According to statistics, 63% of Americans do not have a passport, and 38% have never had one at all. This document, mandatory for traveling abroad for us, is simply not needed by many US residents. Why? Because these lucky people own a huge number of the most stunning sights in their country. Stretch out your hand and you will touch the skyscrapers of New York. Stretch out your other hand and you will touch the thousand-year-old sequoias.
Among the main tourist destinations, Americans themselves consider the national parks of their country. Especially those located in the west, in sunny California. I responsibly declare: having driven through these natural locations, I understood why Americans are not so eager to go abroad. What else can surprise the world after the majestic Yosemite and the Martian Death Valley?
How to get to California’s national parks: only by car! š
In our post about organizing an independent trip to California, we listed two main ways to travel along the west coast of the USA: a bus tour and a car. So, in the case of national parks, you will have to abandon the pluralism of opinions – only cars.
No, of course, most parks can be reached by public transportation. For example, for those arriving in Yosemite and Kings Canyon, they even set up a separate regional airport in Fresno. But then the long, painful and very time-limited journey on the few shuttle buses will begin.
America is a country of free travelers who never venture out into the prairie without their iron mustangs. Follow this example and book a car at one of the many rental offices.
š§ Did you know thatā¦: How much time should you set aside to travel between parks and visit them? It depends on your schedule. It is quite possible, but not very advisable, to not only visit one of the parks in one day, but also get to another for the night. There are nine large national parks in California, each of which will give you a lot of impressions. But it is better to choose four or five of the most attractive ones and devote at least one full day to each of them.
Life hacks for visiting parks š”
Most national parks in the US charge an entrance fee. The fee is charged per vehicle (regardless of the number of passengers), so you can consider the entrance ticket as a payment for parking for 7 days. Visiting Death Valley will cost you $30 per car, Yosemite – $35. A full list of fees can be found on the official NPS (National Park Service) website.
š” Expert Tip: If you plan to visit 3 or more US national parks in a year (not just California), itās a much better deal to purchase an annual āAmerica the Beautifulā pass . It costs $80 and gives you unlimited access to all national parks and federal recreation areas for one vehicle.
When driving through national parks, be careful and slow down. During the high season, there are a lot of tourists there, who, like you, are looking around more than at the road. Emergency braking and unexpected maneuvers due to wild animals running out onto the road are very common.
It is always worth remembering that parks are wildlife areas. It is possible to encounter predators (bears, cougars), so avoid remote trails, do not leave food in the car in a visible place and do not walk late. I also advise you to choose high, sturdy shoes that will protect you from reptile bites: this is a rarity, but poisonous rattlesnakes are found in parks.
At the same time, the shoes should be comfortable, as you will have to move a lot. Be sure to bring warm clothes (there can be significant temperature drops in the mountains) and raincoats. This is especially true for visiting Yosemite, one of the trails of which leads under the powerful spray of a waterfall.
š Reference information: It is worth studying the trail maps (hiking routes) in the parks you plan to visit in advance on the NPS website. This will save you time on the spot, as well as avoid a path that may be beyond your capabilities. If you want to spend the night in the park, you can do so only in specially designated campsites, which must be booked many months in advance. Hotels inside the parks themselves will be several times more expensive than outside them. And even then, the demand for them is extremely high.
National parks: from mountain giants to scorching deserts
California nature excites and inspires, captivates and makes you reconsider the formula for a perfect trip. I wanted to stay in each of the national parks for a week. Unfortunately, I didn’t have that much time. Most likely, you won’t have it either. Therefore, we have chosen several of the most famous locations that are definitely worth visiting. In total, there are nine national and several dozen local parks in California.
Yosemite (Yosemite National Park)
Let’s start our guide with one of the most famous and most visited parks in the USA. If I were asked what the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in the world is, I would answer without hesitation – Yosemite Park. My travel priorities and ideas about outdoor recreation were turned upside down after a trip there. The park gave me only one reason to be upset – that I spent very little time there.
Yosemite is a place that no one will ever walk around. Its vast expanse includes oak groves on the plains and alpine meadows, kilometer-deep gorges and waterfalls falling from barely visible heights. I advise you to study the park’s trail map in advance and have an idea of āāwhere you are going when you enter. The must-see list includes Bridalveil Falls, Horsetail, the granite rock of El Capitan, Sentinel Dome and Half Dome mountains.
My favorite hiking trail is the Yosemite Falls Trail. Itās four miles one way, and every step up is a breathless, tiring, aching hike for the body, and an endless feast for the eyes. Itās a great challenge for the body, but be careful in the last third of the climb, as the spray from the waterfalls makes the rocky trail very slippery.
Sequoia National Park
The sadness of Yosemite’s abandoned beauty will be dispelled by two other parks, Sequoia and Kings Canyon. They are located next to each other and are managed as a single entity, so you pay once for entry.
The object that captivates tourists in Sequoia Park is, of course, the Giant Forest, which is home to five of the 10 largest trees in the world by volume. Including the oldest giant, a sequoiadendron named āGeneral Shermanā. This 85-meter giant is the largest tree on Earth by volume. Its age is estimated at 2300-2700 years! After such an encounter, you begin to perceive time and your own place in the world differently. It reminds you of how important it is to have something stable and reliable in your own life, for example, a comfortable chair that will be your personal place of strength.
Kings Canyon National Park
Although Sequoia National Park is named after the trees, Kings Canyon boasts the largest concentration of sequoias, particularly in Grant Grove, which is home to the second largest tree in the world, General Grant, which is also the United States’ National Christmas Tree.
But the main gem of the park is Kings Canyon itself. It is one of the deepest canyons in North America, in some places even deeper than the famous Grand Canyon. Unlike Sequoia, this park is less visited, which allows you to enjoy the greatness of nature in greater peace and quiet.
Death Valley National Park
š Important warning: Visiting Death Valley in the summer (May to September) is extremely dangerous. The air temperature here regularly exceeds +50Ā°C, making it the hottest place on Earth. The best time to visit is from October to April.
This is a place of extreme contrasts. The lowest, driest and hottest point in North America. Here you will find the Badwater Basin salt flats (-86 meters below sea level), the āmoving rocksā on the dried-up lake of Racetrack Playa, the amazing colored hills of the Artist’s Palette and the golden dunes of Mesquite Flat. The landscapes here are so otherworldly that many scenes for the movie āStar Warsā (planet Tatooine) were filmed here.
Joshua Tree National Park
This park is the meeting point of two deserts: the Mojave and the Colorado. Its hallmark is the bizarre Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia), which are actually giant lilies. In addition to the unique trees, the park is famous for its surreal rock formations of granite monoliths, making it a mecca for rock climbers.
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