Cabrillo National Monument
National Monument · San Diego · CA
In 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo climbed out of his boat and onto shore, becoming the first European to set foot on what is now the West Coast of the United States. Cabrillo National Monument not only tells the story of this 16th-century exploration but also houses a wealth of cultural and natural r
📘 Ask at: Visitor Center and View Building
California National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail · Santa Fe · CA, CO, ID, KS, MO, NE, NV, OR, UT, WY
Follow in the footsteps of over 250,000 emigrants who traveled to the gold fields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840s and 1850s: the greatest mass migration in American history. The California National Historic Trail is over 5,000 miles long and covers portions of 10 states. Step into
📘 Ask at: The California Trail Interpretive Center
Channel Islands National Park
National Park · Ventura · CA
Channel Islands National Park encompasses five remarkable islands and their ocean environment, preserving and protecting a wealth of natural and cultural resources. Isolation over thousands of years has created unique animals, plants, and archeological resources found nowhere else on Earth and helpe
📘 Ask at: Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center; Outdoors Santa Barbara Visitor Center; Visitor Center Anacapa Island; Santa Barbara Island Visitor Center; Scorpion Ranch Visitor Center on Santa Cruz Island; Santa Rosa Island Visitor Contact Station; San Miguel Island Ranger and Visitor Contact Station
Death Valley National Park
National Park · Death Valley · CA, NV
In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Yet, each extreme has a striking contrast. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. Lush oases harbor tiny fish and refuge for wildlife and
📘 Ask at: Furnace Creek Visitor Center; Stovepipe Wells Ranger Station
Devils Postpile National Monument
National Monument · Mammoth Lakes · CA
Established in 1911 by presidential proclamation, Devils Postpile National Monument protects and preserves the Devils Postpile formation, the 101-foot high Rainbow Falls, and pristine mountain scenery. The formation is a rare sight in the geologic world and ranks as one of the world's finest example
📘 Ask at: Devils Postpile Ranger Station
Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site · Danville · CA
America's only Nobel Prize-winning playwright, Eugene O'Neill, chose Northern California as his sanctuary at the pinnacle of his writing career. Secluded from the outside world within the serene walls of his Tao House, O'Neill crafted his final and most memorable masterpieces: The Iceman Cometh, Lon
📘 Ask at: Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area · San Francisco · CA
Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history from California’s indigenous cultures, Spanish colonialism, the Mexican Republic, US military expansi
📘 Ask at: Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center; William Penn Mott Jr. Presidio Visitor Center; Lands End Lookout Visitor Center; Muir Woods National Monument Visitor Center
John Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site · Martinez · CA
John Muir’s life was a tapestry of roles—fruit rancher, family man, writer—each interwoven with his deep love for nature. As one of America’s most influential naturalists, Muir was more than just an observer of the wilderness; he was its fiercest advocate. His passion for the land drove him to prote
📘 Ask at: John Muir National Historic Site Visitor Center
Joshua Tree National Park
National Park · Twentynine Palms · CA
Two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado, come together in Joshua Tree National Park. A fascinating variety of plants and animals make their homes in a land sculpted by strong winds and occasional torrents of rain. Dark night skies, a rich cultural history, and surreal geologic fe
📘 Ask at: Joshua Tree Visitor Center; Cottonwood Visitor Center; Black Rock Nature Center; Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center
Lassen Volcanic National Park
National Park · Mineral · CA
Lassen Volcanic National Park is home to steaming fumaroles, meadows freckled with wildflowers, clear mountain lakes, and numerous volcanoes. Jagged peaks tell the story of its eruptive past while hot water continues to shape the land.
