If you wish to know the greatest Nationwide Parks close to San Francisco, you’ve come to the best place.
San Francisco is without doubt one of the most lovely cities on this planet, however do you know that it is usually inside driving distance of a number of the greatest Nationwide Parks within the nation? Whereas this superb metropolis is well-known for its sights and vacationer points of interest just like the Golden Gate Bridge, many individuals don’t understand that it’s the good place to see a number of nationwide parks close to San Francisco!
For these touring to California, town of San Francisco is usually a nice start line for exploring far more than simply massive cities. It’s strategically positioned very near many breathtaking areas to see, all inside a straightforward day’s drive!
Nationwide Parks Close to San Francisco
Apart from the few nice nationwide parks discovered inside driving distance of San Francisco, there are additionally loads of Nationwide Leisure Areas, Nationwide Monuments, Nationwide Preserves, and State Parks to discover. I put collectively all these locations to offer you a listing of areas and virtually limitless choices!
1. Golden Gate Nationwide Recreation Space
Distance: 10 miles, Driving time: 20 minutes
Golden Gate Nationwide Recreation Space is probably the most well-liked vacationer vacation spot in San Francisco and simply probably the most recognizable and iconic. This park encompasses over 80,000 acres and contains scenic views, totally different biospheres, and even historic websites.
A few of the extra distinguished and common of those websites embody a museum commemorating the constructing of the Golden Gate Bridge, Level Bonita Lighthouse, and the notorious Alcatraz Island.
Apart from these points of interest, this park has loads of scenic mountaineering trails the place you possibly can get pleasure from seeing the plentiful wildlife. That is one park you don’t want to overlook, as it’s far more than simply seeing this historic landmark!
2. Muir Woods Nationwide Monument
Distance: 20 miles, Driving time: 40 minutes
Discovered solely 40 minutes from San Francisco, Muir Woods Nationwide Monument has grown in recognition over time and is now one of many Bay space’s greatest points of interest. It’s the good vacation spot for nature and forest lovers.
Established in 1908, this park permits guests to hike amongst coastal redwoods, a number of the tallest bushes discovered wherever on this planet.
With a number of mountaineering trails and surreal forest groves, this place will be very talked-about, relying on the time of 12 months. Be sure you arrive early to make sure a parking spot, that is one park you’ll not wish to miss!
3. Level Reyes Nationwide Seashore
Distance: 40 miles, Driving time: 1 hour
Being in California means some lovely ocean sights, and probably the greatest ones is Level Reyes Nationwide Seashore. This place is residence to some superb cliffs and rocks with an ocean backdrop that gives a number of the most beautiful views in the entire state.
Level Reyes additionally acts as a large coastal wildlife protect, defending over 1,500 totally different animal and plant species with its distinctive and exquisite shorelines.
When visiting Level Reyes Nationwide Seashore, don’t overlook to go to Level Reyes Lighthouse.
When you love animals, Level Reyes is the place to go to. House to the uncommon Tule elk, seal colonies, and migrating gray whales, you by no means know what sort of wildlife you would possibly see!
4. Pinnacles Nationwide Park
Distance: 125 miles, Driving time: 2.10 hours
If exploring and climbing massive cliffs, caves, and rocks sound like your thought of enjoyable, then Pinnacles Nationwide Park can be an excellent nationwide park to go to. Positioned within the coronary heart of the Salinas Valley, this park is filled with cliffs, caves, and constructions shaped by an historic volcano that erupted 23 million years in the past.
Whereas well-known for its mountaineering and mountaineering, this park can also be well-known for being one of many 4 locations the place critically endangered California condors are bred and launched into the wild.
Guests to this park will simply get their fill of pure wonders, nice mountaineering trails, and considerable wildlife. And solely somewhat over a two-hour drive from town, this park makes for a wonderful day journey!
5. Level Lobos State Reserve
Distance: 120 miles, Driving time: 2 hours
Level Lobos State Reserve has been referred to as one of many best shorelines on this planet and is known as “the crown jewel of Califonia’s state parks.” Individuals flock right here from all around the world to get pleasure from its diving, mountaineering trails, and scenic ocean vistas.
The wildlife discovered at Level Lobos is world-class, and right here you will discover sea lions, sea otters, elephant seals, harbor seals, and even killer whales!
From migrating whales, considerable wildlife, and coastal overlooks, there may be virtually no finish of gorgeous issues to see at Level Lobos State Reserve, and it is just a brief two-hour drive from San Fransisco!
Are you planning an epic journey to Level Lobos? Be certain that to verify the articles beneath:
6. Pfeiffer Large Sur State Park
Distance: 150 miles, Driving time: 2.30 hours
This superb state park is discovered proper the place California’s well-known redwoods meet their southernmost habitat, and the coastal surroundings is world famend due to the Large Sur coastal drive that winds by way of it.
