How to visit all of California's national parks in one epic road trip
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Loading... - Kirsten Cooper
- 01 Apr 2022
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If you go north, inland or even offshore, you’ll be treated to dazzlingly unique terrain, insanely diverse ecosystems and eyebrow-raising history lessons — all of which you can experience through the nine (yes, nine!) US national parks in the Golden State.
Each of these parks represents a distinct piece of California’s beautiful, multifaceted puzzle. Here's how to visit them all in a single trip that you’ll talk about — to anyone and everyone who will listen — for the rest of your life.
Breaking down the itinerary
· Total parks visited: nine
· The parks: Joshua Tree National Park, Sequoia National Park, Death Valley National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Pinnacles National Park, Yosemite National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Redwood National and State Parks, Channel Islands National Park
· Total trip time: 17 days, starting from Los Angeles
· Total mileage: 2,003 (may vary depending on your exact route and road closures)
Day one: Los Angeles to Joshua Tree National Park
Leave LA in the morning, and travel 131 miles to Joshua Tree, where you’ll camp.
Day two: Hang out in Joshua Tree
Spend the day in Joshua Tree National Park; camp here for a second night.
Where to stay
Joshua Tree National Park has several campgrounds. Take your pick, but book far in advance if your trip will take place between October and May — the cooler months are busy in the desert parks. If you want to lodge, check for availability in the nearby towns of Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms.
Need-to-know
Desert weather can change suddenly. It’s not uncommon for dampened fires to reignite when nighttime winds fan the embers. Make sure to fully put out your fire, and secure any items that may fly away in strong winds.
How to get around
Joshua Tree is a relatively small park and easy to navigate. Park Blvd runs through the entirety of the park, with offshoots to get to attractions. You can drive your vehicle to almost all of them, and trailheads too.
What to do while you’re here
Joshua Tree has several hikes ranging from easy to hard, and ample rock-climbing and bouldering opportunities. One fun thing to do in Joshua Tree is drive down Park Blvd to see the flora shift from Joshua Tree groves to thickets of yucca cacti.
Day 3: Joshua Tree to Death Valley National Park
Leave Joshua Tree in the morning and drive 228 miles to Death Valley, where you’ll camp or lodge.
Day 4: Take in the scenery in Death Valley
Spend the day in Death Valley National Park; camp or lodge here again.
Where to stay
Death Valley National Park has primitive and full-hookup campgrounds, and lodges ranging from basic to luxurious. All but one of the campgrounds are first-come, first-serve, but you need reservations for a lodge.
Need-to-know
Camping is probably not the best option if you visit Death Valley in the summer months — temperatures can remain high, up to 100ºF (38ºC) throughout the night, and spike as early as 9am. It's not a great idea in the middle of winter either, when temperatures can drop below freezing at night.
How to get around
The best way to get around Death Valley is by car. Highways stretch far and wide throughout the park, along with offshoot roads to get to attractions and trailheads. The National Park Service recommends keeping hiking to a minimum in the summer, due to extreme temperatures.
What to do while you’re here
Walk out to the biggest, sparkliest dunes at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes; drive Artists Drive to see mountains in shades of seafoam and mauve; visit Badwater Basin (the lowest place on earth at 282ft below sea level); and check out Ubehebe Crater on the north side of the park.
