If you wish to know the greatest National Parks close to San Francisco, you’ve come to the precise place.
San Francisco is likely one of the most lovely cities on this planet, however do you know that it’s also inside driving distance of a few of the greatest National Parks within the nation? While this wonderful metropolis is well-known for its sights and vacationer points of interest just like the Golden Gate Bridge, many individuals don’t notice that it’s the good place to see a number of nationwide parks close to San Francisco!
For these touring to California, the town of San Francisco could be a nice place to begin for exploring way more than simply massive cities. It is strategically positioned very near many breathtaking places to see, all inside a simple day’s drive!
National Parks Near San Francisco
Aside from the few nice nationwide parks discovered inside driving distance of San Francisco, there are additionally loads of National Recreational Areas, National Monuments, National Preserves, and State Parks to discover. I put collectively all these locations to offer you an inventory of places and virtually limitless choices!
1. Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Distance: 10 miles, Driving time: 20 minutes
Golden Gate National Recreation Area is maybe 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.
Some of the extra distinguished and widespread of those websites embody a museum commemorating the constructing of the Golden Gate Bridge, Point Bonita Lighthouse, and the notorious Alcatraz Island.
Aside from these points of interest, this park has loads of scenic mountaineering trails the place you’ll be able to take pleasure in seeing the plentiful wildlife. This is one park you do not need to overlook, as it’s way more than simply seeing this historic landmark!
2. Muir Woods National Monument
Distance: 20 miles, Driving time: 40 minutes
Found solely 40 minutes from San Francisco, Muir Woods National Monument has grown in reputation over time and is now one of many Bay space’s greatest points of interest. It is the proper vacation spot for nature and forest lovers.
Established in 1908, this park permits guests to hike amongst coastal redwoods, a few of the tallest bushes discovered wherever on this planet.
With a number of mountaineering trails and surreal forest groves, this place might be extremely popular, relying on the time of 12 months. Be positive to reach early to make sure a parking spot, that is one park you’ll not wish to miss!
3. Point Reyes National Seashore
Distance: 40 miles, Driving time: 1 hour
Being in California means some lovely ocean sights, and probably the greatest ones is Point Reyes National Seashore. This place is house to some wonderful cliffs and rocks with an ocean backdrop that gives a few of the most beautiful views in the entire state.
Point Reyes additionally acts as an enormous coastal wildlife protect, defending over 1,500 totally different animal and plant species with its distinctive and exquisite shorelines.
When visiting Point Reyes National Seashore, don’t neglect to go to Point Reyes Lighthouse.
If you like animals, Point Reyes is the place to go to. Home 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 National Park
Distance: 125 miles, Driving time: 2.10 hours
If exploring and climbing massive cliffs, caves, and rocks sound like your concept of enjoyable, then Pinnacles National Park can be an awesome nationwide park to go to. Located within the coronary heart of the Salinas Valley, this park is stuffed with cliffs, caves, and constructions fashioned by an historical volcano that erupted 23 million years in the past.
While well-known for its mountain climbing 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.
Visitors to this park will simply get their fill of pure wonders, nice mountaineering trails, and ample wildlife. And solely a bit of over a two-hour drive from the town, this park makes for a superb day journey!
5. Point Lobos State Reserve
Distance: 120 miles, Driving time: 2 hours
Point Lobos State Reserve has been referred to as one of many biggest shorelines on this planet and is known as “the crown jewel of Califonia’s state parks.” People flock right here from all around the world to take pleasure in its diving, mountaineering trails, and scenic ocean vistas.
The wildlife discovered at Point Lobos is world-class, and right here you can find sea lions, sea otters, elephant seals, harbor seals, and even killer whales!
From migrating whales, ample wildlife, and coastal overlooks, there’s virtually no finish of lovely issues to see at Point Lobos State Reserve, and it is just a brief two-hour drive from San Fransisco!
