Los Angeles is a city famous for its celebrities, beach life, and charisma. Geographically located on the coast of Southern California, it is more than just Hollywood as it offers excellent national park road trips. After all, California has the best national parks in America. This article highlights the best national parks found within reach of Los Angeles. The parks have a lot to offer, ranging from waterfalls, canyons, hiking trails, campgrounds, and rock climbing.

Yosemite National Park

The national park records the highest number of visitations in summer compared to spring and fall; thus, it usually becomes overcrowded. If you do not wish for overcrowding, it is recommended to visit the park during spring or fall. It is located 280 miles from Los Angeles, approximately a 5-hour drive. Yosemite Park characterizes the ideal picture of what a park should be. These range from; scenic drives, waterfalls, fall foliage, wildlife, granite rock walls, and beautiful views. The following are features that are considered the heart of this national park:

• The Tunnel view
• The Yosemite Valley
• Half Dome and the Merced River
• Home to El Capitan
• Yosemite and Bridalveil Falls.

In addition, the park harbors the giant sequoias and Meadows, which feature lakes and wildflowers.

Joshua Tree National Park

The park is one of the many parks closest to Los Angeles. It lies about 130 miles which is simply 2.5 hours from the city. While leaving the city, you will be immersed in America’s most extraordinary desert scenery. The park’s landscape consists of dotted iconic Joshua trees monopolized by heaps of boulders and rocks. The backdrop is made up of the Barren hills, while the vibrant contrast is constituted of the blue skies and browns of the Californian deserts. Daytime famous activities range from rock climbing, hikes, and road cycling. The park is also one of the best places in the country for stargazing. A day trip to Joshua Tree Park is possible, although camping a couple of nights at Jumbo Rocks Campground is recommended.

Pinnacles National Park

Just west of the San Andreas Fault is where this park is located. Partly, the volcanic field encircles the Pinnacles Park. The park’s field is split into two halves by the fault split. Its formation comprises the monoliths and rock, which are dragged to the north while the other half stays about 195 miles southern. It is geographically located 270 miles north of Los Angeles. It is roughly a 5-hour drive through the Salinas Valley farmlands away from the city. Unlike the other famous parks, Pinnacles National Park is less popular and less visited in California. The park has geological history and spectacular scenery, including the high peaks trail suitable for hiking. It is home to the Bear Gulch, one of the most impressive cave types reachable via a hiking trail. It is also one of the fewest locations to be of interest to birders since condors are bred and released into the wild. Additionally, there are suitable and practical outdoor activities while visiting the park, such as camping and rock climbing.

Channel Islands National Park

The park is located 70 miles off the California coast and approximately 3.5 hours from Los Angeles if you go on a boat ride from Ventura. It consists of eight islands. Five out of the eight are protected as Channel Islands National Park. They are collectively referred to as the “Galapagos of North America” since it harbors over 2000 species of plants and animals. The point at which the cool and warm ocean currents meet harbors enormous biodiversity from the waters surrounding the island. Therefore, these waters house animals of all kinds and different sizes. You can easily see dolphins, seals, gray whales, and humpbacks from the mainland during a boat ride. Some uncommon species, such as blue and fin whales, have occasionally been sighted in the summer. The Channel Islands Park is famous for wildlife viewing, particularly among scuba divers.

Death Valley National Park

In the continental U.S, this is the largest national park surrounded by various landscapes. Death Valley Park is located approximately 210 miles east, about 4 hours from Los Angeles. The scenery is nothing but fantastic views from the hidden canyons, mountain peaks covered in snow, volcanic craters, colossal dunes, and what looks like endless salt flats. Besides the campgrounds in this park, there are also developed areas which include Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek. The rest being desert wilderness, it is suitable for hiking. The park also comprises several sites of interest to visit, such as; the lowest point in North America (Badwater Basin). Additionally, there are major Death Valley highlights which include:

•  Dante’s view and Zabriskie’s point
• The Artists Drive
• The Golden Canyon
• The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
• International sky Park with a spectacular night sky

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park

These two parks are among the most popular national parks. The two are separate parks that lie side by side, roughly 240 miles from Los Angeles. These twin parks are overseen together by National Park Service, geographically located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, a 5-hour drive away from the city. Sequoia and Kings Canyon have a natural variety compared to other parks. Only a few can match up to what these parks offer. Sequoia National Park harbors the Giant Forest, home to Earth’s largest living tree (German Sherman). Giant Forest also homes about five other of the world’s most enormous trees and Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in America. Kings Canyon National Park comprises one of the deepest canyons in America, roughly a mile deep. It harbors one of the second world’s most giant trees (General Grant). The park also provides hiking amidst the towering trees, peculiarly at Grant and Cedar Grove. The Magnificent Generals Highway is one of America’s most impressive national park roads that connects the two national parks.

Conclusion

Most of the mentioned national parks above are easy driving distance from Los Angeles. Judging from the time and distance, so long as traffic cooperates, one can easily access them within a maximum of a 5-hours. Some national parks can take a day to visit, while others need an overnight stay to make the most out of the trip. Additionally, there is an excellent possibility of combining some of these national parks, if not all, in an epic road trip. These parks are undoubtedly the most unique and appealing to everyone, thus a must-to-do road trip.