California is one of my favorite places in the United States and it’s no wonder! This state offers alternatives for the most varied styles of tourists: it has a big city, a small city, beautiful beaches, amusement parks and, of course, stunning natural landscapes!
A good option to leave the traditional routes is to venture into one of the many national parks in the region. To make life easier for those planning a trip there, I selected 5 of them 😉
VALLE DE MORTE NATIONAL PARK
Photo: Cultural trip
Do you like extreme experiences and breathtaking landscapes? The “Death Valley” is the place that cannot be left out of your itinerary. The place is in the Mojave Desert and hits 50ºC in the summer – didn’t I say it was extreme? On warmer days, don’t even think about hiking; go with a car and turn on air conditioning!
Photo: Pierre Leclerc via Fine Art America
In addition to the extremely hot and dry climate, one of the things that most calls attention in the region is the difference in altitude: the lowest point, in Badwater Basin, is 85.5 meters below sea level; the highest point, at Telescope Peak, is 3,368 meters above sea level. You really can’t help but be impressed by the landscape, right?
YOSEMITE NATIONAL FOREST
Photo: @oscarwastaken
You have certainly heard of this park at least once. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, the landscape full of cliffs is surreal. Here you will find some of the largest waterfalls in the world: Yosemite Falls, Sentinel Fall and Ribbon Fall. The first is considered the largest in North America and has no less than 729 meters of fall!
Photo: Our Getaways
Another very famous spot in the park is the Yosemite Valley, which is 1,220 meters deep. There you can go hiking and even cycling in places pontos
JOSHUA TREE
Photo: Gal Meets Glam
Anyone who thinks that desert landscape is monotonous is completely wrong! Joshua trees, which give the park its name, have completely twisted trunks and impress anyone. Another species that draws attention is the Cholla cactus, which has a corner of its own in the park, the Cholla Catus Garden.
Photo: Gal Meets Glam
For those who enjoy seeing landscapes from the top, the mandatory stop on open days is the Keys View. Did you find little? Walking 6 kilometers you arrive at Lost Horse Mine, a mine built in the late 19th century.
SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK
Photo: Logan Davidson via @earthofficial
The giant sequoias scattered throughout the park are certainly the main tourist attractions, however the national park has other good surprises. Marble caves are common in the region and one of the most famous of them, Crystal Cave, is open for guided tours between May and November.
Photo: Huffington Post
For those who enjoy intense trails and rewarding landscapes, it is also worth climbing the 400 steps of Moro Rock. The granite rock formation is 2,050 meters long and the view of the Great Western Divide is incredible!
PINNACLES NATIONAL PARK
Photo: Mil Maravilhas
Caves, incredible rock formations and many flowers. These are just some of the attractions of the newest national park in the United States (2013). Thanks to the rich volcanic soil, in the spring it is possible to find more than 100 species of wild flowers.
Photo: Terry Bixler
However, the most famous spot in the park is the High Peacks where you can get a closer look at the impressive thin and irregular rock formations (Pinnacles).
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So, did you already know all these parks? I’m sure it made me want to visit California even more 😉