A few of the extra common points of interest at this park, other than the coastal drive, is Pfeiffer Seashore and McWay Falls. Each supply some superb surroundings and pictures alternatives!
Nonetheless solely somewhat over 2 hours away, Pfeiffer Large Sur State Park is lots shut sufficient to San Francisco for a fast day and even half a day journey to go to. You’ll not remorse visiting this lovely state park!
7. Yosemite Nationwide Park
Distance: 170 miles, Driving time: 3 hours
Obtain the official Yosemite Nationwide Park Map (PDF)
Yosemite Nationwide Park is without doubt one of the most well-known parks in the USA, and plenty of are stunned to be taught that San Francisco is situated solely 3 brief hours away. It’s residence to large numbers of wilderness, granite cliffs, and a number of the most rugged terrains in California.
Yosemite has many nice locations to go to throughout the park, together with some superb rivers and waterfalls. Simply be ready, as this park will be very busy from April to November.
It’s straightforward to see why hikers and photographers fall in love with a spot like Yosemite, and San Francisco could possibly be the right staging level to go to this common nationwide park.
Are you planning an epic journey to Yosemite? Be certain that to verify the articles beneath:
8. Lassen Volcanic Nationwide Park
Distance: 240 miles, Driving time: 3.30 hours
Lassen Volcanic Nationwide Park is one other nationwide park near San Francisco, and the freeway that runs by way of it is without doubt one of the most breathtaking and scenic drives in all the nationwide park system.
This freeway passes two lovely alpine lakes, and each Emerald Lake and Lake Helen will blow you away. For hikers, Bumpass Hell Path is notorious for being an excellent hike with some steaming sulfur swimming pools as a reward to see!
Hikers will love this superb park, and the surroundings has a number of the greatest mountain and alpine views California provides.
9. Kings Canyon Nationwide Park
Distance: 240 miles, Driving time: 3.30 hours
Kings Canyon Nationwide Park sits proper subsequent to Sequoia Nationwide Park, however as a result of they’re so shut collectively, most individuals will go to them on the identical journey.
Kings provides views of the superb Kings Canyon, one of many deepest canyons within the nation, in addition to loads of totally different mountains, waterfalls, lakes, and mountaineering trails to discover.
The terrain right here is similar to Yosemite Nationwide Park, with fewer folks to take care of. It additionally has loads of tenting and horseback driving adventures for individuals who wish to discover it even additional!
10. Sequoia Nationwide Park
Distance: 260 miles, Driving time: 4 hours
As we talked about with Kings Canyon Nationwide Park, these two parks sit so shut collectively that they’re typically visited on the identical journey. However whereas Kings Canyon has its trademark canyon, Sequoia is legendary for its big bushes.
Sequoia Nationwide Park is a land filled with big redwood bushes, together with the world’s largest tree (by quantity) named Basic Sherman.
Guests to this park can wander across the groves of those big bushes, discover mountaineering trails, and luxuriate in scenic meadows and canyons. There are additionally some underground sights to discover referred to as Crystal Cave. Sequoia is properly definitely worth the drive from town, as each location right here is breathtaking.
11. Mono Lake Tufa State Pure Reserve
Distance: 250 miles, Driving time: 4.30 hours
This reserve was created to protect the favored “tufa towers,” naturally occurring spires and knobs shaped by the world’s freshwater springs and alkaline lake water. It additionally protects all of the native wildlife, together with the hundreds of thousands of birds touring to Mono Lake yearly.
Mono Lake itself covers over 65 sq. miles and is over 1,000,000 years outdated. This makes it one of many oldest lakes in North America!
Due to how outdated it’s, the entire salt and minerals have constructed up within the lake and it is extremely salty. These have contributed to the entire superb towers and formations which might be seen right here.
12. Redwood Nationwide and State Parks
Distance: 320 miles, Driving time: 5.30 hours
Obtain the official Redwood Nationwide Park Map (PDF)
Whereas this is without doubt one of the furthest drives from San Franciso, it may be the one that’s the most value it! These parks are in a league of their very own, and the enormous redwood bushes are one thing that everybody ought to see at the very least as soon as of their lifetime.
Whereas Sequoia Nationwide Park has the most important (per quantity) bushes on this planet, Redwood has the tallest bushes on this planet.
With a lot wilderness and trails to discover, you might spend an infinite period of time right here, and it nonetheless wouldn’t be sufficient. It may be a stretch for a day driving journey, however it’s properly value it!
Nationwide Parks Close to San Francisco| Conclusion
When visiting nationwide and state parks, it might generally be a problem to search out the right metropolis to fly or journey to with a purpose to startyour adventurer. Fortunately, there are locations like San Francisco which might be in shut proximity to so many various and superb pure wonders!