautiful annual pass is a must-have when visiting National Parks in California and elsewhere in the US. This pass grants you free admission to all US national parks for a full year.

Channel Islands is the only exception. The park does not charge admission fees. But you need a boat or a ferry to reach it. Get ready to pay extra to visit this park.

You would also need a car to reach and explore most National Parks in California. Channel Islands is yet again an exception. You would not be able to bring your car to the islands.

Unless you reside in California or neighboring states and have a car, you need to rent one. It is quite convenient to do so at a airport in California you fly into.

1. Lassen Volcanic

Lassen Volcanic National Park is the best park in California to visit in the fall. This park has mountain peaks, Alpine meadows, powerful creeks, and mud pools. Best of all, there will be almost no crowds.

Less visitors mean a wide open road. The Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway is open from Memorial Day to Halloween. This 30-mi (48-km) scenic drive brings you to all the main sights in the park.

You can hike to Brokeoff Mountain and Lassen Peak. Ridge Lakes, Emerald Lake, and Lake Helen still have their captivating water colors. You can even see fall colors at Upper and Paradise Meadows.

The temperatures will start to cool down in the fall. But volcanic formations at Sulphur Works and Bumpass Hell will keep you warm even during the cooler mornings and evenings.

It will likely be too cold to kayak in Manzanita Lake. But look on the bright side. Fall is the time to capture amazing reflections of Chaos Crags and Loomis Peaks in the water.

Get ready for a 3-hour drive to Lassen Volcanic from Sacramento or a 4-hour drive from San Francisco. In the latter case, stop to see the Historic Ships at Hyde Street Pier and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Lassen Volcanic is outside of a day trip range for most visitors. You would likely need a place to stay near the park. Look for one in Chester on Lake Almanor, Red Bluff, or Redding.

You might want to extend your trip to see other sights in the region. From Redwood and Lava Beds to Crater Lake and Oregon Caves, there are plenty of places to visit.

2. Yosemite

Yosemite National Park is the second best California park to visit in the fall. You might be surprised by this fairly low ranking of this park.

If you go by the natural beauty alone, Yosemite has little competition in California and the world. The mountain peaks, waterfalls, and winding roads make Yosemite a picturesque destination.

The park is also just three hours from Sacramento and San Francisco Bay Area. But the combination of natural beauty and easily accessible location brings crowds to Yosemite.

You would experience constant delays when visiting the park. You could spend up to 4 hours just at the entrance stations to the park.

Once you are in the park, the story continues. The parking lots will be at capacity. The viewpoints will be packed. You will be hiking in a crowd to all main sights.

Yet, the beauty of Yosemite is worth a trouble to see it. Bridalveil Falls and Yosemite Falls, El Capitan and Half Dome, Glacier Point and Tioga Road. All of them are iconic places and formations.

There is no magic wand to beat the crowd. But it helps if you could visit on a weekday as early in the day as possible. Stay away from Yosemite on public holidays or during school breaks.

The visit to Yosemite in the fall is also a race against time. The Tioga Road closes after the first heavy snowfall of the season. It could take place any time between late October and mid November.

3. Death Valley

Death Valley rounds up the Top 3 of the Best National Parks in California to visit in the fall. Fall is some of the best times to visit Death Valley. The season brings more bearable temperatures to this park.

Yet, fall in Death Valley has less rainfall than winter and spring. It means that you can enjoy Dantes View, Artists Drive, and Badwater Basin in almost perfect weather.

Use the temperature to your advantage and explore more of the park. Head to Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, hike Desolation Canyon, and see Natural Bridge.

If the road conditions permit, drive on the unpaved roads to even more remote parts of the park. The Racetrack is quite a sight to see. The road to this attraction is an adventure in itself.

The park closed down after a devastating flood from Hurricane Hillary in August 2023. Many roads in Death Valley have been washed away. Check the current conditions page before you plan your trip.

Las Vegas, Nevada is the closest major city to Death Valley. You can reach the park in 2 hours from “The Sin City”. It is possible to visit Death Valley on a day trip for Vegas.

