If you wish to know the finest Nationwide Parks close to San Francisco, you’ve come to the suitable 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 finest Nationwide Parks within the nation? Whereas this superb metropolis is well-known for its sights and vacationer sights 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 place to begin for exploring rather more than simply huge cities. It’s strategically positioned very near many breathtaking areas to see, all inside a simple day’s drive!

Nationwide Parks Close to San Francisco

Other than 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 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, completely different biospheres, and even historic websites. 

A few of the extra outstanding and standard of those websites embody a museum commemorating the constructing of the Golden Gate Bridge, Level Bonita Lighthouse, and the notorious Alcatraz Island. 

Other than these sights, this park has loads of scenic mountain climbing trails the place you possibly can get pleasure from seeing the plentiful wildlife. That is one park you do not need to overlook, as it’s rather 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 reputation through the years and is now one of many Bay space’s greatest sights. 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 mountain climbing trails and surreal forest groves, this place may be highly regarded, relying on the time of 12 months. Make 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 among the finest ones is Level Reyes Nationwide Seashore. This place is dwelling to some superb cliffs and rocks with an ocean backdrop that gives a number of the most gorgeous views in the entire state.

Level Reyes additionally acts as an enormous coastal wildlife protect, defending over 1,500 completely different animal and plant species with its distinctive and delightful shorelines.

When visiting Level Reyes Nationwide Seashore, don’t neglect to go to Level Reyes Lighthouse.

In the event 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 huge cliffs, caves, and rocks sound like your concept of enjoyable, then Pinnacles Nationwide Park could 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 fashioned by an historical volcano that erupted 23 million years in the past.

Whereas well-known for its mountaineering and mountain climbing, this park can 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 mountain climbing trails, and considerable wildlife. And solely just a little 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 known as one of many biggest 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, mountain climbing trails, and scenic ocean vistas.

The wildlife discovered at Level Lobos is world-class, and right here you’ll discover sea lions, sea otters, elephant seals, harbor seals, and even killer whales!

From migrating whales, considerable wildlife, and coastal overlooks, there’s virtually no finish of lovely 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? Ensure that to verify the articles beneath:

6. Pfeiffer Huge 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 Huge Sur coastal drive that winds by means of it. 

A few of the extra standard sights at this park, except for the coastal drive, is Pfeiffer Seaside and McWay Falls. Each supply some superb surroundings and pictures alternatives!

Nonetheless solely just a little over 2 hours away, Pfeiffer Huge Sur State Park is a lot 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 america, and lots of are stunned to study that San Francisco is situated solely 3 brief hours away. It’s dwelling to very large numbers of wilderness, granite cliffs, and a number of the most rugged terrains in California.

Yosemite has many nice locations to go to inside the park, together with some superb rivers and waterfalls. Simply be ready, as this park may 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 might be the right staging level to go to this standard nationwide park.

Are you planning an epic journey to Yosemite? Ensure 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 means 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 finest mountain and alpine views California affords. 

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 affords views of the superb Kings Canyon, one of many deepest canyons within the nation, in addition to loads of completely different mountains, waterfalls, lakes, and mountain climbing trails to discover. 

The terrain right here is similar to Yosemite Nationwide Park, with fewer individuals 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 known for its big bushes. 

Sequoia Nationwide Park is a land stuffed 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 mountain climbing trails, and revel in scenic meadows and canyons. There are additionally some underground sights to discover known as Crystal Cave. Sequoia is effectively well 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 fashioned by the world’s freshwater springs and alkaline lake water. It additionally protects all of the native wildlife, together with the tens of millions of birds touring to Mono Lake yearly. 

Mono Lake itself covers over 65 sq. miles and is over one million years previous. This makes it one of many oldest lakes in North America!

Due to how previous it’s, the entire salt and minerals have constructed up within the lake and it is rather 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 price it! These parks are in a league of their very own, and the large redwood bushes are one thing that everybody ought to see a minimum of as soon as of their lifetime.

Whereas Sequoia Nationwide Park has the largest (per quantity) bushes on this planet, Redwood has the tallest bushes on this planet. 

With a lot wilderness and trails to discover, you may 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 effectively price it!

Nationwide Parks Close to San Francisco| Conclusion

When visiting nationwide and state parks, it will probably generally be a problem to search out the right metropolis to fly or journey to with a view to startyour adventurer. Fortunately, there are locations like San Francisco which might be in shut proximity to so many various and superb pure wonders!

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