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Located just below the California-Oregon border, Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park boasts fairytale rainforest trails winding through towering redwood groves and meandering through small creeks. It is also home to the Smith River, California's longest river.
Once home to the world's most winding railway and boasting extensive hiking trails, Mount Tamalpais north of San Francisco now entices visitors with its sweeping panoramic views. It also features the annual outdoor Mountain Play in May and June, performed in a stone amphitheater dating back to the 1930s.
There are over a dozen impressive waterfalls scattered throughout Yosemite National Park. The ideal time to visit the waterfalls is in the spring, when the melting snow and rains create a spectacular sight. Yosemite Falls, at 2,425 feet, is one of the tallest waterfalls in the world and one of the only places where you can witness the "lunar arc"—a rainbow that appears on a clear spring night under a full moon.
Point Lobos is the last remaining nature reserve where you can snorkel with sea otters and gray whales in the morning, visit a historic Chinese fisherman's boat cabin in the afternoon, and then sunbathe with seals beside a small, colban-blue bay.
Salt Point State Park in Sonoma protects underwater ecosystems, coastal meadows, and forests of Douglas fir, oak, and heather. The park is home to coastal salt deposits, once harvested by the Kashaya Pomo Native Americans. Visit to explore the tafoni rock formations at South Girstle Cove, and the tidal pools teeming with red abalone, sea urchins, crabs, and starfish.
The green jewel of the Sierra National Forest – Bass Lake – is located 30 minutes from the southern entrance to Yosemite. The lake averages 75°F throughout the summer, perfect for water sports, including jet skiing and kayaking. Angel Falls, located north of the National Park, is also a beautiful spot for a dip.
Redwood trees in Portola Redwoods State Park
The Yuba River in Northern California
Bidwell Park
Samuel P. Taylor Park
Martin Beach is located in Crescent Bay, in Southern San Mateo County.
Death Valley is part of Mosaic Canyon.
Bordering the Gold Rush towns and the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains, Carpenter Valley is preserved and protected by the Trucklee Donner Land Trust. You can take five-mile hikes through the wetlands and alums and experience the forest habitat, home to black bears, mountain lions, bobcats, and wolves.
As a small part of the Klamath Mountains, the Trinity Alps wilderness is the second largest wilderness area in California, with peaks reaching up to 9,000 feet. The centuries-old horse trails here bear the footprints of miners. Visitors often stroll through meadows of wildflowers, rugged mountain peaks, and willow-lined streams.
Butano State Park
Pinnacles National Park
On the eastern edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains lies Uvas Canyon County Park, featuring a mile-long cascade of waterfalls cascading over rocks and moss. Uvas Canyon is the native habitat of the yerba santa shrub, cultivated by Californian Native American tribes for medicinal purposes. Today, the plant is being studied for its potential treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
Hendy Woods State Park, located 2.5 hours north of San Francisco, is home to grey foxes, bursting with spring foliage, and thousands-year-old redwood forests. The Navarro River, which flows through the park, is a favorite spot for boaters and swimmers.
Adjacent to Golden Gate Park, San Francisco Beach is a favorite and challenging surfing spot for many.
Moss landing is home to thousands of pelicans, snow ducks, and other birds.
Nga Nguyen
- Source: National Geographic
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