A drive from Los Angeles is 5 hours. You would want to stay somewhat near the park if you visit from LA. Look into Ridgecrest. It is the closest city with a few places to stay near Death Valley.

4. Pinnacles

Pinnacles National Park is an amazing park to visit in the fall. The park is less than two hours south of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is one of the easiest to reach national parks in the state.

But the location is only one reason to make a trip to Pinnacles. The park is a paradise for hikers. Fall brings cooler temperatures that make hiking even more enjoyable.

There is a lot to do in Pinnacles even if you take just short trails. You can go caving without a guide or an extra permit in Balconies Cave. Enjoy breathtaking views of Balconies Cliffs or the Monolith.

But you no longer have to limit yourself to shorter trails like Balconies Trail or Bear Gulch in the fall. Weather will not stand in your way of hiking to High Peaks or Chalone Peak.

As an added bonus, you could see some fall foliage in Pinnacles. Head to East Pinnacles to catch the best colors in the park. This area has a lot more deciduous trees than evergreen West Pinnacles.

Thanks to a short distance from the Bay Area, you can visit Pinnacles on a day trip. But stop in Monterey if you are afraid of running out of daytime in the fall. This town has a handful of nice places to stay.

5. Sequoia

Sequoia National Park is a world famous destination. This park protects some of the oldest and largest trees on the planet. The park became synonymous to its main attraction.

But there are other things to see in Sequoia National Park. Most visitors forget that Sequoia is also a mountain park. It means that you will enjoy amazing mountain vistas on your way to the groves.

This location is also a double-edged sword. Sequoia is one of the most remote national parks in the state. Los Angeles is 3.5 hours south of the park. The San Francisco Bay Area is 4 hours northwest.

But this will not be the end of your journey. It will take you almost another hour to reach the giant trees from the Foothills Visitor Center. Add this time to your trip if you plan on returning via the same route.

If you are traveling north, it could be a good idea to continue on the Generals Highway. This way, you could visit Sequoia National Forest and Kings Canyon National Park.

You will exit the parks near Grant Grove Village on the way to Fresno. Do not overlook the latter town if you are looking for a place to stay near Sequoia.

Other viable options for places to stay include Tulare and Visalia. These towns are closer to the Foothills. You could stay in Tulare on the way in and in Fresno on the way out of the park.

6. Redwood

Redwood in Northern California is another park centered around trees. This park protects the tallest trees in the world.

Many mistakenly assume that Sequoias are the oldest, largest, and tallest trees. The first two are true. But the last title goes to Redwoods.

Redwood is not a single park. Instead, it is a national park and a group of state parks. And, contrary to what you might think, some of the most famous redwood trees are in the state parks.

The Big Tree Wayside is in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Many other tall redwoods are in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Only the trees in Tall Trees Grove are solely in the National Park.

None of these parks charges entrance fees. So unless you study the park map closely, you are unlikely to even notice a change in parks.

But larger protected area presents you with a greater variety of sights. Redwood National and State Parks have some of the best coastlines. It easily rivals Big Sur in Central California.

Beaches, cliffs, lagoons, and river delta make Redwood a great coastal destination. In fact, you could often forget that the tallest trees should be the main attraction of this park.

Redwood is closer to Oregon than to most of California. A drive from San Francisco takes almost 5.5 hours. A long fall weekend is a great time to visit Redwood and its surrounding region.

Look for places to stay in Crescent City and Eureka. Both towns are right next to some of the most scenic parts of Redwood National and State Parks.

7. Channel Islands

Channel Islands National Park is a unique destination on this list. This park deserves to score higher on the List of Best National Parks in California.

You need a car and a boat to reach Channel Islands. The car brings you to the harbor. This part of the journey takes about 90 minutes from Los Angeles.

The boat crosses the Channel to the islands. This leg of the trip takes anywhere from 1 hour to 3 hours depending on the island you visit. A long boat ride is not for everyone.

Channel Islands National Park does not charge entrance fees. Yet, you would need to pay for the ferry. A return trip to Santa Cruz Island, one of the main destinations, costs $63 per person.

