National Parks of California

There is currently twenty-eight National Park Service Site in California and four associated sites.

Official National Parks of California

Cabrillo National Monument
Castle Mountains National Monument
César E. Chávez National Monument
Channel Islands National Park
Death Valley National Park
Devils Postpile National Monument
Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site
Fort Point National Historic Site
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
- Alcatraz Island
John Muir National Historic Site
Joshua Tree National Park
Kings Canyon National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lava Beds National Monument
Manzanar National Historic Site
Mojave National Preserve
Muir Woods National Monument
Pinnacles National Park
Point Reyes National Seashore
Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
Redwood National Park and State Parks
Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
Sequoia National Park
Tule Lake National Monument
Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area
Yosemite National Park

Associated sites of California

California National Historic Trail
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
Old Spanish National Historic Trail
Pony Express National Historic Trail

National Parks of California Map

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California National Parks

Cabrillo National Monument

Castle Mountains National Monument

César E. Chávez National Monument

Channel Islands National Park

Death Valley National Park

Devils Postpile National Monument

Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site

Fort Point National Historic Site

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Alcatraz Island

John Muir National Historic Site

Joshua Tree National Park

Get help planning your trip to Joshua Tree National Park

Kings Canyon National Park

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Lava Beds National Monument

Manzanar National Historic Site

Mojave National Preserve

Muir Woods National Monument

Pinnacles National Park

Point Reyes National Seashore

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

Redwood National Park and State Parks

Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Sequoia National Park

Tule Lake National Monument

Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area

Yosemite National Park

Get help planning your trip to Yosemite National Park

California National Historic Trail

The California National Historic Trail is a massive 5,000 mile trail and runs thru 10 different states. This trail retraces the overland routes over 250,000 emigrants took to reach the fertile farmlands and famed gold fields of California in the 1840’s and 1850’s.

Unlike some of the other trails of the National Trails System, the California Trail isn’t a single hiking trail. It is a disconnected series of hiking trails, roads, and sites. Many of the US highways follow the wagon trail the settlers created as they rushed to California. Emigrants had a choice of routes across the United States. These trails start in Missouri and Nebraska. The then run thru Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming before splitting into Idaho and Utah. They go thru Nevada and into California and Oregon.

Photo Credit – Bureau of Land Management

Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail

Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail is a 1,210-mile trail that runs from Nogales, Arizona to San Francisco, California. The route was used in 1775-1776 by Spanish commander Juan Bautista de Anza to establish a land route to help with Spanish colonization. He led two expeditions to help establish a mission and presidio near San Franciso Bay. His worked helped settle California and established the Californian horse and cattle industry.

The Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail is mostly an auto trail running through Arizona and California. Juan Bautista de Anza’s route actually continues down into Mexico but that part is not part of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. There are many historical stops along the trail. These included both federal and state protected areas. Hiking is available near the trail.

Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail was created in 1990.

Old Spanish National Historic Trail

Old Spanish National Historic Trail is a historic trade route that connected Santa Fe, New Mexico with Los Angeles, California. The trail built upon the known trails established of the Indian Tribes of the region and the Spanish explorers and trappers. There are several common routes along the Old Spanish Trail depending on who the trade partners were and what they were trading. The Armijo Route provides the most direct route and was often a yearly trip for traders along the route. The trial saw the most use from 1830s until 1860s. Large mule pack trains could be seen walking back and forth from Santa Fe to Los Angeles.

The Old Spanish National Historic Trail is mostly an auto trail. The trail runs thru Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. Stops can include many other National Parks Service sites in the region.