Are you planning an epic journey to Point Lobos? Make positive to test the articles beneath:
6. Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Distance: 150 miles, Driving time: 2.30 hours
This wonderful 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 Big Sur coastal drive that winds via it.
Some of the extra widespread points of interest at this park, other than the coastal drive, is Pfeiffer Beach and McWay Falls. Both supply some wonderful surroundings and images alternatives!
Still solely a bit of over 2 hours away, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is loads shut sufficient to San Francisco for a fast day and even half a day journey to go to. You won’t remorse visiting this lovely state park!
7. Yosemite National Park
Distance: 170 miles, Driving time: 3 hours
Download the official Yosemite National Park Map (PDF)
Yosemite National Park is likely one of the most well-known parks within the United States, and plenty of are stunned to be taught that San Francisco is situated solely 3 brief hours away. It is house to very large numbers of wilderness, granite cliffs, and a few of the most rugged terrains in California.
Yosemite has many nice locations to go to inside the park, together with some wonderful rivers and waterfalls. Just be ready, as this park might be very busy from April to November.
It is straightforward to see why hikers and photographers fall in love with a spot like Yosemite, and San Francisco could possibly be the proper staging level to go to this widespread nationwide park.
Are you planning an epic journey to Yosemite? Make positive to test the articles beneath:
8. Lassen Volcanic National Park
Distance: 240 miles, Driving time: 3.30 hours
Lassen Volcanic National Park is one other nationwide park near San Francisco, and the freeway that runs via it is likely one of the most breathtaking and scenic drives in your complete 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 Trail is notorious for being an awesome hike with some steaming sulfur swimming pools as a reward to see!
Hikers will love this wonderful park, and the surroundings has a few of the greatest mountain and alpine views California affords.
9. Kings Canyon National Park
Distance: 240 miles, Driving time: 3.30 hours
Kings Canyon National Park sits proper subsequent to Sequoia National Park, however as a result of they’re so shut collectively, most individuals will go to them on the identical journey.
Kings affords views of the wonderful 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 National Park, with fewer individuals to take care of. It additionally has loads of tenting and horseback using adventures for individuals who wish to discover it even additional!
10. Sequoia National Park
Distance: 260 miles, Driving time: 4 hours
As we talked about with Kings Canyon National Park, these two parks sit so shut collectively that they’re typically visited on the identical journey. But whereas Kings Canyon has its trademark canyon, Sequoia is known for its large bushes.
Sequoia National Park is a land filled with large redwood bushes, together with the world’s largest tree (by quantity) named General Sherman.
Visitors to this park can wander across the groves of those large bushes, discover mountaineering trails, and revel in scenic meadows and canyons. There are additionally some underground sights to discover referred to as Crystal Cave. Sequoia is properly well worth the drive from the town, as each location right here is breathtaking.
11. Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
Distance: 250 miles, Driving time: 4.30 hours
This reserve was created to protect the favored “tufa towers,” naturally occurring spires and knobs fashioned by the realm’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 one million years outdated. This makes it one of many oldest lakes in North America!
Because of how outdated it’s, all the salt and minerals have constructed up within the lake and it is rather salty. These have contributed to all the wonderful towers and formations which are seen right here.
12. Redwood National and State Parks
Distance: 320 miles, Driving time: 5.30 hours
Download the official Redwood National Park Map (PDF)
While this is likely one of the furthest drives from San Franciso, it could be the one that’s the most price it! These parks are in a league of their very own, and the enormous redwood bushes are one thing that everybody ought to see a minimum of as soon as of their lifetime.
While Sequoia National 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 could be a stretch for a day driving journey, however it’s properly price it!
National Parks Near San Francisco| Conclusion
When visiting nationwide and state parks, it could possibly typically be a problem to seek out the proper metropolis to fly or journey to so as to startyour adventurer. Luckily, there are locations like San Francisco which are in shut proximity to so many alternative and wonderful pure wonders!