Trips to other islands are less frequent. They often cost even more. The cost factor makes visiting Channel Islands an expensive undertaking for large groups and families.

Boat cost aside, the park is an amazing destination for wildlife watching just off the coast of Los Angeles. You will likely see harbor seals and dolphins during your ferry ride.

Once on the island, you can take a number of hiking trails. You are almost certain to see island foxes when you hike. These cat like wild animals are very cute.

Still, it is best to delay your trip to Channel Islands to winter. This way, you could see whales during the ferry ride. You might also enjoy the blooming wildflower fields if you visit after heavy rainfall in the winter.

LA, Ventura, Oxnard, and Thousand Oaks are the best options for lodging. The City of Angels also gives you plenty of other things to do, like visiting Griffith Park and Observatory.

8. Kings Canyon

Kings Canyon National Park is a park right next to Sequoia. In fact, you will arrive in Kings Canyon if you continue on the Generals Highway. Grant Grove Village is home to the Visitor Center.

But this area is just a small part of Kings Canyon National Park. You would need to take the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway to Cedar Grove Visitor Center and Kanawyers.

This is the main gateway to the park. You could also see parts of Kings Canyon by taking Onion Valley Road or South Lake Road. These routes are both on the other side of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.

These mountain roads close in winter. As a result, any drive to Kings Canyon is hardly a walk in the park. It does not help that Cedar Grove area remains closed through all of 2023.

If you succeed at reaching the park, get ready for some lengthy hikes. There are very few day hikes and viewpoints in Kings Canyon. Still, the groves and mountains of Kings Canyon are a great sight in the fall.

You would need at least a weekend to explore Kings Canyon. Fresno is the best town for places to stay and dine. It is big enough to give you plenty of options to pick from.

9. Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree National Park is the second desert park on this List of Best California National Parks to Visit. But unlike Death Valley, this park cannot boast of a similar variety of sights.

Still, there are a few reasons to visit Joshua Tree. You can see weird looking Jumbo Rocks, Skull Rock, and Cap Rock. It is also a good idea to drive to Keys View for a scenic view of Coachella Valley.

Stop by Cholla Cactus Garden. This is a great place to study some of the desert plants up-close. As you get into a mood of exploring plants, it is time to enjoy countless Joshua Trees.

These plants are present all over the American Southwest. Yet, Joshua Tree National Park has some of the highest counts of Yucca Palms in the world.

Joshua Tree is a great escape from the city routine. You can reach the park in under 2.5 hours from Los Angeles. If you visit the park on a weekday, get ready for the infamous LA traffic.

You might also want to extend your visit to Joshua Tree by driving to the Cottonwood Area. Given the distances, you are looking at another 1.5 hours of driving inside the park.

In this case, it is a good idea to find a place to stay near the park. You are in luck. Coachella Valley is home to an annual festival and a tennis tournament. Both bring lots of visitors who need lodging.

Palm Springs and Twentynine Palms are small towns with plenty of places to stay. You should stop by the latter town just thanks to its unusual name.

Takeaways: Best California National Parks to Visit in Fall

National Parks in California are breathtaking during any season. But about half of these parks are in high mountains of Sierra Nevada.

Snowfall closes roads in Lassen Volcanic, Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon. As a result, you can only visit these parks in the summer and fall.

Summer brings crowds of families and tourists. You can lose hours trying to get into the more popular parks or looking for parking. Higher prices on places to stay round up a summer trip to California.

This makes fall a better season to visit national parks in California. Schoolchildren and students go back to school and college. Smaller crowds mean more affordable places to stay with more available spots.

Fall is your chance to see signature attractions without crowds. Yosemite, Sequoia, and Channel Islands would still have plenty of visitors.

But your visit to other parks will be a lot more enjoyable. Take a closer look at Lassen Volcanic, Kings Canyon, Redwood, and Death Valley.

Take a look at this Video Playlist of Best National Parks in California to Visit in the Fall. And visit the YouTube channel for the latest videos.

Frequently Asked Questions

Safe realist travels!