📘 Ask at: Loomis Museum; Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center
Lava Beds National Monument
National Monument · Tulelake · CA
Lava Beds National Monument is a land of turmoil, both geological and historical. Over the last half-million years, volcanic eruptions on the Medicine Lake shield volcano have created a rugged landscape dotted with diverse volcanic features. More than 800 caves, Native American rock art sites, histo
📘 Ask at: Lava Beds Visitor Center
Manzanar National Historic Site
National Historic Site · Independence · CA
In 1942, the United States government ordered more than 110,000 men, women, and children to leave their homes and detained them in remote, military-style camps. Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten camps where the US government incarcerated Japanese immigrants ineligible for citizenship and
📘 Ask at: Manzanar Visitor Center; Block 14
Mojave National Preserve
National Preserve · Kelso · CA
Mojave preserves a diverse mosaic of ecological habitats and a 10,000 year history of human connection with the desert. Offering extensive opportunities to experience desert landscapes, the preserve promotes understanding and appreciation for the increasingly threatened resources of the Mojave Deser
📘 Ask at: Kelso Depot Visitor Center; Hole-in-the-Wall Visitor Center; Barstow Headquarters Information Desk
Muir Woods National Monument
National Monument · Mill Valley · CA
Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908, this primeval forest is both refuge and laboratory, revealing our relationship with the living lands
📘 Ask at: Muir Woods Visitor Center
Pinnacles National Park
National Park · Paicines · CA
Around 23 million years ago, a series of volcanic eruptions shaped the landscape that is now Pinnacles National Park. The remnants of these ancient eruptions have formed a striking terrain of rocky spires and deep canyons. Visitors can explore diverse environments, from chaparral and oak woodlands t
📘 Ask at: Pinnacles Park Store; West Pinnacles Visitor Contact Station; Bear Gulch Nature Center
Point Reyes National Seashore
National Seashore · Point Reyes Station · CA
From its thunderous ocean breakers crashing against rocky headlands and expansive sand beaches to its open grasslands, brushy hillsides, and forested ridges, Point Reyes offers visitors over 1500 species of plants and animals to discover. Home to several cultures over thousands of years, the Seashor
📘 Ask at: Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center; Bear Valley Visitor Center; Point Reyes Lighthouse Visitor Center
Pony Express National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail · Santa Fe · CA, CO, KS, MO, NE, NV, UT, WY
It is hard to believe that young men once rode horses to carry mail from Missouri to California in the unprecedented time of only 10 days. This relay system along the Pony Express National Historic Trail in eight states was the most direct and practical means of east-west communications before the t
📘 No visitor centre listed — ask any ranger, or check the park's site for a printable booklet.
Redwood National and State Parks
National and State Parks · Crescent City · CA
Renowned for the world’s tallest trees, Redwood’s landscapes span from open prairies and oak woodlands to pristine rivers and untamed coastline. This ancient home has supported people for thousands of years. The National Park Service and California State Parks now work to safeguard and rejuvenate th
📘 Ask at: Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center; Prairie Creek Visitor Center; Hiouchi Visitor Center; Crescent City Information Center; Jedediah Smith Visitor Center
Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park · Richmond · CA
Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths, weave a rich tapestry of experiences from this era of opportunity and loss.
📘 Ask at: Rosie the Riveter Visitor Education Center
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park · San Francisco · CA
Established in 1988, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park celebrates America’s maritime heritage on the Pacific Coast. Our 50-acre park has grown around Aquatic Park Cove, a protected area in the stunning San Francisco Bay. As you explore the cove and the historic landmarks around it, you
📘 Ask at: San Francisco Maritime Visitor Center; Maritime Museum
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area · Calabasas · CA
The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultural sites, from old movie ranches to Native American centers. What will you and your family discover?
📘 Ask at: Santa Monica Mountains Anthony C. Beilenson Interagency Visitor Center; Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
National Parks · Three Rivers · CA
Huge mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, vast caverns, and the world’s largest trees exemplify the diversity of landscapes, life, and beauty here. Explore these pages to plan your visit or to learn about the plants and animals here and the threats they face. Ancient giant sequoias may seem in
📘 Ask at: Foothills Visitor Center; Giant Forest Museum; Kings Canyon Visitor Center; Lodgepole Visitor Center; Cedar Grove Visitor Center; Mineral King Ranger Station
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area · Whiskeytown · CA
Whiskeytown Lake’s crystal-clear waters are iconic, but this 42,000-acre National Recreation Area offers much more. Explore waterfalls, hike rugged trails, uncover Gold Rush history, and witness the resilience of nature in its post-fire recovery. Adventure awaits at every turn—Whiskeytown is calling
📘 Ask at: Whiskeytown Visitor Center
Yosemite National Park
National Park · Yosemite National Park · CA
Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra. First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you c
📘 Ask at: Yosemite Valley Welcome Center; Wawona Visitor Center at Hill's Studio; Big Oak Flat Information Station; Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center