California has 9 national parks, counting Death Valley, which it shares with another state. Together they recorded 12,966,970 recreation visits in 2025.
The parks
| Park | Established | Area (acres) | Visits in 2025 | Entrance fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yosemite | 1890 | 761,748 | 4,278,413 | $35 per vehicle |
| Joshua Tree | 1994 | 795,156 | 2,932,644 | $30 per vehicle |
| Sequoia | 1890 | 404,063 | 1,378,337 | $35 per vehicle |
| Death Valley | 1994 | 3,408,396 | 1,320,134 | $30 per vehicle |
| Redwood | 1968 | 138,999 | 1,202,480 | No entrance fee |
| Kings Canyon | 1940 | 461,901 | 779,791 | $35 per vehicle |
| Lassen Volcanic | 1916 | 106,589 | 504,777 | $30 per vehicle |
| Pinnacles | 2013 | 26,686 | 343,208 | $30 per vehicle |
| Channel Islands | 1980 | 249,561 | 227,186 | No entrance fee |
At a glance
- Busiest: Yosemite, with 4,278,413 visits in 2025.
- Quietest: Channel Islands, with 227,186.
- Largest: Death Valley, at 3,408,396 acres.
- Oldest: Sequoia, a national park since 1890.
- No entrance fee: Redwood, Channel Islands.
- $100 nonresident fee: Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon (non-U.S. residents only).
Driving between the parks
Drive times and road miles between the closest visitor centers of each pair (OSRM estimates on OpenStreetMap roads), with straight-line miles for comparison.
| From | To | Drive | Straight line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sequoia | Kings Canyon | 47 min (26 mi) | 27 mi |
| Yosemite | Kings Canyon | 2 h 50 min (120 mi) | 88 mi |
| Sequoia | Death Valley | 6 h 20 min (276 mi) | 104 mi |
| Death Valley | Kings Canyon | 7 h (298 mi) | 104 mi |
| Yosemite | Sequoia | 3 h 20 min (144 mi) | 107 mi |
| Yosemite | Pinnacles | 4 h 10 min (179 mi) | 131 mi |
| Sequoia | Pinnacles | 4 h (172 mi) | 138 mi |
| Redwood | Lassen Volcanic | 4 h 25 min (216 mi) | 142 mi |
| Kings Canyon | Pinnacles | 4 h 20 min (200 mi) | 146 mi |
| Sequoia | Channel Islands | No road | 172 mi |
Link them into one trip with the road trip planner.
Is the annual pass worth it here?
Driving into all 7 fee-charging parks in California once would cost $225 in vehicle entrance fees. The $80 America the Beautiful pass for U.S. residents would save $145. Run your own numbers in the pass calculator.
Other National Park Service sites in California (26)
Beyond its national parks, California has these Park Service sites:
- Alcatraz Island: no entrance fee
- Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail: no entrance fee
- Cabrillo National Monument: $20 per vehicle
- California National Historic Trail: no entrance fee
- Castle Mountains National Monument: no entrance fee
- César E. Chávez National Monument: no entrance fee
- Devils Postpile National Monument: no entrance fee
- Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site: no entrance fee
- Fort Point National Historic Site: no entrance fee
- Golden Gate National Recreation Area: no entrance fee
- John Muir National Historic Site: no entrance fee
- Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail: no entrance fee
- Lava Beds National Monument: $25 per vehicle
- Manzanar National Historic Site: no entrance fee
- Mojave National Preserve: no entrance fee
- Muir Woods National Monument: $15 per person
- Old Spanish National Historic Trail: no entrance fee
- Point Reyes National Seashore: no entrance fee
- Pony Express National Historic Trail: no entrance fee
- Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial: no entrance fee
- Presidio of San Francisco: no entrance fee
- Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park: no entrance fee
- San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park: no entrance fee
- Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area: no entrance fee
- Tule Lake National Monument: no entrance fee
- Whiskeytown National Recreation Area: $25 per vehicle
Sources
- Wikipedia: List of national parks of the United States (area from NPS land resource data, 2025 recreation visits from NPS visitor statistics)
- National Park Service: Entrance Fees by Park
Sources last checked 1 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many national parks are in California?
9: Channel Islands, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Kings Canyon, Lassen Volcanic, Pinnacles, Redwood, Sequoia, Yosemite.
What is the most visited national park in California?
Yosemite, with 4,278,413 recreation visits in 2025.
Which is the oldest national park in California?
Sequoia, established September 25, 1890.